100 THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS. CHAP. XI, 



INUNDATION AND STATE OF THE NILE. 



About the middle of Jane, a gradual and conti- 

 nuous increase of the Nile was already seen, even as 

 low as the vicinity of Memphis ; "its first rise being 

 perceived*," at the cataracts, about the end of May, 

 or the beginning of June ; and a chanjre from the 



previous clearness of the stream was soon observed 

 in its red and turbid state, caused by the rains from 

 the mountains of Abyssinia.t It then assumed a 

 green appearance t ; and during this period its water 

 being deemed unwholesome, a supply previously 

 laid up in jars was used until it had reassumed its 

 turbid but wliolesome red colour. This explains 

 the remark of Aristides§, that "the Egyptians are 

 the only people who preserve water in jars, and 

 calculate its age as other nations do that of wine ; " 

 and the reason for adopting water jars as emblems 

 of the inundation (on the authority of HorapolloH 

 and the sculptures) may probably be derived from 

 this custom of laying up the pure water of the Nile 

 in jars, about the season, or at the first approach, 

 of the inundation ; though the calculation of the 

 age of the water must be considered a Greek ex- 

 aggeration. 



It was perhaps this change in the appearance of 

 the river which led the Egyptians to represent the 



* Seneca, Nat. QiiKst. iv. 2. p. 886. J'kle supra, p. 9. 



■j- Ainmiamis and others doubted the inundation being caused by rains 

 in Ethiopia, xxii. 15. p. 334. 



J Probably from [)assing through some lakes or marsh lands, whence 

 green stagnant water mixed with the stream was brought down to 

 Egypt. 

 ''^ Orat. Egypt, vol. ii. p. 363. || Horapollo, i. 21 . 



