June 6, 1895] 



NATURE 



iM 



controversy as to the inheritance of acquired characters seems to 

 lender insistence on the congenital element advisable. Un- 

 doubtedly there is an inherited tendency to imitation ; but from 

 the nature of the case, the activity performed through imitation 

 is not congenilally definite. 



With ^Ir. Marshall's statements concerning impulse I cannot 

 agree. If we say in connnon speech that " the instinct to strike 

 is held in check," we also say that the impulse lo strike is held in 

 check. The control of our lower impulses is an important part 

 of our moral life : but the contention that the impulses are "pro- 

 duced by the inhibition," is open to serious criticism. 



Thk Writer ok the Note. 



RECENT EXCA VA TIONS A T THE PYRAMIDS 

 OF DAHSHCR. 



FEW sources have supplied more facts for the study 

 of anthropology than the Egyptian tombs, and the 

 most important necropolis of Egypt is situated south- 

 cast of Cairo, close to tlic remains of ani icnt Memiihis. 



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Fig. 1.— Pectoral belonging lo Uscrlsen 11. (found M.irch 7, 1894.) 



This Stretches from the village of 

 Abou-Koash on the north to 

 that of .Mediim on the south, 

 about a distance of twenty-five 

 miles. 



To the south, and at the end 

 of the great chain of pyramids, 

 are those of Dahslun-, of whicli 

 four are of stone and two of 

 brick. I'p till 1892 the history 

 of two of these still remained to 

 be unravelled, but in that year 

 a large party of excavators, 

 headed by M. de Morgan, set 

 out, and succeeded in opening 

 up both these pyramids. It is 

 to this interesting work wc wish 

 to draw attention, for it marks 

 an important step in Egyptology, 

 indicating some of the earliest 

 applications of science in one 

 <lirection known to us, while 

 jmcient art is at the same time 

 jllustrated. .\I. de .Morgan has 

 recently given an account of 

 his explorations in Lc Moiulc 

 Modcrnc, and we arc indebted 

 to the courtesy of the Editor of 

 that magazine for the illustra- 

 tions of tlie hnds. 



The two pyramids are of 

 l)rick, and covered with a 



NO. 1336, VOL. 52] 



layer of limestone ; each one was surrounded by a brick 

 wall, which showed the limits of land reserved for the use 

 of the royal family. Round this was an avenue, left out 

 of respect to the descendants of the gods ; then came the 

 tombs of the great people connected with the court. 

 From inscriptions found, there is every reason to believe 

 that these two pyramids belonged to Usertscn III. and 

 .•\men-em-hat 111., both of the Twelfth Dynasty. On the 

 north side of the more northerly one are the tombs of 

 some princesses, four among them more important than 

 the rest. 



These tombshave been plundered, for, owing to the Egyp- 

 tian custom of burying jewels with their dead, the pyramids 

 have ever been a favourite resort of robbers ; and thus it 

 is that some of the tombs are in great disorder, which 

 causes much hindrance to the scientific research now being 

 carried on, more especially as many documents have been 

 carried away. Still, the plunderers have not stripped them 

 entirely, and the remaining documents and treasures have 

 been a most important clue to findings out the dates of the 

 pyramids and the history of the people they entomb. 



This spoliation of the tombs, continued by each succes- 

 sive generation, was nor stopped till the celebrated 

 Mariette founded the '" Serv-ce for the Conservation of 

 Monuments in Egypt." 



-Amongst the most interesting and perfect pieces of 

 jewellery found are three pectorals. They were found in 

 the princesses' tomb, and had been hidden in the soil in 

 order, no doubt, to deceive the plunderers. 



Fig. I, the first one unearthed, has in the centre the 

 cartouch of Usertsen II., held by two hawks, which bear 

 the crown of Lower and Upper Egypt. The signs of the 

 cartouch are made of cornelian, lapis-lazuli. and turquoise, 

 set in gold ; the other figures are likewise set with 

 precious stones. The other two pectorals are similarly 

 executed. The first (Fig. 21 represents two men, each 

 in the act of striking with a club an .Asiatic captive who 

 they are holding by the hair. In the centre is the 

 double cartouch of the king, and on each side the 

 emblem of life, out of wliich protrude two arms holding 

 a flabellum. .Abo\e them all is an eagle with outspread 





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I I'i. 2.— Pectoral belonging to .Vnien.ein-hitt III. (Found March 3, 1894.) 



