94 OBSERVATIONS ON EGYPTIAN ETHNOGRAPHY, 
varied official and other avocations, together with his acquaintance with the people, and 
their languages, have given him unusual facilities for collecting the requisite materials; 
while their authenticity is amply vouched for by one who blends the character of a gen- 
tleman with the attainments of a scholar. 
The object of this memoir, therefore, will be to throw some additional light on the 
questions to which I have adverted, and to ascertain, if possible, the Ethnographic cha- 
racters of the primitive Egyptians; or, in other words, to point out their relative position 
among the races of men. 
It is necessary, however, to premise, that the materials in my possession, were col- 
lected without the slightest bias of opinion on the part of Mr. Gliddon, who, at the 
period in question, had paid no particular attention to Ethnography; and indeed very 
many of these crania were received by me in their original wrappings, which were first 
removed, after the lapse of ages, by my own hands. 
It is farther requisite to bear in mind, that, with a few exceptions I have no clew 
whatever, whereby to ascertain or even to conjecture, the epoch to which these remains 
have belonged. The Egyptian catacombs do not always contain their original occupants; 
for these were often displaced and the tombs re-sold for mercenary purposes: whence it 
happens, that mummies of the Greek and Roman epochs, have been found in those more 
ancient receptacles which had received the bodies of Egyptian citizens of a far earlier 
date. The bodies thus displaced, however, were not destroyed; and the Egyptians of at 
least twenty-five centuries before our era, though for the most part mingled without 
regard to rank or epoch, are still preserved in their interminable cemeteries. 
I disclaim all knowledge of hieroglyphic literature; but I may express my conviction 
that the past discoveries and pending researches of Young, Champollion, Rosellini, 
Wilkinson, Lepsius, and some other illustrious men, are destined to unravel all that has 
hitherto been regarded as mystical in Egyptian history; while the invaluable disclosures 
which they have already made, entitle them to the lasting gratitude of the student of 
Archeology. 
A few words in reference to chronology. Rosellini places the accession of the XVI. 
dynasty of Egyptian kings at 2272 years before Christ. Champollion adopts a nearly 
similar arrangement. ‘The learned Dr. Wiseman admits that there are monuments in 
Egypt as old as 2200 years before our era; and Dr. Prichard dates the accession of 
Menes two centuries earlier in time. The veneration with which all these authors 
regard the sacred writings, has given me the greater confidence in their opinions, which 
I therefore adopt in general for the distant landmarks of time; and in respect to later and 
subordinate dates, I have been governed exclusively by the published system of Profes- 
sor Rosellini, which is regarded by competent judges as more complete than any other. 
I have great pleasure in stating, that for the unrestricted use of the first copy of 
Rosellini’s splendid work which was brought to the United States, Iam indebted to an 
accomplished traveller, Richard K. Haight, Esq., of New York; a gentleman who de- 
votes his leisure hours and opulent income. to the promotion of archeological knowledge. 
To John Gliddon, Esq., United States consul at Alexandria, to the Rev. George W. 
Bridges, and to M. E. Prisse, now in Egypt, I also take this occasion to express my sin- 
cere acknowledgments for the practical zeal with which they have aided my researches. 
