ON THE 



GLIDDON MUMMY-CASE 



IN THE 



MUSEUM OF THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 



BY 

 CHARLES PICKERING, M. D. 



In conversation, some fourteen years ago, the late INIr. Gliddon informed me that 

 he procured this mummy-case at Sacara, from an Arab who having dug it up was 

 committing it to the flames ; that the portion saved contained no king's name to fix 

 the date, and was sawed by him on arriving in America uito three pieces, one of 

 which he deposited in Washington. 



This Washington fragment (the only one I have seen) is represented in the 

 annexed colored engraving ; and on examination before and after visiting Egypt, 

 appeared to me to belong to an early period ; conviction gradually strengthening, 

 that it is one of the oldest, if not the oldest specimen of hieroglyphic writing known. 



The earliest writing of ascertained date, is under Snophru of the Third dynasty, 

 builder of the great stone pyramid at Dashur, and supposed to be Sephouris, who 

 reigned from B. C. 3110 to 3080: the style of writing imder Snophru is the same 

 as under the Fourth dynasty during the building of, the pyramids at Gizeh. 



On the Gliddon mummy-case, and the Abusir tomb (now in Berlin), the writing 

 is in a different and clearly anterior style. Towards the beginning of the Third 

 dynasty, Tosorthos or Sesorthos, reigning from B. C. 3240 to 3211, in the words 

 of Manetho ypa(|)>7S eTtsfieM^v, improved the writing : as all improvements in writing 

 have tended in one direction to increased facility, the mummy-case at least seems 

 to have preceded such an interference. 



Sesorthos also inaugurated building with hewn or squared stone: Manetho's 

 statement referring perhaps to larger constructions as pyramids, and not precluding 

 knowledge of the art ; the Abusir tomb is in fact of squared stone. 



Metallic implements are required for squaring stone, and the crucible on the 

 mummy-case indicates smelted copper : but the sto7ie adze is also figured, as appears 

 from the mode of fastening, though the material of the blade may remain uncertain ; 

 the character is changed in form throughout subsequent hieroglyphic writing, and 

 clearly represents a metallic adze. 



This stone adze of the Gliddon mummy-case, and the hieroglyphic character 

 possibly of the stone celt or hatchet continuing as late as the Fifth dynasty (Leps. 



June, 1867. ( 1 ) 



