20 CHKONOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS 



and in all probability, the practice is not of recent origin. The Lolium 

 perenne and L. temulentum were seen by Forskal and Delile, growing 

 around the towns of Lower Egypt. 



The name of King Rakamai, of the Thirteenth Dynasty, has been 

 found in one of the excavated chambers or tombs at Siut (Lepsius, II. 

 PL 150). The soldiers figured in this tomb (Champollion, PI. 349) 

 are all on foot, resemble those at Benihassan, and are armed with 

 similar weapons. 



The name of King Sebekemsaf, of the Thirteenth Dynasty, has been 

 found at Konosso, and at Hamamat on the Kosser road (Lepsius, II. 

 PI. 151) : a coffin dated in his reign, is now in the Museum at Leyden. 



According to Birch, Sepulchral vases having the form of the four 

 Genii of the dead, were first used during the Thirteenth Dynasty : and 

 the usual formula relating to the doctrine of Transmigration, is in- 

 scribed on the scarabseus of King Sebekemsaf, now in the Museum 

 at London. 



About this time, Lower Egypt, in some unexpected manner, fell into 

 the hands of the Hyksos. According to Manetho, These people came 

 from the East, were of obscure or ignoble origin, and obtained posses- 

 sion of the country without fighting. Manetho (or perhaps Josephus) 

 alludes to an opinion held by some, that the Hyksos were Arabs : and 

 the event is possibly connected with the introduction and substitution 

 of the Arabic as the spoken language of Egypt. 



After establishing their authority, The Hyksos proceeded to maltreat 

 the native population ; killing some, and reducing the wives and chil- 

 dren of others to slavery ; also, demolishing the temples (a circum- 

 stance indicating a different religion); and at length, they made one 

 of their number king. Salatis, the first Hyksos king, set up military 

 posts, and collected tribute or taxes throughout Upper and Lower 

 Egypt : and Manetho further states, That Salatis directed especial 

 attention to the northeastern frontier, and built there a stronghold or 

 fortified city, from a jealousy of the rising power of the Assyrians. 



A triangular game of military conquest has been going on between 

 Egypt, Asia Minor, and the East, perhaps from the commencement of 

 monumental history; and still remains unsettled. The relative geogra- 

 phical position will explain, Why the Persians did not move against 



