12 CHRONOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS 



An inscription having reference to the construction of the Great 

 Pyramid, as interpreted to Herodotus (ii. 125), contained notices of the 

 two following plants: The "krommya" or onion (Allium cepa). — 

 Figured under the Seventeenth or Eighteenth Dynasty ; and men- 

 tioned under its current Egyptian name in Numbers xi. 5, and under 

 its current Greek name by Homer. 



And the "skoroda" or garlic (Allium sativum). The interpreters, 

 however, in conversing with Herodotus, may have had in view the 

 plant figured in the neighbouring tombs, to be noticed presently. — 

 The garlic is mentioned by Homer ; but at the present day, is very 

 sparingly cultivated in Egypt, and even, according to Hasselquist, 

 forms an article of importation. 



The name of King Menkera, of the Fourth Dynasty, occurs on the 

 wooden coffin discovered in the Third Pyramid at Gizeh. This pyra- 

 mid is therefore the tomb of King Menkera ; and though the smallest 

 of the three, is built entirely of sienite from the First Cataract, agree- 

 ably to the statement of Herodotus ii. 134. — The memory of King 

 Menkera appears to have been much venerated by the Egyptians ; and 

 his name occurs in sacred writings and prayers composed centuries 

 after his decease. 



The inscription on this wooden coffin, has been ascertained by Birch 

 to be an extract from the Osiris-myth ; and the high antiquity of this 

 sacred drama is thus demonstrated. The material of the coffin, de- 

 scribed as " a kind of cedar," may have been imported ; for the Coni- 

 ferous trees at present cultivated in Egypt, hardly afford timber of 

 sufficient size. 



In a tomb at Gizeh, apparently constructed during the reign of 

 Menkera, are figures of a species of Allium (Lepsius II. PI. 36) ; per- 

 haps the garlic, or the onion, but agreeing better with the shallot 

 (Allium Ascalonicum). — According to Zalikoglous' account of the 

 Greek usage,* the "gethyon" of Theophrastus vii. 4, is the shallot. 

 This plant was seen in Greece by Bory de St. Vincent ; and in Egypt, 

 by Alpinus. 



Men probably of the Negro Race are represented in the same tomb 

 (Lepsius II. PI. 36) ; at least, if we may judge from their wearing the 

 three-lobed emblem. — This emblem occurs at Benihassan as a black 

 writing style (Champollion PI. 361) ; but in other instances, on monu- 



* Modern Greek Lexicon by Zalikoglous. Venice, A.D. 1815. 



