APPENDIX. 433 



pean) at Arpino, in the Neapolitan Territory, No. 4, the most common 



form of arch used by the ancient American builders. A striking resem- 

 blance will doubtless be observed, indeed, they may almost be considered 

 identical; and it may be added, that at Medeenet Haboo, which forms a part 

 of the ancient Egyptian Thebes, a similar contrivance was observed by Mr. 

 Catherwood. From this it will appear that the true principles of the arch 

 were not understood by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, or Etruscans, or by 

 the American bujMers. It might be supposed that a coincidence of this 

 strongly- marked character would go far to establish an ancient connexion 

 between all these people ; but, without denying that such may have been 

 the case, the probabilities are greatly the other way. 



This most simple mode of covering over a void space with stone, when 

 single blocks of sufficient size could not be employed, would suggest itself 

 to the most barbarous as well as to the most refined people. Indeed, in a 

 mound lately opened in the Ohio Valley, two circular chambers were dis- 

 covered, and are still preserved, the walls being made of logs, and the roofs 

 formed by overlapping stones rising to a point, on precisely the same plan as 

 the Treasury of Atreus at Mycenae, and the chamber at Orchomenus, built 

 by Minyas, king of Bceotia. No inference as to common origin or inter- 

 national communication can with safety be drawn from such coincidences, 

 or from any supposed coincidence between the pyramidal structures of this 

 Continent and those of Egypt, for no agreement exists, except that both are 

 called pyramids. 



In the Egyptian Pyramids the sides are of equal lengths, and, with one 

 exception (Saccara), composed of straight lines, which is not the case 



37 



