HELIOPOLIS. 145 
antient sculpture, and to exhibit, as nearly as chap 
possible, a faithful representation of the original. .^ 
After the remark made by Strabo, concerning 
the hieroglyphics of Heliopolis, that they nmch 
resembled the works left by the Etrurians and 
by the antient Grecians^ a curiosity to see these 
in particular is naturally xcited. They are 
remarkable for the rudeness of their style of styicofthe 
sculpture; but ni the representations given Qij,hics.^ 
them in books of Travels, the simplicity of the 
original work has been sacrificed, in attempting 
to express, from more perfect models, the 
intended delineation of the antient sculptor. 
Thus, in the view of this obelisk, published by 
Shaw, and also by Norden, many of the hiero- 
glyphic figures are fancifully restored, under a 
notion of improving their appearance ; and 
some are altogether omitted. In the first oval 
inclosure, from the top of the obelisk, there is a 
rude figure, something like what is vulgarly 
called a bird-bolt, with a circle above it. Shaiu 
believed this to be intended for the scarabceiis 
pilularius, which is so frequently seen upon 
(4) ' AyctyXupa; 5' 'iy^ovirii o'l ToT^oi outoi fiiytk>.uv ii^uXav, ouo'iut TCiT^ 
Tv^^>lviKo7;, xx) to'; ci^^aioii gip'oi^a. tuv va^a. ro7; "EXXyitrt ^rif/.tov^yn/iaruv. 
Hi parietes iugentium simulacrorum sculpturas habent, Etruscis et 
antiqiiis CrcocicB operibus per similium." Slrabon. Geoff, lib. xvii. 
/). 111'.'. Jul. O.ron. 1807. 
\'Or.. V. L 
