Explorations in Bible lands during the 19th century - H. V. Hilprecht

DURING 19 CENTURY: EGYPT 637
other places remained almost without results, there were
unearthed in the temple of ancient Tanis, besides statues of
the Middle
Empire, those curious human-headed sphinxes
in which Mariette thought to recognize a likeness of the
Hyksos kings, but which on the basis of recent discoveries
more probably represent kings of the Twelfth Dynasty. In
the necropolis of Memphis, near Gize, and especially at
Saqqara, Mariette continued the work which Lepsius had
begun. More than three hundred new tombs, or as they
are now called "mastabas," were
discovered, and in addition to the
valuable inscriptions and sculptures
which covered the walls of these
stone structures, there were a number
of statues brought to light.
Among the latter are some of the
best works of the
such as the famous seated
Egyptian artists,
statue of
the scribe in the Louvre and the
"Village Chief " (Shaikh el-beled) in
the Cairo museum.
Among the excavations carried
on by Mariette in Upper Egypt
those conducted on the site of the
ancient sacred city
of Abydos must
take the first rank. There he laid
bare the temple of Seti I., 1 of the
Nineteenth Dynasty, with its
beautifully
executed wall sculptures,
which scarcely have their equals, and also the famous and
most valuable " List of the
Kings " of Abydos, sculptured
in relief, representing how Seti I. with his son Rameses II.
offered incense to seventy-six of his ancestors seated on
their royal thrones, accompanied by their names and titles.
1
See the illustration on page 679. — The Editor.
Statue of the so-called Village Chief