UC-NRLF
THE EVEi
low ?
55
55
* 1
It
Thebes Th'th. III. IV. 105 , 6
6,,
5,,
3,,
5
~ 55
6 ,
10 The New York Obelisk.
Where erected: By whom erected: Height:
21. Mahutean Heliopolis Ramses II. 20ft. -in.
22. Piazza della Sais ? p sam etik II. ? 17 , 7 ,
Minerva
23. Villa Mattei ? Ramses II. 8 3
In other parts of Italy and Sicily:
24. Boboli. Gar- Heliopolis Ramses II. ? 16 , 1 ,
dens, Florence
25. Florence ? ? 7 -
26. Florence ? ? 5 10 ,,
27. 28. Benevento Benevento Domitian 9 ,, -
29. Borgian, Naples ? Domitian ? 6 ,, 7
30. Catania Catania Roman copy? 12 ,, 4 ,,
In France:
-31. Luxor, [Pstris] Thebes Ramses II. 74 ,, 11 ,,
32. Aries Aries Constantine ? 56 ,, 9 ,,
In England:
33. Alexandrian Heliopolis Thothmes III. 68 f> ,
[in London]
34. Alnwick Castle ? Amenophis II. 7 3
or Sion House ?
35. 36 Amyrtaeus ? Aniyrtaeus [465] 19 9
British Mus.
37. Corfe Castle Philse Ptol. Euerg. II. 22 1|
In Germany:
38. Albani Munich ? Domitian ? ?
39. Lepsius Berlin Memphis iv. or v. dyn. 2 ,, 1J ,,
In tlie United States:
$ Thothmes lit. 69 ,, 6 ,,
II. PROSTRATE OBELISKS.
1. Karnak Thebes Thothmes 1. ?
List of ObelisTcs.
11
2. Karnak
3. Bejij
4-7. San
8. Assuan
9. Nahasb
By whom erected:
Hatasu
Wliere erected:
Thebes
Crocodilop. Usertesen I.
Tanis Ramses II.
still in the quarry.
Sinai tic ?
Peninsula
Height:
?
42 ft. 9 in.
95
11
10 .ll.Drah-abul- Thebes
Neggah
Antef [xi. dyn.]
Besides th.9 above, we are told that there were in Rome
in 1676 four fragments of obelisks, which have since dis-
appeared. Another obelisk is said to have been near the
Porta del Popolo in Rome, in the burial place of Nero,
which was only a Roman imitation, called the Esmeade
Obelisk. Zoega states that a fragment of an obelisk was
brought to Wanstead, England. It was 2| ft. high, and
comprised only a part of the pyramidion. Another frag-
ment of an obelisk is mentioned as having been at Cairo,
Egypt. Bonomi calls attention to one at Soughton Hall,
England. None of these, however, can now be traced.
Pharaoh with the double crown of Egypt bringing offerings to the gods.
CHAPTER II.
THE QUARRYING, TRANSPORTING, AND RAISING OF OBE-
LISKS.
1. Egypt is undoubtedly in every respect a land of
wonders. At the most remote period of its history we ob-
serve that it was already in such an advanced state of civ-
ilization, as would appear to us to be wholly incompat-
ible with its venerable age. When Greece first began to
issue from its times-of heroes and demi-gods and advance
on a path of civilization, Egypt had already for at least
twenty centuries possessed everything that enlightened
Greece could boast of. The first objects among the many
wonders that still remain in Egypt to catch the eye of a
traveler, are the grand monuments set up in honor of va-
rious divinities or as proud guide-posts for future gener-
ations. Among these obelisks and pyramids rank first.
We marvel at the enormous stones which our modern
steam-engines would lift with difficulty, yet which the
ancient Egyptians quarried, transported, and erected in
their proper places, not only setting them on the ground,
but even lifting them some hundred feet, as in the case
of the Pyramids. We look upon the greater number of
obelisks, each made of one unbroken piece of stone, and
are forced to admire the workmanship and engineering
skill which they exhibit. We may endeavor to grasp this
wonderful achievement, but must continually ask: how
was it done, and how was it possible to do so at that
time, when even now with all our many inventions and
The Quarrying of Obelisks. 13
contrivances we should perhaps fail. Unfortunately we
receive no definite answer. It is so long ago since the Egyp-
tian stone-cutters plied their chisels and the engineers
built their machines, and no papyrus or inscription tells
us directly how the work was accomplished. A relic of
indomitable labor and uncompleted work still lies in the
quarry at Assuan. It is an obelisk of 95 feet still cleav-
ing on its fourth side to the native rock. This may throw
some light on the mystery.
We notice the nicety and precision with which the stone-
cutter went to work in hewing out and polishing the mon-
ument. His art was one that had been brought to the
highest state of perfection in Egypt; and no wonder, for
in a country where timber was scarce and hardly one
tree was suitable for wood-work, men had to fall back
on their natural supply which the mountains rising on
both sides of the valley yielded. Stone was there in abun-
dance. Hence from the earliest times of Egyptian history
the stone-cutter receives a prominent place. The imple-
ments he employed must have had a wonderful degree
of hardness to chip and polish the tenacious rock of Syene.
With regard to the quarrying of the rock, that is, how,
after having selected a properly -sized piece of rock with-
out a flaw and having carefully marked it, the stone-cut-
ters were able to detach 50-100 feet of it without a break
- that has given rise to many conjectures. Belzoni held,
that after a groove of about two inches had been cut along
the line, the blow of some machine must have separated
the pieces of rock, as glass when cut by a diamond. Oth-
ers believe that a saw was employed to sever the rock.
Sir J. F. Herschel prefers to accept the theory that the
separation of the rocks was caused by fire, a method still
employed in India. He calls attention to the fact, that
after the workmen there have cut a groove into the rock
they kindle a small fire on top of this line, and that aft-
14
The New York Obelisk.
er the rock is thoroughly heated they suddenly pour cold
water on it, causing the rock to split with a clean fracture.
It is, however, more probable that the Egyptians made
use of wooden wedges to accomplish their purpose. We
frequently find not only grooves in the rock but also
wedge-holes inside these grooves. Wedges with their
slow and steady pressure would insure a good fracture.
Possibly, as Wilkinson surmises, the grooves themselves
may have (parried water to the wooden wedges which, be-
ing kept continually moist and thereby expanding, would
have caused the rock to split. The saw was undoubtedly
used for the last cutting to separate the piece from the
native rockA
The blocksx having been quarried, the stone-cutters
cut them exactly to the re-
quired shape ah<^ polished
them almost as smooth as
glass with the chisel and in-
cessant rubbing. The accom-
panying pictures fully il-
lustrate and explain this.
Stone-cutter at work.
Stone-cutters smoothing a block of granite.
In the accurate chiseling and
planing of the angles the Egyp-
tians have never been surpassed.
As for the material used in the
manufacture of the tools that
were to cut the hard Egyptian rock
which bends even our iron and
steel tools of to-day and makes
The Transportation of Obelisks.
15
them useless, we must profess a deep ignorance. Either the
Egyptians employed chemical compounds and emery,
Chiseling, planing, polishing, and inscribing statues.
or else they possessed a wonderful knowledge of tem-
pering bronze and iron tools which has been completely
lost. It still remains for our advanced civilization to re-
discover what the ancient Egyptians already knew.
2. We know almost less about the transportation than
the quarrying of obelisks. We have only one picture on
the monuments, at Bersheh, to guide us. In this the
dragging of a colossus by workmen is represented in
vivid outlines. The accompanying picture shows the man
in charge of the work, the servant greasing the runners
of the sledge, and the multitude of toiling people, but it
Transportation of a colossus.
16 The New Yor~k Obelisk.
tells us very little about the manner of transportation for
a distance of more than one thousand miles between Sy-
ene and Lower Egypt. That the removal of such mono-
liths from the quarry to the place of erection was a mat-
ter of some importance is fully brought out by many in-
scriptions, where this task is intrusted by Pharaoh to a
loyal subject, and where the latter expresses his gratifi-
cation that his mission was completed to the satisfac-
tion of his master, who rewarded him quite handsome-
ly. From some inscriptions it would appear that the
blocks, when ready for transportation, were rolled to
the river's edge, or perhaps placed on rollers and then
pushed or else dragged down on an inclined plane. The
Nile, ever ready to extend his welcome help to the chil-
dren of his soil, aided them again in their efforts. Large
barges or rather floats were built where the water of the
inundation would reach the blocks, and where they,
when once on the floats, would be carried on that great
Egyptian highway to any part of the vast empire. Ma-
ny monuments, however, were transported overland, in
which case the aid of the Mle must have been dispensed
with. The Colossi at Thebes, the two statues of Ameno-
phis III., and the statue of Ramses II. in the Memnoni-
um at Thebes, which weighed as much as 1,800,000
pounds, are instances of this. Such masses of rock were
moved along on sledges by human hands, as shown in
the above picture. The inscription of Hammamat makes
mentioii of the men who died while handling such sledg-
es with their enormous loads. Possibly the Egyptians
already used besides rollers and levers also pulleys to
facilitate their work. At all events the transportation by
human hands of obelisks and other monoliths of enor-
mous size and weight without the most powerful appli-
ances of modern times is such a wonderful feat, that we
cannot at present fully comprehend it. All we know
The Erection of Obelisks. 17
for certain is the fact that those men of old have suc-
ceeded, and therefore accomplished what we w^ould
regard as almost impossible.
3. The method employed by the Egyptians in the erec-
tion of obelisks has to this day remained a profound
mystery. Of course, just as with regard to the quarrying
and transporting them, many conjectures have been ad-
vanced which, however plausible they may seem, give
us no definite solution of this problem. That the Egyp-
tians must have possessed some mechanical means, with
which to lift these colossi into their exact place, cannot
be disputed: otherwise the time consumed in setting
them up would have been equal to that of quarrying
them. They had undoubtedly some unknown facilities
for doing work of this kind, and being great mathemati-
cians, they may have constructed agents more powerful
than those of the present day.
CHAPTER III.
THE FOKM, NAME, DIMENSIONS, INVENTION, MATEEIAL,
AND USE OF OBELISKS.
1. Obelisks are monoliths, that is, they are made of
one piece of rock only. Pieces set up in the form of an
obelisk are never considered one. The lofty shaft at
Washington, D. C., cannot, therefore, be styled an obe-
lisk. In addition to being composed of one piece only,
all obelisks are quadrangular, the sides sloping gradu-
ally and perceptibly but right-angled all the way to the
top, where they are surmounted by a miniature pyra-
mid or trapezium. They were, as far as we know, com-
monly erected in pairs at the entrance of the temples,
evidently serving there in the capacity of guardians.
The stone was polished to a high state of perfection, and
the inscriptions added in intaglio-relievo by skilled
stone-cutters under the direction of scribes. Whether the
figures of these inscriptions were filled out with copper
or gold, as some maintain, is extremely doubtful.
With the pyramidion it was different. While its usual
dedicatory inscriptions remained undoubtedly as they
were chiseled, the point or apex seems to have been sur-
mounted by gold or gilded bronze. The sun would natu-
rally in the early morning first touch with its rays this
point and bathe it in splendor. It would appear from ex-
tant obelisks that, in order to have the gold added, the
The Form of the Obelisk. 19
stone apex was not brought out to a fine point, but left
rugged and incomplete. Yet this unevenness may also
have been the result of time and the abrasion caused by
the sand of the desert. We know of the Obelisk of Kar-
nak, erected by queen Hatasu, that the apex of its pyr-
amidion was covered with "pure gold", as the inscrip-
tion on the obelisk itself states. Others, again, were
covered with copper; for instance, the two obelisks of
Heliopolis, of which but one remains now, which were
seen in this condition by St. Ephraim Syrus (308 A. D.),
Denys of Telmahre (840 A. D.), and a number of Ara-
bic writers.
It is a very interesting fact, that in the inscriptions of
the vth and vith dynasties in Memphis the obelisk has
a curious shape, being represented by a short and sin-
gularly unproportional shaft on a high and wide pedes-
tal, and crowned at the point of the pyramidion by a
large disk of the sun. This figure, in the first place, close-
ly resembles a pyramid or a combination of the pyra-
mid and the obelisk, almost forcing on us the assump-
tion that the obelisk grew out of the pyramid, and, in
the second place, the disk of the sun plainly refers to
the mystic sun-worship for which the obelisk primarily
served as an index finger.
The sides of the obelisk were always intended to be in-
scribed, for they were to record the deeds and praise of
a Pharaoh. That some obelisks have come down to our
days without inscriptions is due to the fact, that the
monarch who ordered them died, and his successor ei-
ther would not spend the money on the monument of a
predecessor to have it inscribed, or deemed it sacrile-
gious to put his own name on what did not belong to
him. We find filial piety displayed only by Thothmes
IV., who would not allow the monument of his great pre-
decessor, Thothmes III., to lie half-finished in the quar-
20
The New York Obelisk.
ry, but erected it, not, however, without succumbing to
the sore temptation of adding his own name and using
two thirds of the space of the whole obelisk. This is at
present the Lateran Obelisk in Rome. Whether the obe-
lisks were inscribed before being erected, or vice versa,
cannot now be determined. From some uninscribed spec-
imens we should infer that they were inscribed when in
their proper position, while from the Lateran Obelisk
we could draw the conclusion that they were first com-
pleted in all details before they were erected.
The obelisks, as soon as they had been finished to the
satisfaction of Pharaoh, were placed in pairs on pedes-
tals in front of the pylons or lofty entrances of the tem-
A pair of obelisks, on pedestals, in front of the pylon, or
entrance-gateway, of a temple.
pies. The pedestals were either, as in the case of the
New York Obelisk, composed of one solid block of stone,
or else of a foundation of closely fitting blocks or a lay-
er of stones.
One effect of the removal of the obelisks by the Ro-
mans was to break off the edges at the bottom, so that
TJie Obelisk and the Pyramidion. 21
there was reason to fear that re-erection would not make
them safe. To obviate this danger, they placed bronze
crabs at each corner to fill ont the gaps. Wfiy they
should have hit upon the form of the crab or scorpion
is not very evident. Perhaps they chose the crab from a
religious point of view, in order to conform to the curi-
ous religious doctrines and superstitious notions enter-
tained by the Egyptians under the Ptolemies, and elu-
cidated by the inscriptions and papyri of that time.
2. The word "obelisk" comes from the Greek signify-
ing a "pointed instrument", and is, in turn, derived from
another Greek word obelos "a spit". Afterwards this
name was applied to a "pointed pillar", on account of
the latter' s resemblance to a spit. By the Egyptians the
obelisk was called ^ l) tekhen. This word occurs quite
/wwwA
frequently in inscriptions, especially on the obelisks
themselves, where the "determinative" jj_ alone is given
without the literal complement, that is, the spelling.
The pyramidion of the obelisk, on the other hand, was
called benben by the Egyptians. The prominent part
played by it in the mysteries of sun-worship is attested
by the inscription of king Piankhi (about 700 B. C.), for
in it is mentioned the jjjj Jj ^ (lia-t benben-t\ "the
temple of the pyramidion" in Heliopolis. The inscription
tells us in this connection the following story: "His maj-
esty entered tlie temple of Ra and his divine sanctuary
with profound veneration. Tlie first high-priest offered
up a prayer to god in tlie star-chamber to icard off mis-
fortune from the king, placed on Jiis brow the fillet, and
purified him with frankincense and holy water. Flowers
of the temple of the pyramidion were brought to Mm and
blossoms were given to him. He ascended the stairs to the
grand niche to see the god Ra in the temple of the pyra-
midion. Sucli Idas done by the king himself. His chief-
22 The New York Obelisk.
tarns stood apart, while lie drew back tlie bolt, opened tlie
door, and saw Jiis father ltd in tlie temple of the pyra-
midion resting in the Mddd-boat of Rd and the Sektet-
~boat of Turn. He then closed the doors and put on them
clay and sealed them with the king's own ring." The fre-
quent mention of the pyramidion and the evident impor-
tance attached by the king to his visit to this sanctuary
plainly show that there was a deep signification lying
hidden beneath the strange upper part of the obelisk.
In it the Rising Sun, Ra, and the Setting Sun, Turn, find
their mutual points of contact.
3. The dimensions of the obelisks which have come down
to us vary very much. By consulting the list on pages 9-11
it will be seen that at present the height ranges between
2 to 105 feet. As has already been mentioned, the largest
obelisks date back to the time when Egypt entered upon,
or was already in, its golden age, that having b?en the
time when the Pharaohs could erect monuments worthy
of their reign. Before that time, when they served as
grave- stones, the obelisks were of a comparatively small
size. Still we find some very large specimens under lat-
er dynasties, as for instance that of Psametik II. on
the Monte Citorio in Rome, which is 71 feet high, while
that of the Ptolemies in Philae, which is only a frag-
ment, measures 33 feet. The Romans also erected large
monoliths, Domitian's obelisk on the Piazza Navona in
Rome being 54 feet, and that of Hadrian on the Monte
Pincio 30 feet high. Constantine the Great erected the
large obelisk at Aries in France, measuring 56 feet,
which may have possibly been taken out of a French
quarry.
There must have been some fixed rule for determin-
ing the thickness of an obelisk when the length was
given. According to a measurement of all the obelisks
we may state, that the base was generally 1/9 to 1/11 of
The Dimensions and the Material of Obelisks. 23
the entire length. Thus the New York Obelisk is 7 ft.
9^ in. by 7 ft. 8^ in. at the base, which is about 1/9 of
the entire length (69 J ft.). The obelisk of Hatasu is of a
somewhat different proportion, the thickness at the base
being only 1/13 of the total length. The obelisk with the
thickest base is that which is still in the quarry at As-
suan, the base measuring 11 ft. 1J in. by 11 ft. 1^ in.
That monuments of such height and thickness weigh
a great deal is self-evident. Our New York Obelisk would
tip an adequate scale at the figure: 448, 000 pounds. Eight
of the extant obelisks, however, weigh still more, the
heaviest being that of Assuan which, if it had ever been
erected, would weigh 1,540,000 pounds, having for a sec-
ond the Lateran Obelisk in Home with 1,020, 000 pounds.
4. The material of which the obelisks are made is the
granite of Syene. It was preferred by the Egyptians on
account of its wonderful hardness, durability, lack of
flaws (the so-called maladie de granite), and its reddish
color. It is really the amphibole-granite, but is com-
monly called Syenite from the name of the place where
it is found. Although flaws in it are of rare occurrence,
they nevertheless sometimes appear in the obelisks.
Whenever they were discovered after the block was de-
tached from the native rock, they did not render the
stone by any means worthless, as the Luxor Obelisk in
Paris has proved. This had a crack in it at the base from
the day of its erection in Thebes, which, when pinned
by the Egyptians with a wooden plug at that early time,
has not since then interfered in the least with the strength
or stability of the obelisk.
The supply of this hard granite was and is still inex-
haustible, being massed up in immense mountains in
various parts of E^ypt. It is found in the eastern des-
ert near Thebes. Egyptian monuments also record the
quarrying of stone at Hammamat, on the road to Kosser.
t/CC
24 The New York Obelisk.
It is, however, found best in the vicinity of the First
Cataract and, as the name "Syenite" indicates, especial-
ly at Syene (Assuan). This city, of some importance un-
der the Pharaohs, was called Syene by the Romans, and
r ^ un 't by the Egyptians. It is situated opposite
the island of Elephantine, called by the Egyptians
y^^. Abu-t ( u the ivory-city"), the most northerly is-
// &
id in the First Cataract, forming the southern bound-
ary of ancient and modern Egypt, Where the chisel and
the tools of the stone-cutters were kept in constant use,
where men formerly battled with the stubborn rock,
and most of Egypt's monuments were cut and embel-
lished - - no sound now greets the traveler. The place is
deserted, itself a monument of an ancient people's dili-
gence and perseverance.
5. The question as to the invention of that wonderful,
simple, yet strange figure we call obelisk, can be an-
swered without hesitation. The invention belongs whol-
ly to the Egyptians. As has been pointed out before, the
people of the ivth and vth dynasties already made use
of this form of monument. Perhaps its first appearance
dates back even further, although no such old obelisks
exist to warrant this assumption.
The next question to be answered is: to what use were
the obelisks put? The ancient dynasties did not use
them for ornament's sake, as the tomb would hardly be
a suitable place for works of art that were to be ad-
mired. They originally served as memorial tablets and
tomb-stones. Afterwards their surpassing beauty as
monuments of art was perceived, and they were placed
in pairs in front of the gates and pylons of the temples
for ornament. They broke the monotony of the straight
and peculiar Egyptian style of building, and by their
apparently thin and column-like appearance set off to
The Artistic Merits of Obelisks. 25
advantage the massive and ponderous structures round
about. A position in front of the temples was certainly
the very best which could be assigned to them, and it
can therefore be no matter of surprise, that the Pharaoh
sought to commemorate his victories and virtues on such
splendid tablets. We find the king in most cases use all
the available space on the obelisk, and whenever he
did not use all of it, another would be sure to add his
own glorious name and deeds to those of some predeces-
sor. We consequently find some obelisks that bear the
inscriptions of as many as three different rulers; for in-
stance, the Lateran, London, and New York Obelisks.
These inscriptions would effectually serve the purpose
of history, if they recorded events of vast political im-
portance, but, unfortunately, of obelisk-inscriptions still
extant, none are dated after the manner of other histor-
ical monuments.
The Romans immediately recognized the artistic mer-
its of the obelisks, though they were perhaps more struck
by their grandeur and elegance than anything else, and
carried off many of them as trophies to sunny Italy.
They adorned Rome with them, where, with all their
rents and fractures, and after all the injury by the hand
of man and havoc of the elements, the obelisks still baf-
fle the ravages of time in the "City of the Seven Hills".
As a "smart" people, however, the Romans tried to util-
ize them in some way: so they hit upon the idea to make
them serve as sun-dials. Augustus experimented to this
end with the obelisk now on the Monte Citorio in Rome,
but, as he was not successful, this project was entirely
abandoned.
CHAPTER IV.
THE SIGNIFICATION OF THE OBELISK AND THE WOESHIP
OF THE SUN.
The most interesting point to be touched upon in our
further investigation concerning obelisks is undoubted-
ly that with regard to their meaning and signification,
or, in other words, what the mind of the Egyptian priest
saw expressed under the figure of an obelisk. This leads
us into the religion and mythology of a nation that had
some very lofty conceptions of life, death, and eternity.
The objects which called forth such thoughts were pre-
eminently the obelisk and the pyramid, the former rep-
resenting life in the sunshine of glory, the latter death
in the darkness of passing night.
In the cosmogony of the Egyptians the SUN plays the
most important part. Its birth is thus aptly described
from the monuments by Prof. Dr. H. Brugsch: "In the
beginning there was no heaven or earth. A boundless wa-
ter, shrouded in dense darkness, made up the universe.
This held in its bosom the male and female germs or be-
ginnings of the future world. The divine primeval spir-
it, inseparable from the matter of the primitive water,
felt a longing after creative power, and his word called
into being the world, whose figure and variegated form
had already manifested themselves to him. Its corporeal
outlines and colors corresponded, in consequence of their
derivation, to Truth, that is, to the exact intention of
the divine spirit with reference to his future work. The
The Worship of the Sun.
first act of creation consisted in the formation out of the
primitive water of an egg, from which the light of day
(Rd 'the sun') proceeded, which animated everything in
tlie world. In this rising sun is embodied the almighty
dimnity in its grandest manifestation".
This new-born deity was destined to become great-
er than its parent, and to receive adoration in all its
many phases. The path of the sun was frequently com-
pared to the life of a man from infancy to old age. Hence
the sun was called a l)oy in the morning, a youth in the
midday, and an old man in the evening ( ^ 2J) klirud
dau "old
however,
which constantly recur on the innumerable Egyptian
monuments are Jj\ Rd and * J) Turn, the former rep-
I 11 M" IT\ 1
resenting the sun in all its glory in the morning and
at noon, the latter the sun when it has completed [turn]
its course and leaves the earth in darkness. Thus he
"boy", **
f\ A/WSAA vl
man"). The most common names of
fy hunnu "youth",
inscriptions frequently speak ofJ)t\ "%\ \IQ^ (Rd em
\ \ 1 Wv^- 7T .<V\^ fO|
Why did the Egyptians choose the hawk as the em-
Tlie HawTc as the Symbol of the Sun.
31
bodiment of their highest god? Perhaps on account of
the lofty flight of the bird, or else because of its keen
vision. In the "victory- stele" of Thothmes III. the deity
say^to theking:jyy>^J|f J^ 7 ^^^
r^~ f\ ^^^^^ ^^=:> [Pronounced: du-a ma sen
w=/l J5^ Z5Z5 *^ "^SL *^
heii-k em neb dema't thet em degag't'f er merer *f ] "I let
them behold your majesty like the lord of flight (hawk),
grasping with his glance whatever he desires", thus com-
bining in one verse the two explanations
given above. The grandest sanctuary in
which Horus was worshiped was in Edfu,
where he was called \|\ c-=^ Hor-Hud't.
Ja^v o
Horus and Ra were generally united into
one deity and then represented as a hawk-
faced man with the dik of the sun on his
head (JRyr'a)' I n order to proclaim this
deity a ruler over the earth as well as the
heavens, the picture of the hawk frequent-
ly has the double crown of Egypt (%jf be-
Horus of Edm. ing the white crown A hez of Upper
Egypt and the red crown ^ desher of Lower Egypt)
added to it (fsA to signify that Horus is the lord of the
universe.
In common with the belief of all the ancient nations,
the king was considered by the Egyptians not only as a
mortal but also, by reason of his exalted rank, as a god
on earth. He was the essence of the divinity and styled
himself "the offspring of the gods" (mM | ^mesnuter'u)
or more in particular "Ra's son" or "son of the sun"
(%^sa Ra). Being or pretending to be the sun's son, he
demanded and received the homage of his subjects as a
The New York Obelisk.
god. His person was inviolable, his command was abso-
lute, his power was unlimited. His first act each day
was to offer up sacrifice and prayer to his father, the
sun, and impress this worship on his subjects.
The obelisk which was erected in honor of the sun
could therefore also be used by the sun's offspring, the
king, to promulgate his own worship. Inscriptions com-
memorat -
ing both
the deity
in heaven
and his
deputy on
earth con-
tinually
blend the The king offering up libation to himself In the form of a sphinx.
two, the god and the king, together into one person, that
we can easily find in the obelisk traces of a decided king-
worship. If the enlightened age of an Alexander the
Great or a Divus ("divine") Caesar Augustus could tol-
erate such a thing, why should we feign surprise when
we find the same thing to have happened some thousand
years before their time in Egypt? It is just this one fact,
the barefaced king-worship represented by the obelisk,
that gives its translation such a repulsive sound to mod-
ern ears. No wonder that otherwise well-read and intel-
ligent men turn about in amazement and ask: Can this
really be the correct translation of the obelisk, why,
this would turn those ancient kings of glorious renown
into mere "vainglorious fools"? This conclusion is per-
fectly true, and consequently it is to be regretted that
just such monuments as obelisks, which are a great
source of attraction for the multitude, should display
the poorest inscriptions that we meet with in the entire
34 The New TorTc Obelisk.
Egyptian literature. Under no circumstances must we
base our estimate of the Egyptian literature on the in-
^criptions of the obelisks; for, on looking over the writ-
ings of this wonderful people, we would not only find
ourselves most agreeably surprised, but would be con-
strained to admit that there is no ancient people which
can boast of an equally grand and sublime literature as
the Egyptian.
Summing up, we find the obelisks erected in honor of
the sun-god by his son, the king, and used by him to
further his own ambitious designs, glorify his own name,
and turn the worship of his subjects both to himself and
his sire above.
NOTE. Besides the frequent mention of the obelisk in
the countless Egyptian inscriptions on stone, wood,
leather, and papyrus, dating back to the earliest dynas-
ties, we find the picture of two obelisks in many copies
of the sacred writings of the Egyptians, the so-called
"Book of the Dead" or the Egyptian Ritual. It forms
part of the vignette of the first division of this book (1-
15 chap.), which has mostly to do with hymns, prayers,
and incantations addressed to the sun-god. No mention
is made of the obelisk in the text of the Ritual. On the
preceding page will be found the picture of the two ob-
elisks on a piece of mummy- cloth in the possession of the
author. The Hieratic words below the vignette form a
portion of the first chapter of the Ritual,
CHAPTEK V.
THE HISTOEY OF THE NEW YOEK OBELISK. AND ITS RE-
MOVAL FEOM ALEXA1STDEIA.
1. The obelisk in Central Park antedates our Christian
era by more than fifteen centuries. The central columns
of the four sides, being the first that were inscribed, re-
cord as the author of this monument, Thothmes III.,
called the Great, the greatest sovereign of that period
(about 1600 B. C.). A war-
rior of wonderful prowess
and a ruler of the highest
intelligence, he put aside at
an early date the leading-
strings of his famous sister
and co-regent, Hatasu, sur-
named Makara, and consti-
tuted himself sole regent
and law-giver. He heads
the list of the kings of the
xvmth dynasty. From the
beginning to the end of his
reign the inscriptions record
his victories over foreign
nations. He claims it as his
order from the god Amen to extend the boundaries of
Egypt. "He subdues the prince of Kadesh in Upper Pal-
King Thothmes III.
36 The New York Obelislc.
estine at Megiddo, and overpowers the Kharu [Syrian]
O
Cartouche of Thothmes III. "Tlie king of Upper and Lower
Egypt, Men-Kheper-Ra, the son of Ra, Thoth-Meses".
and Kheta [Hittite] tribes. The Rotennu [Syrians of Meso-
potamia] are conquered, Damascus falls, and Carkhe-
mish is taken. He reaches Nineveh, the Tigris, and the
Orontes, and is everywhere victorious. He claims as his
own and in vassalage all of the then known world. It is
he whom Pliny calls Mesphres, and of whom he says
that he erected a pair of obelisks, commemorating his
valiant deeds. These obelisks are at present in London
and New York.
The exact time of the erection of these two obelisks
cannot be determined, as they bear no date, but it must
have been in the earlier part of the reign of Thothmes
III., which extended from 1591 to 1565 B. C. (according
to Lepsius). He ordered them at the quarry in Syeneand
erected them in front of the temple of the sun in Heliop-
olis or the Egyptian |^ , An. The site of this once pros-
perous city is now at the village of Matariyeh near Cai-
ro, which has no antiquities to boast of, except one erect
obelisk of Usertesen I., the only vestige of the famous
"City of the Sun". Here the obelisks stood for many cen-
turies amid wonderful surroundings, guarding as it were
the entrance to the sanctuary of the deity, to whom they
were sacred.
They were not allowed to remain intact for a very long
time, for a century is an insignificant matter when we
deal with Egyptian history. Almost three centuries had
passed, when a new conqueror arose, who was emulous
of his great predecessor's deeds, and who envied him
his renown. This was Ramses II., surnamed "the Great",
History of the New York Obelisk.
37
the "Pharaoh, of the Oppression", who reigned from
1388 to 1322 B. C. (according to Lepsius). Not only in his
Cartouche of Ramses II. "The king of Upper and Lower Egypt,
User-Ma-Ra-Sotep-en-Ra, the son of Ra, Amen-Mer-Ra-Meses-Su."
monuments but also in his deeds he carries off equal
honors with Thothmes the
Great. We find the wars
of former days foiight
over again, and always
successfully, and we see
his exploits recorded not
only on impassive monu-
ments of stone but also in
the writings on fragile pa-
pyrus. A second Iliad by
the poet Pentaur recalls
some wonderful hymns
addressed amid the din
of battle to his guardian
deities, in particular to
Amen-Ra, and gives us
such a vivid picture of
war as to surpass in many
respects even old Homer.
Ramses' most stubborn
opponents were the Kheta
(Hittites) with whom he
King Ramses ii. negotiated a most favor-
able treaty after many years of war. But with all his
good qualities he had one great fault, vainglory. Not
satisfied with erecting obelisks, stele, and temples with
his name inscribed on them in large letters, and seeing
38 The New York Obelisk.
his works recorded over all the known world, he even
appropriated the monuments of his predecessors and,
though not guilty of erasing their names and substi-
tuting his own instead, as Thothmes III. had done on
his sister's obelisk and monuments, yet he crowded his
name and the story of his deeds within all the available
space left uninscribed on these monuments. He had the
two outside columns on each side of our obelisk in-
scribed, leaving to Thothmes III. besides the pyramid-
ion only about one third of the obelisk's surface. This,
of course, gave him an advantage over his predecessors,
and he thereby saved the large expense and the time
that would have been required for quarrying and erect-
ing monuments of his own. He died at an advanced age
after having ruled over Egypt for 67 years. His mummy,
discovered in 1881, now rests in the Museum of Bulak
at Cairo.
The four sides of the obelisk were now filled, and it
would appear impossible for another king to have used
any other part of it for his own purpose. Such is, how-
ever, not the case. Osarkon I. had chiseled into the stone
f TM o~~^J 1L r fl
ofM^^ 1 35* ( M
\^ A V^V AAAAAA J\ '- 1 ^ I
Cartouche of Osarkon I. "The king of Upper and Lower Egypt, Klierp-
Kheper-Ka-Sotep-en-Ka, the son of Ka, Amen-Mer-Usarken."
at the very edges of each side in diminutive characters
his own name. He was a Pharaoh of the xxnd dynasty,
who lived about 960 B. C., and represents the decline of
the ancient Egyptian empire.
Of the history of our obelisk since that time very little
would be known except for the inscriptions found on the
brass crabs at the base. From them we learn that the
obelisk was taken away from its position in front of the
temple of Heliopolis in the xvm th year of the reign of
History of the New York Obelisk.
39
S III
G
Cartouche of the emperor Augustus Caesar. "The divine lord of the world, Autqkrator,
the son of Ha, lord of the diadems, Caesar- Ankh-Zeta-Ptah-Ast-Mer."
Augustus Caesar (12 B. C.) by Pontius during the pre-
fecture of Barbaras. It was then transported to Alexan-
dria and placed in front of the Csesareum, the temple of
the Caesars,
with the ob-
elisk at pres-
ent in Lon-
don. During
the trans-
portation a
large portion
of the edges
at the base
was very
badly dam-
aged. Four
large bronze
crabs were
then placed
under the
obelisk to
keep it from
falling over.
Since this
time of their
Cleopatra VI. (From an ancient coin.)
1;
D
Cartouche of queen Cleopatra VI.
"The queen and mistress of
the world, Cleopatra."
erection in Alexandria tradition has associated one of
them, the New York Obelisk, with the name* of the mon-
ster-queen Cleopatra VI. She had, however, nothing
40
The New YorTc Obelisk.
whatever to do with
the removal of the
obelisks as she and
all her predecessors
of the same name
had been dead long
before these were
erected in Alexan-
dria. Here both re-
mained for many
centuries until one
- the present Lon-
don Obelisk fell
prostrate and was
left to lie half -hid-
den in the ground.
Ifc was subsequent-
ly taken in 1877 to
England, while the
other obelisk re-
mained standing in
Alexandria until
1880, when it was
lowered into the
steamer Dessoug,
brought over to our
country, and pre-
sented to New York
City through the Cleopatra VI. (From Egyptian monuments.)
munificence of the late Mr. William H. Vanderbilt.
2.*) At the time of the opening of the Suez Canal in
1869 the Khedive Ishmael first suggested the removal of
*) For a full acootint of the removal of the obelisk and everything connected with it
the reader is referred to the admirable book of the late Commander Gorringe, entitled :
Egyptian Obelisks. New York, 1882
The Removal of the Obelisk to New York. 41
the standing obelisk at Alexandria to the United States.
This suggestion was soon spread abroad and it was esti-
mated -that for $60,000 the obelisk could be removed. As
the late Mr. William H. Vanderbilt had agreed to fur-
nish this sum, negotiations were opened with the Egyp-
tian government in 1877 for the definite gift of the obelisk.
These proved successful. Bids were then requested for
its removal and the bid of the late Commander Henry
H. Gorringe, U. S. N., was accepted. Mr. Gforringe went
to work immediately but clearly saw that he would not
be able to proceed in the same manner as others had
done before him in the removal of the Luxor Obelisk to
Paris or the Alexandrian to London. These were taken
in tow and in this manner reached their destination.
This plan could not be adopted for bringing the obelisk
across the ocean. When the work of transporting the
obelisk to the harbor of Alexandria was accomplished,
the steamer Dessoug was purchased from the Egyptian
government and in it the obelisk was carried to New York.
As soon as the news of the presentation by the Egyp-
tian government of Cleopatra's Needle to the United
States reached the ears of the foreign residents of Alex-
andria, a most disgraceful agitation was begun against
Commander Gorringe. Everything was tried and done
to embarrass him in his work, and all sorts of obstacles
were put in his way. But the man at the head of the un-
dertaking could not be intimidated. On October 27, 1879
work was begun by the removal of the earth that had
accumulated around the base of the obelisk. The latter
was next incased to protect its many inscriptions, and
on December 6th of the same year everything was ready
for turning the great monolith. This was successfully
effected. Another difficulty now presented itself, how to
get the obelisk to the harbor, this being on the other
side of the city. The foreign residents had forbidden the
The Removal of tlie Obelisk to New York. 43
use of the paved streets, by which, route the obelisk
would have been easily transported, and Commander
Gorringe was now obliged to undertake the difficult task
of bringing the obelisk around the whole city over the
shallow water and the sandbanks. This he accomplished
by means of a caisson. However, an unobstructed chan-
nel through the water to the dry-dock was first necessa-
ry. Divers were hired until March 1880 and employed
in removing about 170 tons of granite, being the debris
of former Alexandrian monumental structures. While
the obelisk was being lowered the spite of the Europe-
an residents was again painfully felt. Nevertheless, al-
though with vastly increased expenses, Commander
Gorringe here succeeded in his work. By this enforced
method of transportation he incurred an extra expense
of 21,000. When the Egyptian steamer Dessoug had been
purchased and, after many delays, brought into the
dry-dock, an aperture was made in its side, large enough
to admit of the incased obelisk being pushed into the
hold of the vessel. The side was then closed, the steam-
er was ready for its voyage, and the tedious work of the
brave and indefatigable Commander was at an end as
far as Egypt was concerned. On June 1, 1880 the vessel
steamed out of the harbor with the Stars and Stripes
floating in the breeze, carrying the obelisk, the pedestal,
and the stones for the foundation.
On July 19, 1880 the Dessoug arrived in New York.
The site where the obelisk was to stand, namely Gray-
wacke Knoll opposite the Metropolitan Museum of Art
in Central Park, had already been selected. The foun-
dation was completed on October 10. The large square
pedestal was carted from the North River and 51st St.
to the Park, and then pushed on greased planks to the
place of erection. The disembarking of the obelisk, how-
ever, presented many difficulties, the most humiliating
44 The New York Obelisk.
being the greed of certain rich men, who refused to place
their dry-docks at the disposal of the Commander for a
high price which he offered, and compelled him to try
Lawler's Marine Railway on Staten Island. His experi-
ment with this was quite successfully carried out on
August 21, 1880. On September 14th the obelisk was
once more afloat on pontoons. On September 16th the
steamer Manhattan towed the pontoons with the obelisk
to the North River and 96th St. Then the land- journey
began. The obelisk passed as far as the West Boulevard,
down to 86th St., then through the Transverse Road No.
3 in Central Park, issued from the Park at Fifth Avenue
and 85th St., and was then taken down to 82d St. Here
a trestle-work was built up to Gray wacke Knoll, the fi-
nal resting-place of the obelisk. On December 22, 1880
the point of the obelisk was turned up this trestle-work,
and on January 22, 1881 everything was ready for plac-
ing it in position on the pedestal. The crabs had been
recast in the Brooklyn Navy Yard and perfectly fitted
to the uneven base of the obelisk. The latter easily
swung and revolved on the turning- structure, and at
noon of the same day it stood in the identical position
as at Alexandria. On February 22, 1881 the obelisk was
formally presented in behalf of the Khedive of Egypt,
through the liberality of Mr. William H. Vanderbilt, to
the city of New York.
The total cost of the removal of the obelisk was: for
material and labor $86,603 and for incidental expenses
$15,973, a sum total of $102,576. Mr. W. H. Vanderbilt
paid the whole amount out of his own purse. The Con-
gress of the United States took due notice of the won-
derful feat of procuring for our country such a grand
specimen of Egyptian monuments, and fitting resolu-
tions were passed by both the Senate and the House of
Representatives. And certainly a sincere vote of thanks
Tlie Removal of the Obelisk to New York. 45
will be given for his munificent gift to our late illus-
trious fellow citizen, William H. Vanderbilt, by every-
one having at heart the honor and advancement of our
city and country.
Uuins of Tanis.
CHAPTER VL
THE INSCRIPTIONS OF THE NEW YOEK OBELISK.
/. Inscriptions of Tliotlimes III.
THE inscriptions of Thothmes III. comprise the four
sides of the pyramidion and the central columns of the
four faces of the obelisk.
THE PYRAMIDION.
The pictures of the four sides of the pyramidion here
given are reproduced from the squeezes taken under the
direction of Mr. Gorringe as published in his "Egyptian
Obelisks". They are, however, given in their correct form,
as the squeezes seem to have been taken by an inexperi-
enced hand and a person unacquainted with Egyptolog-
ical subjects. The figures seated in the squares are the
gods Ra-Hor-Khuti and Turn, representing the rising
and the setting sun. The former is the hawk-faced god
seated on a throne, holding in his right hand the staff of
power | ( us "power"), and handing it to the king with
the usual sign -f (ankh "life"). Besides this the disk of
the sun O (ra,"sun") reclines on his head. The god Turn,
on the other hand, is represented in his human form,
bearded and wearing a king's head-dress *Q, and hold-
ing in his hands the identical symbols of -^ "life" and j
"power". In front of the gods we find in each case the
king represented as an androsphinx ( Jas) in the act of
offering libation to the divinity. It must be noted that
this kind of sphinx being human-faced and bearded, is
always the representation of Pharaoh as the essence of
the godhead.
The New York Obelisk the Pyramidion. 47
East Face of the Pyramidion.
The three vertical columns to the left above and the two
below the sphinx refer to the sphinx-king, the remain-
der to the god Ra-Hor-khuti (i. e. "the sun, Horns in the
horizon") and the libation in the hands of the sphinx.
The three columns above the sphinx are:
G=fO A f
nuter nefer neb taui Men-kheper-Ra du ankh zeta
The god good lord (of the) two countries Tliotlimes III. giving life forever.
i. e. This is ThotJimes III. , the gracious god, the lord of
the two countries [Egypt], who gives eternal life.
Below the sphinx we read:
48 The New York Obelisfc.
qa nekht kha em Us sa Ra ivi.en-kheper-Ra
Tlie bull powerful glorious In Thebes son (of) Ri Tliotlimes III.
i. e. This is the powerful and glorious bull [king] in
Thebes, tlie Sun's offspring, Thcthmes III.
The term neb taui "lord of the two countries" is
the usual title of Pharaoh. The two countries referred to
are Upper and Lower Egypt, which are still and have
been from time immemorial the two provinces of Egypt.
The word seems, however, to imply still more. In the
pompous wording of the Pharaonic monuments it ex-
presses the grand title of the Roman emperors: lord of
the Universe. - - The ^^ du ankh zeta "who gives
eternal life" calls attention to the king's power over the
life and death of all his subjects. As he himself received
life from the gods, so he bestowed it on his people at
pleasure. - 5S&-J Q a nekht "the powerful bull" is
a truly Oriental expression for "the mighty hero", the
bull being a symbol of strength and power. The same
king is addressed by the deity in his victory-stele, al-
ready alluded to on page 31, in the following words:
du*a ma sen hen*k em qa renp men ab sput abui
nen han*tu*f "/ let them beliold your majesty like a
young and stout-hearted bull whetting his horns; none
can escape him." - - | Us "Thebes" was the capital of
Upper Egypt and the seat of government at that time.
_ Z^o sa Ra "the son of Ra" is the usual title of Pha-
raoh which has already been explained on page 31.
The four columns to the right above the god bear the
following legend:
The New York Obelisk the Pyramidion. 49
A
du ankh- f neb Ra-Hor-khuti nuter a neb taui (neb taneb ta)
giving life him all Ra-Hor-Khutl the god great lord (of the) two countries.
i. e. This is Ra-Hor-Khuti, the great god, the lord of the
two countries [Egypt], who gives him [the king] all life.
Between the god and the sphinx-king we read these
words referring to the libation brought by the king:
^ > /A o i n & i.e. As a gift (the king brings
er du-t arp an offering of) wine.
for a gift wine.
%T Ra-Hor-khuti "tlie sun, the hawk of the horizon" is
the name of the sun-god when in his full power at noon
(see page 30). - The names of all kings are always writ-
ten in oval rings called cartouches, to distinguish them
more readily from other words and names in the in-
scriptions. The usual "divine" title of Thothmes III. is
f 0^3 | Men-kheper-Ra (the first sign being read
last), which means "the stable and creative sun". His
family name, in its simplest form, is ( ^(fj jDehuti-
meses "child of Thoth" . There are as many as 12 vari-
ants (or different readings) of this cartouche, prominent
and somewhat odd among them being the following:
Quran
Dehuti-meses-nefer-kheperu Dehuti-meses-heq-Us Dehuti-mes
Thoth's child, of beautiful form. Thoth's child, lord of Theb 3S. Thotli's child.
The most singular cartouche of Thothmes III., however,
is found on our New York Obelisk on the East Face
and central column (see page 56).
50
The New York Obelisk.
South Face of the Pyramidion.
The three columns above to the left refer to the sphinx-
king and are identical with those of the East pyramidi-
on (page 47): TT^ ^( nr muu i'| j A " z T1nuternefer
neb taui Men-kheper-ETarduTankh zeta "This is Thoth-
mes III., tlie gracious god, the lord of the two countries
[Egypt], wlio gives eternal life" .
The hieroglyphs below the sphinx-king are totally de-
stroyed, but must have been the same as those on the
*t~ ~ I
East pyramidion (page 48) : >E ^Q t\ T^^ ( O i" 11111111 ! ffi |
qa nekht kha em Us sa Ra Men-kheper.Ra~^ThTs'is
the powerful and glorious bull [king] in Theses, the Sun's
offspring, Thothmes III".
The New Yor~k Obelisk the Pyramidion. 51
The four columns above to the right refer to the god
Turn, the setting sun, seated on a throne beneath. The
inscription is:
A f^^
du ankh' f neb
Giving life him all
1 I ^
nuter a neb
the god great lord (of ;
a
Tum neb
Turn lord (of
On
ha-t
the) temple.
= I
taui heq
the) two countries prince (of)
ii
An
Heliopolis
i. e. This is Turn, the lord of tlie two countries [Egypt],
the prince of Heliopolis, the great god, the lord of his
temple, icho gives Mm [the king] all life.
^ heq An "the prince of Heliopolis'" signifies as much
as "the tutelary divinity of Heliopolis". This famous
city was the capital of the xiuth nome or province of
Lower (Northern) Egypt bearing the same name. The
name it received from the Greeks and Romans means
"City of the Sun". - - ^ Turn "Turn" was the god of
the setting sun. The word is derived from the Egyptian
verb ^Ar turn "to close, finish", and when referring to
the sun "to set" (cf. page 27). A fuller form of the name
is Atum. - -f-rs? ankh neb literally "all life" is a very
concise expression for "all manner of life" and embraces
every visible act of life, such as breath, animation, mo-
tion, thought, speech, pleasure, &c. The hieroglyph
^?, always pronounced neb, has, as can be seen from
this sentence, two different meanings, "all" and "lord",
which result from the primitive idea of "possession".
The inscription between the god and the sphinx-king
is destroyed with the exception of the letter <=^> [r] at
the top. It must have been, however, the same as on the
East pyramidion, namely: A^^n 1 ^ er du>
a gift (the king brings an offering of) wine".
The New York Obelisk.
West Face of the Pyramidion.
f
The four columns above to the right (the last one be-
ing destroyed) refer to the sphinx- king and read as fol
lows:
.0
i
nuter nefer heq An suten kaut? neb
The god gracious prince of Heliopolis king of Upper and Lower Egypt lord (of
A f
taui
-the) two countries
Men-kheper-Ra
Thothmes III.
du ankh. aeta
giving life forever.
I. e. This is the gracious god, tlie prince of Heliopolis,
tlie king of Upper and Lower Egypt, tlie lord of tlie two
countries [Egypt], Tliotlimes III., who gives eternal life.
The New York Obelisk the Pyramidion. 53
P| suten-kaut (pronunciation doubtful!) "the king of
Upper and Lower Egypt" is the official title of the Egyp-
tian kings and conveys the same meaning as the
neb taui "the lord of the two countries" mentioned so
frequently above. Another name of the king, and one
that has been embodied into our language, is 3 P er &
"Pharaoh", which is, literally translated, "the great
Iwuse"-, a title bearing the closest resemblance to the
modern "Sublime Porte" of the Turkish sultan.
Below the sphinx is the same inscription as on the East
pyramidion: ^| S ^.f ^= G ( Oi=3 J qa nekht
kha em Us sa Ra Men-kheper-Ra "This is tlie power-
ful and glorious bull [king] in Thebes, the Sun's off-
spring, ThotJimes III".
The three columns above to the left refer to the god
Turn, who is seated below, and read:
A f I 1 ^ B 1 !
du ankh ded us Turn neb An nuter nefer
Giving life stability strength Tuin lord of Heliopolis the god gracious -
I, | i. e. This is Turn, the lord of
a neb en ha-t Heliopolis, the gracious and
great lord . of . the temple. great god, the lord ofhi&temple,
who gives life, stability, and strength.
The inscription between the god and the sphinx-king
differs from that of the preceding pyramidions; it is:
A$AA/WV\ A O
* HE ^ * A T
er du't qebeh ar ef du ankh
For a gift libation to make him give life.
i. e. The king pours out a libation of water in order to
receive from 7iim [the god] life.
54
The Neio York Obelisk.
North Pace of the Pyramidion.
The four columns above to the left refer to the sphinx-
king and read:
1 ! -
nuter nefer neb ar khet suten kaut? neb
The god gracious lord maker of things king of Upper and Lower Egypt lord (of
A
taui
the) two countries
Men-kheper-Ra
Thothmes III.
du ankh
giving life
zeta
forever.
i. e. This is the gracious god, the lord and maker of ev-
erything, the king of Upper and Lower Egypt, the lord
of the two countries [Egypt], Tholhmes III., who gives
eternal life.
The New York Obelis~k the Pyramidion. 55
The inscription below the sphinx is identical with the
one on the East pyramidion; namely, 55^ s t\ f ^^^
C oe=S ] qa nekht kha em Us sa Ra Men-khe-
__ 'I
>
per-Ra "This is the powerful and glorious 'bull [king]
in Thebes, the Sun's offspring, TJwthmes III".
The three columns above to the right refer to the sun-
god Ra seated below, and read:
A
du ankb. ef neb Ra-Hor- khuti neb taui
(Jiving life him all Rl-Horus in the horizon lord (of the) two countries.
i. e. This is Rd-Hor -khuti, the lord of the two countries
[Egypt], who gives him [the king] all life.
tk s Ra-Hor-khuti "Ra-Horus in the horizon" is the
title of the morning- sun, to which attention has already
been called on page 30. The last sign is very frequently
written ^ khirt, the rOi showing the disk of the sun
between two mountains and in the act of rising, and the
CH signifying "a house" or "a place". The whole group
means "the house of the rising sun" or "the source of
light", which is usually translated by the general term
"horizon". The whole title, therefore, stands for the ris-
ing or eastern sun (cf. the picture on page 28).
The inscription between the god and the sphinx-king
is partially destroyed, leaving, however, enough traces
to show that it must have been identical with the one on
the West pyramidion: <=>K $^^^A^er dirt
/ i .'"N I A AAAAAA ^^^ / i\ 1
qebeh ar*f du ankh "The king pours out a libation of
water in order to receive from him [the god] life".
56 The New York Obelisk.
THE OBELISK PKOPEK.
On the obelisk proper the inscriptions of Thothmes III.
are contained in the central column of each face. At the
top of each column, immediately below the pyramidion,
we find the sign c=3 , literally pet "heaven", which may
either be taken with the next sign f\ Hor "Horus" so as
to signify "the heavenly Horus", or else it may be re-
garded to express the wish of the Pharaoh, that heaven
would protect his obelisk and proclaim its inspriptions
as of heavenly origin.
EAST FACE [CENTRAL COLUMN].
Eor-pet qa nekht kha em Us neb mut or sheta
neb ara or mehen-t
The heavenly Horus bull powerful glorious in Thebes lord of the Vulture di-
lord of the Urseus-snake
? 1 o|\ *=*(~
X k * m L
uah suten ma Ka em pet Turn neb-t en An
adem placed king like Ra in heaven Turn lord of Heliopolis
diadem
meses
begotten
sa
son
en
of
kha-t
womb
ef
his
meses
born
nef
him
Dehuti
Thoth
3
qema en
created ly
AAAAAA
sen em hat-a em neferu hau sen rekh enti ar-f
them in great-temple in beauty of limbs their knowing what he should
)
suteni-t uah kher neheh suten-kaut? Men-kheper-Ka
do kingdom placed for eternity king of Upper and Lower Egypt Thothmes
Inscriptions of Thothmes III. East Face. 57
^ =i i
**
Q A/WYV*
K
Q "], ^_
Wl A f
Turn
nuter
a
hena
pau-t nuteru- f
meri du cliikti
m.
Turn
god great
with
cii-cle (of) gods his
beloved giving life -
a
ri
n
o
c *
H
1
Vl^ 7
E
^J.
ded
us
neb
ma
Ra
zeta
stability
strength
all
like
La
forever.
i. e. Beliold Pharaoh! He is the heavenly Horns, the pow-
erful and glorious bull [king] in Thebes*} He is the lord
of the Vulture and Urceus diadems t), and his Kingdom-
is established as firmly as the sun in the heavens. His
name is t): "He whom Turn, the lord of Heliopolis, has
begotten, and who is the son of his loins, whom Thoth has
brought forth" ), who was created by them [the gods] in
the great temple of Heliopolis in the beauty of their limbs,
and who knew beforehand what he would do to establish
for himself an eternal Kingdom. He is Thothmes III., the
King of Upper and Lower Egypt, beloved of the great god
Turn and his circle of gods, who gives all life, stabili-
ty, and strength now and forever I
*) This is the so-called "shield-name", the heraldic
motto or device of the Pharaoh, occurring in many vari-
ations on the obelisk.
t) The two diadems referred to are 1) the crown sur-
mounted by an Urseus snake or cobra, symbolizing the
king's power over life and death, and 2) the crown with
the vulture usually worn by goddesses and queens
to proclaim him the "nourisher" or "protector" of his
people.
t) This is the longest of any Egyptian cartouche, and
is written in two vertical columns. It stands for the sec-
ond cartouche given on page 36.
) The last hieroglyphs of the two columns of the car-
touche form the regal name: TIIOTH-MES.
The New Yor~k Obelisk.
SOUTH FACE [CENTS AL COLUMN].
Almost the entire column on this side is in a very poor
condition, the hieroglyphs being hardly discernible. The
following, however, may prove to be a correct restoration
of the inscription.
Hor-pet qa nekht Ra mer suten-kaut?
The heavenly Horus bull powerful Ea beloved king of Upper and Lower Egypt
( Gr^ll J
ODD
Men-kheper-Ka ar nef em mennu- f en tef neb
Thothmes III. made by him for monument his for father lord of
O
11
J J
Ov
AAAAAA AAAAAALJ
An s'aha nef tekhenui urui benben't
Hellopolis caused to erect by him two obelisks large the pyramidion
em
of
OOO
usem
em sep tep sed-heb nen
gold-metal at -time first (of) the thirty-year-period illegible! not
ar nef saEa Dehuti-meses-nefer-kheperu Ra-Hor-khuti meri zeta
(as) done by him the son of Ra Thothmes III. Ra-Hor-Khuti beloved forever.
i. e. Behold Pharaoh! He istTie heavenly Horus, the pow-
erful bull, beloved of Rd. He is Thothmes III., the Mug
of Upper and Lower Egypt, who has made this to be his
monument in honor of his father Turn, the lord of Heli-
opolis, and who has set up for him two *) large obelisks,
the pyramidion being covered with gold-metal^ on the
first day J) of the thirty -year festival ) II)
No one has ever done what he did, the Sun's offspring,
Inscriptions of TJiotJimes IIL - - West Face. 59
Thothmes IIL, tJie beloved of Ra-Hor-KJiuti, who lives
forever.
*) The custom of erecting obelisks in pairs in front of
the gates of temples has already been alluded to on page
20 (cf. the picture).
t) The gold- metal mentioned here may have been on-
ly an alloy of copper and gold. Some think that it was
the electrum of the ancients, which was an alloy of sil-
ver and gold.
J) This passage is supplied from the London Obelisk.
) This was a festival celebrated every thirty years,
also called the festival of the trentenary cycle. The real
meaning of these highly important festivals is not yet
fully understood.
II) This passage is totally destroyed and indecipherable.
WEST FACE [CENTRAL COLUMN],
The abrasion caused by the sand of the Libyan desert
has effaced almost every hieroglyph on this side of the
obelisk. All that can be seen is given below.
f
Hor-pet qa nekht kha em Us
The heavenly Horus bull powerful glorious In Thebes
suten-kaut?
king of Upper and Lower
ll""" 1 !
' ?
Men-kheper-Ra s'menkh. per en meses am- f
Egypt Thothmes III. causing to be adorned the house of birth there his
O
illegible]
sa Ha
the son of Ra
60 The New YorJc Obelisk.
Dehuti-meses-neler-kneperu Ra-Hor-khuti meri zeta
Thothmes III. Rfi-Hor-Khuti beloved forever.
i. e. Behold Pharaoh! He is the heavenly Horus, the pow-
erful and glorious bull [king] in Thebes. He is the Icing
of Upper and Lower Egypt, Thothmes III., who has em-
bellished the house where he was born,
, the Sun's offspring, Tliothmes
III., the beloved of Ra-Hor-Khuti, who lives forever.
NORTH FACE [CENTRAL COLUMN].
V
Hor-pet hez qa Ra mer suten-kaut?
The heavenly Horus the white crown lifting Ra beloved king of Upper and
f ~~^TM
i nr^M J
V '\
ra
i
Men-kheper-Ra Hor-nub har nekht
Lower Egypt Thothmes III. the golden Horus rejoicing in strength
III
^ III I
hu hequ merrtu? pehu su khatf utu nef
smiting the princes (of) the countries distant they because ordered for him
- ^ UJ
tef Ra nekhtu er ta neb denrt ent khepesh em
father Ra victories over land all completeness of ' power at the
ru dedui 1 f er s'usekh tash'tu
end of the two hands his in order to cause to be extended the boundaries of
Inscriptions of Thothmes III. North Face. 61
Qenrt sa Ha Dehuti-meses-nefer-kheperu du ankh neb zeta
Egypt the son of Ra Thothmes III. giving life all forever.
L e. Behold Pharaoh! He is the heavenly Horus, who
has crowned *) himself with the white crown t), beloved
of ltd. He is Thothmes III., the ~king of Upper and Low-
er Egypt, the golden Horus t), rejoicing in his strength,
the vanquisher of the princes of the countries which are
distant. He did this because his father Rd had so com-
manded him, and had then given him victories over the
entire world, and had placed an abundance of power on
his arm, so that he [the king] might enlarge the bounda-
ries of Egypt. This was done by the Sun's offspring,
Thothmes III., who gives all life forever.
*) A is an abbreviated form for ^^Y 1 rwer Ramses
Ramses /I., ffoj/pt, ^e7r,red f , ~
-the Swn's o/f of the great (<>d tne *> uns
Turn and 1m spring,
t spring, circle of gcd* .., -, r;
Ramses IJ., who flfi'ves ntt OWM
|t/i6(/^rf,OMSim- ^ stability the glorious 1m-
]* and forever. ever. f/iues life.
Long M/e~tb~t/Te "gracious rd~Ramse$ If!
Lore: 7e gracicus god, Ramses
Long Zife to t/te gracious god. Ramses TI!
Long W/e to t^e gracious god Ramses
V
A
76
The New York Obelisk South Face.
Thothtnea lu.,yra
do us god, lord of t
the two coitntr
giving eternal life
i Ite power/ tit and
glorious bull //,
Thebes, the Sun't
offspring, Thoth-
mes III.
, lord of the
tru countries, lord
of Heliopolis, the
great god, the lore
a/ his temple, giv-
ing him all life.
a
gift.
Behold Phara- Behold huara- Behold jri;ara-
oh! He is the oh! He is the oh! He is the
heavenly Ho- heavenly Ho- heavenly Ho-
rus, the power- rus, the power- rus, the power-
ful bull, the mm ful Lull, beloved ful lull, teloved
of Ra. of Rd. of Md.
I I I I I I I I I I I I I I i I I I
He is the king He is the Mng He is the king
of Upper and of Upper and O f Upper and
Lower Egypt, Lower Egypt, L(mer E fc
Ramses II. , the Thothm es III. ,
lordoftheVult- who has made
ure and Urceus this to te his tMtordof festt-
diadems, who monument in vals,v, T koislike
protects Egypt honor o/his/a- his father Ptah
and smites all ther Turn, the of Memphis. He
the foreign no- lord ofHeliopo- is the Sun's off-
^tions. He is toe Ms.andwho/ias spring,
^ Sun'soffspring, setup fcr him Ramses II. ''
|| Ramses 11., two large ole- a goa Wmselt |
< a kind ruler Usks, the pyra-
midion being
covered with
gold-metal, on
the first day of
the thirty-year
festival IV T o
the one has ever
of the two done what he He is the lcr(l
countries, did , the Sun's &*****>**-
Ramses II., offspring,
the Sun's off- ThothmesIIl., Ramses II.,
spring, the beloved of the Sun's off-
Ramses II., Rd-Hor-Khuti, spring,
who lives for- Ramses II.,
ever. who gives life.
now and
'ever.
for-
Long life to the gracious god, Ramses 11!
Long life to the gracious god, Ramses
Long life to the gracious god. Ramses II!
Long life to the gracious god, Ramses
usr
The New York Obelisk West Face.
77
/
Turn, lord of HeU-iTne yrta
ions god,
\
'-/
,polis, the gracious
And great god, lord
>f his temple, giv-
: ng life, stability,
prince of Heliopo-
tis, king, lord of
the tno ccuntnes,
Tluitii men III. , giv-
\
/
,ind strength.
: rg e'er'
'- 1 uje.
\
The pou
cii'i.l 5111(1
/
Pouring out
glorious
bull in
/
libation to re-
Thebes,
the Sun's
/
ceive from
offspring
, Thoth-
/
him life.
mes ITT.
\
ueuoid
fuar .t- Behold
Piiara-
Behola
i nara-
oh! He
is the oh! He is the
on! He is the
heavenly Ho- heavenly Ho-
rus, the power- rus, the power-
ful bull, oeloved ful and glorious
of Rd. lull in Thebes.
heavenly Ho-
rus the power-
ful i ull, the son
'of Rd.
1 1 1
I 1 I 1 1 1
l 1 I
\ \ I
1 1 1
He is the king He is the king
lie is the king
of Upper and of Upper and
of Upper and
Lower
Egypt, Lower
Egypt,
Lower
Egypt,
Ramses
11. Thothmes III.,
Ramses 1 1., the
who is the Sun who has em' el-
golden
Horus,
himself and the ^7^ the house
who abounds
childofthegods. where
he was
in years and
113 is master of j O rn
is great in
the two coun-
victories. He is
. ^ tries, the Suris
the Sun's off- .^
^offspring,
spring,
*?
s 5! Ramses
II.
Ramses II., |S
4'^> "
^
|l
ATn
f^
fi
^ s one has done c ~*
3 ^ ^yQqt 7j,g fJi'l ill - ^
...He is foe 8' 2
^ house. He is the , lord of the two
|? lord of the two the Sun's off- countries.
T$ countries. spring, Ramses II..
'Ramses II., Thothmes I II. the Sun's off-
*j?the Sun's off- the leloved of spring,
^spring, Rd-Hor-Khuti. Ramses II.,
% Ramses II., who lives for- now andforev-
: **who gives life. ever. er.
Long life to the gracious <,od. Ramses II:
Lons r life to the gracious god. Ramses III
Long lifet^the gracious god. Ramses II!
i Long life to the gracious god. Ramses II!
&%* "" "" *
i* - \
^ " * \\
y
78
The New York Obelisk North Face.
The yraciouti god,
lord and maker of
thi(jH,kin an(J had
der to gladden ^'^^^ ^mses
a king whose ^-^
given him vie- hands nave Ig
ries with treas- tories over the done warlike ^
ures. It is he entire world, deeds in full ? J
brought and had placed view of the en- cs
forth himself as an abundance tire world. Be in
'zorrtof ffceftW o/poveronMa & the lord of the P
/T*VM o/i fhrtf ft>
NS^ countries.
Ramses
l who
II. ,
oj-
arm, so that he two Cmin trte8,
might enlarge Ramses H
the boundaries ., _
the Suns off-
boundaries
t Thls
o/
wasdonebyt^ie
^- Sun'soffspring. Ramses ll <
all Thothmeslll., who gives alllife
life now and toTio 0iues aW wow and f orev-
^ forever. Zf/e forever. er.
Long life to the gracious god. Ramses II!
Long life to the gracious god. Ramses III
Long life to the gracious god, Ramses II!
Long ttfe to the gracious god, Ramses II!
3- I
IJC
S ? I
J
CHAPTEE VII.
NOTES ON THE TRANSLATION AND THE CRAES.
1. On looking over the translation of our obelisk, as
set forth in the preceding pages, the reader will per-
haps feel disappointed in the substance of its inscrip-
tions. These contain, as has already been stated, only
laudatory phrases and vainglorious titles, and furnish
us with no historical data nor anything that would be
of value to scholars. People have for many centuries
suspected them of an utterly different meaning, and have
given them the most fanciful and ludicrous explanations.
For instance, Athanasius Kircher in his "CEdipu-s" (pub-
lished in 1650), when speaking of our obelisk, says: "It
[the New York Obelisk] setsfortli tlie activity and func-
tions of the twelve solar genii in the world's government,
wliicli result from their protection and presence, and with
what rites and ceremonies each of them must be propiti-
ated; for each in his tour around each of the four sides
keeps watch over his particular quarter of the world, wliich
he both guards against the attack of the evil genii and pre-
serves" . All this, of course, is sheer nonsense. Besides this
ridiculous explanation Kircher mentions that at the base
of our obelisk were engraved the words ^^j xL*w "Pha-
raoh's Needle", which is both improbable and impossi-
ble, though, as a matter of fact, the obelisk always went
by that name among the Arabs.
The most silly guess at a translation, however, is prob-
ably that of the Mohammedan writer Ibn-el-Vardi, who
visited Alexandria and saw our obelisk there in 1340.
He writes of it as follows:
80 The New York Obelisk.
' ' This is on it [the obelisk] : L^JLc JJt
4 1, Yammer - ben - Shadd Id,
have founded this city, wlien L\.P
oM age did not yet overtake
nor deatli disturb nor gray y
Aa/Vs trouble me, wJien stones . , j
wertf 7^re m abundance, and *J
me^ ^'^ ?io^ acknowledge *>
... , y ^J ...fc- /
masters. 1 7iave built its por- "
ticoes, and dug its canals, \&^p\ c^>- 5 LpjLIa^t o.4. L,
and planted its trees, and de-
sired to embellisJi it with won- J^-ct C) t o^! 3 L^L^'I c^^.c. 3
derfulmonuments and amaz-
ing structures. I have sent v -^^^3 j--^^ ^'^^ cr
m,v servant El' Thabut-ben-
Marrat,t~he*Adite,andMaq- & - j
d%m-ibn- El *Amr - ben-abi- t{
ThamuWe, the V* J**
mountain, and they cut
out of it tico rock sand carried
^7*em botli on tlieir shoulders.
Then one of the ribs of El*
Thabuthamng been crushed,
7 - L ^ c_A ,-M
I caused the people of my
kingdom to make reparation. ^ ^ jj^j j^ xXX^ J^Pi . I
Now thesetwo [obelisks] were
erected for me by El'Fatan- Q .^ a _L*Ji
ibn-Jdrud, the Mutafakite,
on an auspicious day '.'" ^ ^* ^ ^ j jCajJ! o^L>
The same writer then states: "A?i<$ this is the very obe-
lisk which is in the corner of the city looking toward the
East, while the other is seen further in the interior of the
city."
The Crabs of the Obelisk. 81
This translation of our obelisk reads very strange and
was, of course, only drawn by that ancient author from
his own fertile imagination. Still it shows how much im-
portance was even at that early time attached to our
monolith. Almost every traveler of note mentions it and
gives a description of it. All their scattered notices help
us to trace the history of our obelisk through the last
few centuries, without, however, our gaining any new or
important knowledge from them.
NOTE. It may be of some interest to know that all the
old writers agree in calling the erect obelisk in Alexan-
dria "Cleopatra's Needle" '; in other words, this epithet
was only applied to the New York Obelisk in Central
Park. The claim of the English that their obelisk in
London was ever named after the famous queen rests on
no foundation whatever.
2. When the Romans transported our obelisk to Alex-
andria, its base was badly damaged. That it might still
be erected without planing off the surface of the stone,
they filled up the cavities with lead and put bronze crabs
in the corners. The reason why they should have select-
ed the crab or scorpion (SjjjP) cannot be definitely given.
It may have been due to the strange superstition of the
Egyptians of the Ptolemaic period. The figure of the
scorpion, the evil genius, plays an important part in the
astrological and mythological inscriptions of that time.
From what the Romans heard of this evil deity, and from
a desire to propitiate it, they thought the crab the most
appropriate ornament for the obelisk. They wished to con-
vey adouble meaning; first, that the obelisk, theemblemof
the good god of light, should restrain and keep down the
evil deity of darkness, and secondly, they made it ap-
pear, in order to flatter the evil genius, as though it was
he who sustained the good god's throne and kept his mon-
82 The New York Obelisk.
ument in proper position Still, whatever the reason may
have been, the crabs are altogether out of place beneath
our monolith.
The crabs at present supporting the obelisk are new,
and were cast at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. What is left
of the old ones is preserved in the Metropolitan Museum
of Art in Central Park (cf. page 72). The following in-
scriptions were engraved on the eight claws:
FlEST CEAB, FIRST CLAW:
ANNO VIII
E
ABCHITECTANTfi PONTIO
[The corrected form and the translation of these Inscriptions are given on page 73 and 74.]
FlEST CEAB, SECOND CLAW:
QUARRIED AT SYENE, EGYPT; ERECTED AT
HELIOPOLIS, EGYPT, BYTHOTHMES III INTHE
SIXTEENTH CENTURY B. C.
\. s
LJ
SECOND CEAB, FLEST CLAW:
REMOVED TO ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT, AND ERECTED
THERE B. C. 22 BY THE ROMANS.
[The date should be B. C. 12. Cf. page 73.]
SECOND CEAB, SECOND CLAW:
REMOVED TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A. D.
1880, AND ERECTED IN NEW YORK CITY JANUARY 22,
1881.
THIED CEAB, FLEST CLAW:
PRESENTED TO THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
BY ISMAIL, KHEDIVE OF EGYPT.
Inscriptions on tTie Crabs.
THIRD CRAB, SECOOT) CLAW:
RUTHERFORD BURCHARD HAYES, PRESIDENT; WILLIAM
MAXWELL EVARTS, SECRETARY OF STATE OF THE
UNITED STATES.
FOURTH CRAB, FIRST CLAW:
THE COST OF REMOVING FROM EGYPT AND PLACING
ON THIS SPOT THIS OBELISK, PEDESTAL, AND BASE,
WAS BORNE BY WILLIAM H. VANDERBILT.
FOURTH CRAB, SECOND CLAW:
LIEUTENANT- COMMANDER HENRY H. GORRINGE,
UNITED STATES NAVY, DESIGNED THE PLANS FOR AND
SUPERINTENDED THE REMOVAL AND RE-ERECTION.
CHAPTER VIII.
EGYPT: ITS GEOGRAPHICAL DIVISIONS AND ITS CITIES.
Egypt, called by its former inhabitants p Qenrt,
"theUacklavid", on account of the richness and color of
its soil, and by the Greeks AiyvTtros [AiguptosJ, has been
correctly and appropriately described by the ancients as
"a gift of the river Nile", which flows throughout its en-
tire length. Lying between two vast tracts of desert
Land, and encompassed by immense ranges of mount-
ains, the Nile is its only source of life and means of sup-
port. The country was divided from time immemorial into
two large sections, Upper and Lower Egypt. The Hebrew
name of Egypt, D?*]^ [Mizrayim], being a dual form,
forcibly reminds us of this division. These two sections
were at various times of Egyptian history independent
principalities, and governed by different Pharaohs.
Whenever the two sections had one and the same ruler,
he was always called K suten-kaut?, "the Tcing of Up-
per and Lower Egypt", tipper Egypt as the more impor-
tant of the two always being mentioned first. These
sections were again subdivided into "names" (from the
Greek word vo^os [nomos] "a province"), and each of
them had its capital, governor, local deities, sacred an-
imals, and sacred trees.
UPPER EGYPT, called by the Egyptians ^^s=f J^ pa
ta res "the land of the South", began in the south at the
island of Philse and extended as far as the Delta in the
north. It is called "Upper", being bounded by mountains
and highlands, as opposed to the low land of the north or
"Lower" Egypt. This section of the country comprised 22
86 The New York Obelisk.
nomes. Following the course of the Mle some of the
principal places and cities are:
Philce, in Egyptian !^^@ Aareq-t or _g <= 2f > & Pi-
req, one of the southern islands of the First Cataract,
with the ruins of the magnificent temple of the god-
dess Isis, the fragment of an obelisk, and other mon-
umental structures.
Elephantine, in Egyptian j^S Ab't "the ivory -
island", the northernmost island m the First Cataract,
opposite the modern Assuan. On it was situated the
capital bearing the same name, Ab, with the famous
Kilometer and a splendid temple of Khnum, the local
deity of the island.
8yene, in Egyptian flj^g Suirt, now Assuan, which
was the site of the vast quarries, from which were
taken most of the obelisks and statues scattered
throughout Egypt.
Ombos, in Egyptian r^^g Nubi't, "the gold-city",
with the road leading to the Nubian gold mines, was
noted for its temple of the crocodile-headed god Sebek-
Ba, its local deity. The modern name is Kom-Omboo.
Silsilis, the old Egyptian N$Q$ KJtennu, "the sail-
or-city", is known for its tombs which are cut into the
mount a in- side, its quarries, and its annual festivals
in honor of the rise of the Mle at the time of inun-
dation. The modern name of this part of the country
is Jebel Selseleh.
Redesieh, a modern village, was formerly the start-
ing-point of an important road leading to Asia and the
Bed Sea. On this road is a temple of Seti I. and a fa-
The Principal Cities of Upper Egypt. 87
mous well, l^fiV^^f ^] ta HJmunrt Ma-
/^\__rr\S>\J Wv^- wwvsv. ~ J\
men-Ra "tTie well of Seti /.", constructed by order of
the same Pharaoh.
Edfu, in Egyptian AJU Deb't, "the city of trans-
fixion" (referring to the legend of the battle between
Horns and Set, the devil, in which the latter was
pierced by the avenging spear of the son of Osiris),
was the renowned city of the sun-god Horus. Because
of his supreme worship it was also called c= ^ a @ Hud't
"the city of the winged sun-disTc [Vss?]". Here are to
be found in a tolerably good state of preservation some
of the grandest temple-buildings of Egypt. The tem-
ple of the hawk-faced sun-god, Horus, rivals in mag-
nificence that of any other god.
El-Kab, near the ancient city of 4-oJ Nekheb't,
the Eileithyiapolis of the Greeks, contains the many
dedicatory inscriptions to Nekheb, an otherwise rare-
ly mentioned goddess, and a number of tombs.
Esneli, in Egyptian ^^^ Seni't, was the seat of
the Khnum- worship, and still contains the ruins of the
temple of the ram-headed god (S
Hermontliis, in Egyptian (|i JM) An-mentlj, the
iilV^AAAAAA U J 1
modern village of Erment, was at one time a most im-
portant city of Egypt, surpassing even Thebes. Now
we find here only a few ruins of the temple pf the sun-
god Menthu, the local deity of the place.
Tliebes, in Egyptian |g Us't "the city of the Us-scep-
tre, or^^j NirtAmen "the city of the god J.?7^m",
was situated on the land occupied at present by
88 TJie New York Obelisk.
the villages of Karnak and Luxor on the east, and
Drah-abul-Neggah, Der el-baheri, Quriiah, Medinet-
Habu, and others on the west bank of the Nile. It was
undoubtedly the largest city of the ancient world,
and the principal seat of the worship of Amen or Am-
en- Ra. During the greater part of Egyptian history it
was the capital of all Egypt. Nowhere on the face of
the earth are so many ancient monuments gathered
together as here. Suffice it to mention the wonderful
temples of Karnak and Luxor in the city proper, which
was called ty-^-j.]*j Apiu't "the city of thrones" (from
which with the prefixed feminine article ta the word
"Thebes" is derived) and a number of obelisks, and
the Tombs of the Kings with their mausolea, especi-
ally the Memnonium of Ramses II., the monster stat-
ues of Amenophis III., and many other monuments
in western Thebes.
Coptos, in Egyptian ^ MAiv^ Qebti't, the modern
Kuft, at the end of the road leading from Kosser on
the Red Sea, was formerly a place of great commercial
activity, and became a mart for the products of Arabia
and the far East. On this road to Kosser are the ex-
tensive quarries of Hammamat, the ancient f,*wwj
JJ^n cLu en Bekhen "tTie mountain of the bekhen-
stone".
DenderaTi, in Egyptian |@ Arrt, "the city of pil-
lars", or !J^^?<=g$ Ta-en-ta-rer-t, with the grand
and well-preserved temple of Hathor, [5j.
Abydos, in Egyptian &^J Abdu or ^g Abdirt,
was especially famous for the temple of Seti I. Here
also wa s said to be the tomb of the god Osiris near which
it was the highest honor to be buried.
The Principal Cities of Upper Egypt.
El-Kliargeh, in Egyptian /www Kenenrti, an
oasis to the west of Thebes, at one time belonging to
the vn th nonie of Upper Egypt.
Thinis, in Egyptian ^|@ Theni't, was according
to tradition the home of the first Egyptian Pharaoh,
Menes. Its site is now probably occupied by the vil-
lage of El-Tmeh.
PanopoliS) the Greek designation for the city called
""l^^jFg Per-khenrt, "the city of the temple of the
god Khem", the modern Akhmim, was the seat of the
worship of Khem whose festivals were conducted with
various gymnastic exercises, especially that of climb-
ing smooth poles represented thus:
Sioot, the modern name of the ancient
Saiu't, is at present the largest city of Upper Egypt.
A number of rock- tombs are in the neighborhood. Its
local deity was the jackal-headed god Anubis.
Tel-el- Amarna is the present site of a city founded by
Amenophis IV., which he named j=^ ^^ khu en
Aten, "ike glorious house of the sun-god Aten", It was
this king who introduced the sole worship of the sun-
disk and was ever after considered a heretic. Cf. the
picture on page 30.
Bersheh is a modern village with the remnants of
some tombs. In one of them is the picture showing the
mode of transporting a colossus (cf. page 15).
Beni-Hassan is noteworthy for its beautiful sepul-
chral grottoes of the xnth dynasty.
The Fayoom is a large tract of fertile land extend-
90 The New York Obelisk.
ing into the Libyan desert. It was called ^g^ ta
sheti, "the land of the sea", and the present name is
derived from the Coptic word q>ioju [phiyom], "a sea".
In it was the world-famous Lake Moeris, which the
Egyptians named a=i3SS mer ur, "the great sea"
(whence the name "Moeris"). This was really a large
reservoir constructed by Amenemhat III. Besides this
we find here the ruins of the so-called Labyrinth, the
palace of the same king, not far from the pyramid of
El-Lahoon. The Greeks called the place Crocodilop-
olis from the crocodile-headed god Sebek, who was
its local deity.
Meydoom is situated on the site of the ancient A ^x_
Mer-Tunrt, "the favorite city of the god Turn",
and is famous for its quaintly terraced pyramid.
LOWER EGYPT, called by the Egyptians
ta mehi't, "the land of tlie flax plant" or only simply
2^ meh't, "the north", comprises the so-called Delta
from the city of Cairo to the Mediterranean Sea. The Del-
ta; intersected by the seven arms of the river Nile, was
called Ql^ pa ta mera't, "the land of the inun-
^^T1G^
dation", and was so named from its resemblance to the
Greek letter Delta, A, our D. It was composed of 20 nomes
or provinces.
The following are the principal cities of Lower Egypt:
1111111111+.
Memphis, in Egyptian JyX^ Men-nefer-t, the
1 " ' '
good place of rest", which became in Coptic
[Memphi], has left us hardly any vestige of its former
greatness. It was the capital of Lower Egypt and the
main seat of the worship of the god Ptah. Nothing re-
mains to mark the site of the famous Memphis of old
The Principal Cities of Lower Egypt. 91
except the colossus of Ramses II. at the village of Mit-
rahiiieh and the mighty pyramids. The latter consist
of the following groups: 1) the three great Pyramids,
namely, the Great Pyramid, "the Splendid", of king
Kheops; the Second Pyramid, "the Great", of king
Khefren; the Third Pyramid, "the Superior", of king
Mycerinus: all these being at Gizeh: 2) the Pyramids
of Abusir, four in number; 3) the Pyramids of Sacca-
rah, the largest of which is called the Pyramid of the
Steps on account of its strange form; 4) the Pyramids
of Lisht and Dashur. These pyramids served as mau-
solea or tombs of the kings who erected them. The
stones of ancient Memphis were converted into build-
ing-stones for modern Cairo.
Turn, the present site of the quarries of Memphis
from which the stone for the pyramids was taken. It
received the name of Troja [Troy] from the Greeks.
Heliopolis, the ancient | An and the modern Mata-
riyeh, was the famous city of the Sun or the "City of
Obelisks". Here stood the New York Obelisk in front
of the temple of the Sun [Ha]. The only monument to
be seen there still is the obelisk of Usertesen I.
Alexandria, the famous city founded by Alexander
the Great on the site of the ancient Mfi fi *? Raqedrt,
the Rhakotis of the Greeks, is situated near the north-
west corner of Egypt. To the south of it is the Lake
Mareotis, in Egyptian r N\ '_ Merrt. Alexandria
can boast of no ancient monument whatever, as its two
obelisks have been conveyed to London and New York,
and Pompey's Pillar is not of Egyptian workmanship.
.Rosetta is a considerable town at the mouth of the
Rosetta branch of the Nile. Its world-wide fame is due
92 The New York Obelisk.
to the fact that here a French engineer, Bonssard, dis-
covered in 1799 the stone which furnished the key for
the interpretation of the Egyptian hieroglyphs.
Sais, in Egyptian 2^ ^^ Sa't, whose site is at
_)3 >= rr\S-
and Lower Egypt, formations, the one Sun", offspring, god, the prince of Thebes."
This he changed, after introducing the Aten- worship, to
Glossary of Names and Terms. 97
v "9 C 7 ) i^ fi c /T* ^Sl
^ M^ ^
XJ ^^ V I O -/J AAAA^.- ^
suten-kaut? Ra-nefer-kheperu-ua-en-Ra sa Ha Khu-en-Aten
The king of Upper "The Sun, beautiful in trans- the Sun's "The glory
and Lower Egypt, formations, the one Sun", ott'spring, ofAten".
Amen-Ra. In Egyptian f\ Amen-Ra, "the hidden
Sun". The supreme deity of the Egyptians and really
identical with the sun-god Ra. Before the time of the
xvin th dynasty he was worshiped as Amen simply,
and especially at Thebes. Some of the grandest hymns
in the Egyptian literature are addressed to this god.
In painted inscriptions his body is generally colored
light- blue. Cf. above under Amen. *' J 37 88
Amenti. In Egyptian [|^ Amenti,^ 4 'the concealed
land", and undoubtedly related to tf\/\/i Amenti, "the
West", as the Egyptians thought that the Lower World
lay toward the west where the stin set. It is the region
below the earth or Hades, where the departed spirits
assembled, and was said to be the dominion of the
god Osiris. It was divided into "the field of the bless-
ed", called llVrTT^ 2 Aanuru or Aahlu (the
Greek Elysium), "the place of rest", called IJ^^
Kher-nuter, and "the place of the condemned", called
"~^~ Ruseti. In "the hall of the two Truths" the
deceaseSVas brought before Osiris, his heart weighed,
and judgment pronounced on him. Besides the various
gods, such as Osiris, Horus, Thoth, and Anubis, we
also find here the four genii of Hades, []^^ Amsetjj.
(with the head of a man), f ^fi Hepi (with the head of
a monkey), *^ Duamutf (with the head of a
jackal), ^J||^|^" Qebehsenef (with the head of a
hawk). To these were attached "the forty-two assess-
ors", generally represented with the heads of various
animals, who typified the negation of the forty-two
98 The New York Obelisk.
sins [cf . Negative Confession] of the Egyptian moral
code. The book which treats in full of everything per-
taining to the Egyptian Hades is the so-called Book
of the Dead or the Ritual, which has been found in in-
numerable copies in the tombs and with the mum-
mies. 28 30
Amyrtaeus Obelisks. Two small obelisks of a king of the
xxvin th dynasty, who revolted against Artaxerxes I.,
the king of Persia, but was conquered and driven into
the Delta. His two obelisks, which are made of dark
green basalt, are at present in the British Museum.
His name in Egyptian is 10
I C~
\^
nuter nefer User-ma't-Ra-sotep-en-Amen neb taui Amen-rud-Amen-mer
The gracious "Strong in Truth, the Sun, the lord of the "Amyrtanis, beloved
god, chosen of Amen", two countries, of Amen".
An. The Egyptian name of Heliopolis. 51 52 53 5G 58 ca 91
Androsphinx. A Greek word ( 'Avdp6 -^^ <:= ^ : ^ (Warn} ^A"">
" p^s @><=r> 1>ero /> Q^^.
(Caracalla), &c. 39
Avaris. A city on the Bubastic branch of the Mle in
the Delta, near the ancient Pelusium. Its Egyptian
name was Q^S Ha*t-uai"t. It was the last fortified
stronghold of the Hyksos which was besieged and
taken by Aahmes L, a king of the xvnth dynasty. 9
Banner-shield. The oblong that contains the one estab-
lished royal title and which, in all inscriptions of im-
portance, must precede the cartouches,
occurs twelve times on our obelisk.
56 57 69
!. It
Glossary of Names and Terms. 103
Barbaras. A prefect or governor of Egypt. According
to Prof. Merriam his full name is Publius Rubrius
Barbaras. History is silent about Mm. 39 73 74 82
Barberini Obelisk. Other designations for it are: Mon-
te Pincio Obelisk, Veranian Obelisk, and the Obelisk
della Passeggiata. It was cut in Egypt by order of Ha-
drian [A. D. 118-138] and erected in honor of Antinoiis,
who drowned himself in the Nile in order to avert the
fulfillment of an evil oracle from the emperor. Pope
Urban VIII. (Barberini) found it broken in three
pieces, and it was placed in its present position on the
Monte Pincio in Rome by Pius VII. in 1822. It has two
columns of hieroglyphs on each face. 9
Bast. The Egyptian lion-headed goddess of love, also
called Pasht or Sekhet (which see). 92
B. C. An abbreviation for "Before (the birth of) Christ".
Bejij. Also called Ebjij. A city in the western half of
the xxi st nome of Upper Egypt, whose Egyptian name
was Q^ Ha-Sebek, "the home of the god SebeTc", the
Crocodilopolis of the Greeks and Romans. 5 xl
Bejij Obelisk. A prostrate and broken obelisk of Userte-
sen I. at Bejij in the Fayoom. It resembles more a ste-
le than an obelisk, as it has two large and two small
faces and a rounded top, which is the usual form of
a stele. J1
Belzoni, Giovanni Battista. One of the most successful
Egyptian explorers [died Dec. 3, 1823]. He was the
first to penetrate the second large pyramid of Gizeh. li
Benevento. A city of Italy, north-east of Naples. Its
Egyptian spelling on the obelisks erected by the em-
peror Domitian is J^^f g Benemtjjesti. 8 10
Benevento Obelisks. Two obelisks bearing the car-
touche of the emperor Domitian [A. D. 81-96]. One of
104 The New York Obelisk.
them, having only a single column of hieroglyphs on
each face, is erected in a public square, while the oth-
er is imbedded in the wall of a house in Benevento.
The names of Domitian, Titus, and Lucilius Lupus
appear in the inscriptions. 10
Beni-Hassan. The present name of the place where the
sepulchral grottoes of the xn th dynasty were situat-
ed. These rock-tombs were in the xvi th nome of Up-
per Egypt, the most famous one of them being that of
tffejg^B Khnum-hotep. *
Bersheh. The modern name of a place in the xv th nome
of Upper Egypt, the site of many rock-tombs. 15 8a
Boboli Gardens Obelisk. A small obelisk at present in
the Boboli Gardens at Florence, Italy. It was probab-
ly erected in Heliopolis by Ramses II. and removed to
Rome by the emperor Claudius [A. D. 41-54]. How it
got to Florence is not known. 10
Bonomi, Joseph. An English Egyptologist [died 1808]. "
Book of the Dead. Also called the Egyptian Ritual. A
collection of chapters treating of the future state of the
blessed in the realm of eternal life. It is also in part a
catechism with questions and answers. Innumerable
copies of it have been found written on papyrus and
linen, some of them displaying beautifully executed
pictures and vignettes. The first complete copy (of
Turin, Italy) was published by Lepsius in 1842, the
last by Naville in 1886.
Borgian Obolisk. A small obelisk in the Museum of
Naples, Italy, bearing a single column of hieroglyphs.
It was perhaps erected by Domitian, and had an in-
scription similar to that of the Albani Obelisk (which
see). It was found at Prseneste near Rome in 1791 and
was formerly in the Borgian Museum at Velletri. 10
Glossary of Names and Terms. 105
Boussard. A French engineer in the army of Napoleon
I., who discovered the Rosetta Stone at Fort St. Julien
in 1799. y2
Brugsch, Heinrich. The greatest living Egyptologist and
disciple of Lepsius. He was born in Berlin on Feb. 18,
1827, and is at present Professor of Egyptology in the
same city. 2G
Bubastis. Now Tel-Basta. The capital of the xvmth
noine of Lower Egypt, the JIDD^S, Pl-Beseth, of the
Bible (Ezek. xxx : 17), and called by the Egyptians
nff Per-Bas-t, "the home of tlie goddess Bast". The
temple of this deity, the goddess of love, is now a
mass of ruins. 92
Bulak. The port of Cairo. Here is the famous "Musee
Boulaq", the national Egyptian Museum, founded by
the French Egyptologist Mariette (died 1881). 38
Busiris. Now Abu-Sir, situated about half-way down
the Damietta branch of the Nile. The capital of the
ix th nome of Lower Egypt, called in Egyptian ^ j^^
Per-Usar-t, "the house of Osiris", and by the Copts
noTcipi [Pusiri], whence the Greek Busiris. 92
Byzantium. An ancient Greek city on the Bosphorus,
now occupied by the city of Constantinople. It was
founded about B. C. 667, and was for a long time the
capital of the Eastern Greek Empire. 8
Caesar. At first the surname of the Roman gens (or
house) Julia, but after the time of Augustus the title
of the Roman emperors. The word was applied indis-
criminately to all the emperors, but stands for Au-
gustus on our obelisk- crab. 7
Caesar-ankh-zeta-Ptah-As-t-mer. The family name of
the emperor Augustus (which see). 3
Caesareum. A temple in Alexandria dedicated to the
KM; '/'/// ,v/ //
Roman emperors, where divine honors were paid them. "
Cairo. Tin- rnpilnl of Iv \ pi, Minuted twelve mi h-s ;i ho\ e
I he phice when- | he \ i | i . < , | \ ii .|f into its seven
hr:mc||ml'
Caliph. A title of M hi^h dii;nit:iry nmon^ the Molinin
Miedniis. r rhe Anihir form is x.a^Xi-, /\ /mftfn, which
IlieilllS ll llie successor of the Prophet ( M oil ;i III llie< | )'\
Ciiinhysos. A kin- of |Vrsi:i who coii(|iiered l^-ypl in
R27 H. ('., overt ln<\\ "MIL;- ;ind piiHini;- todenth I'snnie
iik III. llew;is;i rut h less dest royer of l^y pli;i n IIIOH
iiinents ;iiid acted like ;i h
y/ of
107
elisk in Rome. It stood formerly on the Campus Mar-
tius, whence its name. Erected hy I'sametik II. in He-
liopolis, ;ind removed hy I IK- cm peror August us in 20
l'> < '. hi Koine, it vv;is found hroken in live pieces in
171.S, ;ind was re erected hy Tins VI. ill I7DV. Ililike
I In- ol IHT ohelisks il- has two col iiiiins of hieroglyphs
on each face. * (**)
Carkhomish. A city on the Euphrates and the capital
of the vast Hittite empire, now called ,h-ra hi us. Ilis
also mentioned in the I'/ihle (ls;i. \ :'J;.)er. xlvii : V;
XXXV:^0). M:iny import;mt h;i,ttles were
:ii (his phire. ( )n I he K^y ptiitn monuments it
^V^JVWllIlI^ Karukamg^ia. ""
ronounced k:irloosh|. An oval ring or Heal
the I'luinioh's mime. The l^yplinn
of it is c__^> ron, which menus "a name". Kvery
h;id two such cnrtonches, the lirst hein^ his roynl or
divine iKime which he adopted on his accession lo Ihe
throne, and the second hein-j Hie family tiiinie which
lie hore as prince. The first is generally inl rod need hy
tin- phrase kl 7 V/.r ////// "f I'l'l"' ">"/ l<<>'l",
second hy "T/n- xa71
Catania Obelisk. A small ohelisk standing on a stone
eh-))hanl and set, up in front of the Cathedral in Cala
108 The New York Obelisk.
nia, Sicily. It is only a Roman imitation, having eight
sides and four columns of hieroglyphs in all. 1U
Cataracts of the Nile. There are a number of cataracts
formed by the Nile, where it passes over rocks and
boulders, the largest and longest being the First Cat-
aract. This forms the southern boundary of Egypt,
and lies between Syene and Philse. 24 '
Chronology, Egyptian. The ancient Egyptian chronol-
ogy is hopelessly tangled. Some of the dates may be
correct, especially those of the later dynasties, but
when we turn to the early history of Egypt we are con-
fronted by such a confusion of facts and dates, that
makes the fixing of dates for the earlier dynasties an
impossibility. There is a difference of more than 3 000
years between the dates assigned by various Chronol-
ogists to the reign of the first king of Egypt, Menes;
Bockh setting it down as B. C. 5702, linger as 5613,
Mariette and Lenormant as 5004, Brugsch as 4455,
Lauth as 4157, Lepsius as 3892, Bunsen as 3059, Poole
as 2717, and Wilkinson as 2691. No scheme of chro-
nology can be deduced from the monuments, for the
ancient Egyptians cared nothing about history, a fact
that is proved by the carelessness with which they re-
corded historical events. The big numbers above re-
sult from the supposition that the various dynasties
reigned in succession, while some were undoubtedly
contemporaneous. An important list of kings together
with their dates, written in the third century B. C. by
Manetho, an Egyptian priest, has come down to us.
We herewith give his list as systematized by Lepsius,
MYTHOLOGICAL PERIOD.
Two Dynasties of Gods. 13 870 years.
One Dynasty of Demi-gods. 3 650 years.
One Dynasty of Prehistoric Kings of Thinis. 350 years.
Glossary of Names and Terms. 109
HISTOR'.CAL PERIOD.
I. OLD EMPIRE. 1. - 11. DYNASTIES. B. C. 3892 - 2380.
1 at Dynasty of Tninis, 3892 to 3639.
Kings: Mena (Menes). Teta. Ateth (AthotMs). Ata. Hesepti (Usaphals). Merba-
pen (Aiiebis). Seinenptah (Semempses). Qebeh.
2 d Dynasty of Thinis, 3639 to 3338.
Kinyts: Bazaii (Boethos). Kakaii (Kaiekhos). Baennuter (Binothris). Uaznes. Senda
(Seoienes). Perabsen. Neferkara (Nepherkheres). Neferkaseker (Sesokhris). Hezef.
3 d Dynasty of Memphis, 3338 to 3124.
Kings: Zazai. Nebka. Zeser (Tosorthros). Teta. Sezes. Zeserteta (Tosertasis). Ah-
tes (Aklies). Nebkara. Neferkara (Nekherophes).
4 th Dynasty of Memphis, 3124 to 2840.
Kings: Snefru (Sorls). Kliufu (SupMs or Kheops). Khafra (Sophris or Khephren).
Menkaiira (Menklieres, Mycerinus). 13edeira. Shepseskaf. Sebekkara (Seberkheres).
5 th Dynasty of Memphis, 284O to 2592.
Kings: Userkaf (Userklieres). Sahura (Sephres). Neferarikara (Nepherklieres).
Siiepseskara (Sisires). Neferkhara (Klieres). Eanuser (Ratliures). Menkaiiher (Men-
klieres). Dedkara (Tanklieres). Unas (Onnos).
6 th Dynasty of Elephantine, 2744 to 2546.
Contemporaneous with the fifth dynasty. Kings: Teta. Ati (Othoes). Pepi (Phi-
ops I.). Heremsaf. Pepi (Phiops II.). Netaqerti (Mtokris).
7 th Dynasty of Memphis, 2592 to 2522.
8 th Dynasty of Memphis, 2522 to 2380.
9 th Dynasty of Heracleopolis, 2674 to 2565.
10 th Dynasty of Heracleopolis, 2565 to 2380.
The kings of these four dynasties were more or less contemporaneous. The exact
position of their names in the lists cannot be given. Kings: Neferka. Neferseh
Ab. Neferkaiira. Kharthi (Akhthoes). Neferkara. Neterkaranebi. Neferkarakhen-
du. Merenher. Seneferka. Kanra. Neferkaratererel. Neferkaher. Neferkarapepise-
neb. Neferkaraannu. Neferarkara.
n th Dynasty of Thebes, 2423 to 2380.
Contemporaneous with the eighth and tenth dynasties. Kings: Antef I. Menthu-
hotep I. Antef II. Antef HI. Antef IV. Antef V. Saraana. Antuf. Antufa. Antef
the Great. Anantef . Seneferkara. Userenra. Nebnemra. Menthuhotep II. Menthu-
hotepHI. Menthuhotep IV.
II. MIDDLE EMPIRE. 12. - 17. DYNASTIES. B. C. 2380 - 1591.
12 th Dynasty of Thebes, 2380 to 2167.
Kings: Amenemhat I. (Ammenemes I). Usertesen I. (Sesortasis I.). Amenernhat
II. (Ammenemes II.). Usertesen II. (Sesortasis n.). Usertesen III. (Sesortasis III.).
Amenemhat in. (Ammenemes in.). Amenemhat IV. (Ammenemes IV.). Sebek-
neferura (Sebeknophris).
13 th Dynasty of Thebes, 2136 to 1684.
14 th Dynasty of Xois, 2167 to 1684.
The kings of these two dynasties reigned contemporaneously. Kings: Sebekhotep
I. Sebekhotep II. Sebekhotep in. Sebekhotep IV. Neferhotep. Sebekhotep V. Se-
bekhotep VI. Sebekhotep VII. Ai. Sebekhotep Vm.
15 th Dynasty, the Hyksos, 2101 - 1842.
Contemporaneous with the thirteenth and fourteenth dynasties. Kings: Apehutt-
set ..banan(Banon). Aoehenkhepesh. Apepa (Apophis),
110 The New Jorfc Obelisk.
16 th Dynasty, the Hyksos, 1842 to 1591.
Contemporaneous with the thirteenth and. fourteenth dynasties. Kings: Apepa.
Aqenenra.
17 th Dynasty of Thebes, 1684 to 1591.
Contemporaneous with the sixteenth dynasty. Kings: Seqenenra I. Seqenenra II.
Seqenenra III. Kames. Aahhotep. Aahmessapaar.
III. NEW EMPIRE. 18. - 30. DYNASTIES. B. C. 1591 - 340.
18 th Dynasty of Thebes, 1591 to 1443.
Kings: Aahmes I. (Amosis). Aahmesnefertari (Nephris). Amenhotep I. (Amenophis
I.). Thothmes I. (Tuthmosis I.). Thothmes II. (Tuthmosis II.). Makara (Mephre).
Thothmes III., the Great (Tuthmosis III.). Amenhotep II. (Amenophis II.). Thoth-
mes IV. (Tuthmosis IV.). Amenhotep III. (Amenophis III.). Amenhotep IV. S.tqa-
nekhtkheperura. Tutankhamen. Ai. Heremheb (Horos).
19 th Dynasty of Thebes, 1443 to 1269.
Kings: Ramses I. (Harnesses I). Set! I. (Sethos I.). Ramses II. , the Great (Harnes-
ses Miammun). Merenptah I. (Menephthes). Amenmeses. Seti II. (Sethos II.). Mer-
enptah II. (Menephthes Siphthas). Setnekht (Sethnekhthes).
20 th Dynasty of Thebes, 1269 to 1091.
Kings: Ramses HI. (Harnesses III.). Ramses IV. (Ramesses IV.). Ramses V. (Ra-
messes V.). Ramses VI. (Ramesses VI.). Ramses VII. (Raniesses ML). Ramses
VIII. (Ramesses VIII.). Ramses IX. (Ramesses IX.). Ramses X. (Ramesses X.).
Ramses XI. (Ramesses XI.). Ramses XII. (Ramesses XII.). Ramses XIII. (Rames-
ses XIII.). (Ramesses XIV.)
21 st Dynasty of Tanis, 1091 to 961.
Kings: Samenthu (Smendes). Pasebkhanu I. (Phusemes). Asehra (Osokhor). Am-
enemapt (Amenophis). Pasebkhanu II. (Psinakhes). Opposition-kings of T7icbes:
Herher. Pa'inezem I. Pa'inezem II. Pamezem III.
22 d Dynasty of Bubastis, 961 to 787.
Kings: Sheshenq I. (Sesonkhis I. or Shishak). Osarkon I. (Osorkhon I.). Takelot I.
(TakelothisL). Osarkon II. (Osorkhon II.). Sheshenq II. (Sesonkhis n.). Takelot II.
(Takelothis II.). Sheshenq III. (Sesonkhis in.). Pamai. Sheshenq IV. (Sesonkhis
IV.).
23 d Dynasty of Tanis, 787 to 729.
Kings: Pedusabast (Petsybastis). Osarkon in. (Osorkhon).
24 th Dynasty of Sais, 729 to 685.
King: Bakenrenf (Bokkhoris). Opposition-kings of Ethiopia: Piankhi I. Piankhi II.
25 th Dynasty of Ethiopia, 716 to 664.
Contemporaneous with the twenty -fourth and twenty-sixth dynasties. Kings: Sha-
baka (Sebikhos). Shabataka (Sebitikhos). Taharqa (Tearkhos). Amenrud.
26 th Dynasty of Sais, 685 to 525.
Partly contemporaneous with the twenty-fifth dynasty. Kings: Psametikl.
(PsametikhosL). Nekaii(Nekhao II.). Psametik II. (Psametikhos II.). Lahabraor
Apries (Uaphris). Aahines II. (Amosis). Psametik in. (Psametikhos IH.X
27 th Dynasty, the Persians, 525 to 405.
Contemporaneous with the twenty-eighth dynasty. Kings: Kembathet or Camby-
ses (Kambyses). Antariush or Darius I. (Dareios Hystaspes). Khshmrush or Xerxes
I. (Xerxes the Great). Artakhshashs (Artaxerxes). Anthrish or Darius n. (Dareios
Xerxes).
28 th Dynasty of Sais, 525 to 399.
Kings: Amenrud or Amyrta3us (Amyrteos I.). Khabbash.
29 th Dynasty of Mendes, 399 to 378.
Kings: Niafaurud (Nephorites I.). Hager (Akhoris). Psimut (Psamuthis).
Glossary of Names and Terms. Ill
30th Dynasty of Sebennytus, 378 to 340.
Kings: Nekntherheb or Nectanebo I. (Nekhtharebes). Taker (Teos). Nekhtnebef
or Nectanebo II. (Nekhthanebos).
Manetho's list ends with th in dynasty, the names of the follmving dynasty having been added by some
other writer. All the names here given in parentheses are from his list.
IV. EGYPT UNDER FOREIGN RULE, B. C. 340 - A. D. 395.
31 st Dynasty, the Persians, B. C. 340 to 332.
Kings: (Okhos). (Arses). (Dareios). These names do not occur on the Egyptian
monuments.
32 d Dynasty, the Macedonians, B. C. 332 to 305.
Kings: Aleksandres or Alexander the Great. Phiuliupus or Philippus Aridseus.
Aleksandres or Alexander II.
33 d Dynasty, the Ptolemies, B. C. 305 to 30.
Kings: Ptolemy I. Soter I. Ptolemy II. Phlladelphus. Ptolemy HI. Euergetes I.
Ptolemy IV. Pliilopator 1. Ptolemy V. Eplphanes. Ptolemy VI. Eupator. Ptolemy
VII. Phllometor. Ptolemy VHI. Philopator 11. Ptolemy IX. Euergetes H. Cleo-
patra m. Ptolemy X. Soter II. Ptolemy XI. Alexander I. Berenice m. Ptolemy
XII. Alexander II. Ptolemy xm. Neos Dionyslos. Cleopatra VI. Ptolemy XVI.
Caesarion.
34 th Dynasty, the Romans, B. C. 30 to A. D. 395.
Emperors: Augustus. Tiberius. Caligula, Claudius. Nero. Galba. Otho. Ves-
pasian. Titus. Domitian. Nerva. Trajan. Hadrian. Antoninus Pius. Aureli-
us. Verus. Commodus. Severus. Caracalla. Geta. Decius A. D. 251.
Egyptian history ends here as far as the monuments are concerned, for Decius is the last Ro-
man emperor mentioned by them. Prominent among the succeeding emperors are Gallienus,
Aurelian, Probns, Diocletian, Constantino the Great, Constantius, and Theodosius the Great.
The emperors of the Eastern Roman Empire, called the Byzantines, rule over Egypt from
A. D. 395 to 638. The Mohammedans then conquer the country in 638, and have remained in
possession until now. One of the best of these rulers or Khedives was the late Ishmael Pasha.
"City of Obelisks." A designation of Heliopolis. ' 91
"City of the Seven Hills." A designation of Rome
which was originally built on seven hills. 25
"City of the Sun." The translation of the Greek word
'HkiovTToXis [Heliupolis], which is An or Heliopolis. 3G 51
Claudius. The fourth Roman emperor (A. D. 41-54). His
full name is Tiberius Claudius Drusus Nero Germani-
cus. In the Egyptian inscriptions he is called 8
suten-kaut? Auteqreder-Kisers sa Ha Qertus-Dabarsa
The king of Upper "Autocrator the Sun's "Claudius
and Lower Egypt, Ca?sar", offspring, Tiberius".
Cleopatra II. The sister and wife of Ptolemy VII. Phil-
ometor, and afterwards wife of her brother Ptolemy
IX. Euergetes II. She reigned with them at intervals.
112 The New York Obelisk.
but all by herself from B. C. 130 to 127. Her name and
that of Ptolemy IX. on the Obelisk of Philse were the
first that were read after the discovery of the Egyp-
tian alphabet by Francois Champollion. Her Egyptian
name is 7
C~ A rvtk n tk ~^J
L ^ i^^-k. J
sen-t-f him-t-f heq-t neb taui Qluapedra-t
His sister, hiswite, mistress, lord of the two countries. "Cleopatra".
Cleopatra VI. The famous and infamous queen after
whom the New York Obelisk is named, though incor-
rectly. She was born B. C. 69, married her brother
Ptolemy XIV. in 52, combined with Julius Caesar in
49, and dethroned her brother who was soon after that
drowned. In 47 she married her second brother Ptol-
emy XV. whom she poisoned in 44. She then made her
own son by Julius Caesar, Ptolemy XVI. Csesarion,
co-regent with herself, but, falling in love with Mark
Antony, killed her son and placed her lover on the
throne in 37. At the very height of her power she was
vanquished by Octavius, who became afterwards the
emperor Augustus, and died with Mark Antony in 30
B. C. Her Egyptian name is 3;Medinet-Habu). Other colossal figures of Ramses II.
are found at Mitrahineh [Memphis] and, wrought into
the rock, at Abusimbel. 1C 89
Constantine the Great. The first Roman emperor of
that name and the introducer of Christianity into the
whole empire. He was sole ruler of the Eastern and
Western Roman Empires from 323 to 337 A. D.
Constantinople. The capital of the Turkish Empire,
founded by Constantine the Great 330 A. D. on the site
of the ancient Byzantium. It is called in Turkish Is-
tambul (^jU^I). 8
Constantius II. A son of Constantine the Great who was
sole ruler of the Roman Empire from 351 to 361 A. D. 8
Coptic Language. The name given to the Egyptian lan-
guage [Coptic being an abbreviation for Egyptic] in
use at the time of the Romans and spoken until the
seventeenth century of our era. There were three dia-
lects, the Sahidic (of Upper Egypt) and the Memphit-
ic and Bashmuric (of Lower Egypt). The language was
almost exclusively used by the Christian Copts. The
alphabet is the Greek with some changes in the form
of the letters and six additions from the Hieroglyphic.
This is the alphabet: ao
Coptic: ev&^^e^H^iR^Mti^onpcT'yq)^
Greek: afiyde%rfO IK X // v % o TT p as T v cp x
a b g d e z e th i 7c Zm n x o p r s t u ph kh
Coptic: \J/ co Additions: J q g ^ &
Greek: ty GO Hieroglyphic: TtTtl ^ T | J ^i
P* <> sh f hh h j g
and the syllabic sign ^ u.
Coptos. The capital of the v th nome of Upper Egypt,
114 The New York Obelisk.
the modern Kuft [Jaw]. Its Egyptian name was
Qebti-t B8
Corfe Castle Obelisk. This was one of the two obelisks
in front of the temple of Isis at Philse and was erected
by Cleopatra II. and Ptolemy IX. It has one column
of inscriptions on each face and the cartouches of these
sovereigns. Below is a very long Greek inscription
which enabled Champollion to read these cartouches.
The obelisk was removed in 1815 by Belzoni to En-
gland, and is at present in Corfe Castle, Isle of Pur-
beck, Dorsetshire. 10
Crab. In reality the scorpion, which was the symbol of
the goddess Selq, a form of the goddess Isis. Its name
in Egyptian is P^E98P serk or \\ <= z > 3/$P serq. It must
have been quite extensively worshiped in Dakkeh,
Nubia, which received from it the name ^P^ESsSSPli
Peserk't, the ancient Pselcis. In Ptolemaic times the
crab or scorpion seems to have been identified with
the evil genius. 21 38 39 81
Crocodilopolis. The capital of the western half of the
xxi st nome of Upper Egypt, the Ha-Sebek of the
Egyptians, now Bejij in the Fayoom (which see). 5 J1 90
Crowns of Egypt. To correspond with the divisions of
Egypt there were two crowns; the one called hez "the
wMte one" M), signifying Upper Egypt, and the other
desher "the red one" (^), signifying Lower Egypt.
Whenever the king ruled over all Egypt thesejjwo
crowns were joined into one ffl, which was called Q ^ D ^
sekherrt in Hieroglyphic, but in Demotic, with the
prefixed article pe, pskhent, or the Greek word ^x^r
[pskhent]. This crown was worn by kings and gods. 3
Damascus. The capital of Syria. It is called in the Bi-
ble p&OT [Dammeseq], in Arabic UL&A> [Dirnashku],
Glossary of Names and Terms. 115
and in Egyptian |T|^^> Themesqu, and was the ex-
treme limit of the conquest of Thothmes III. in north-
ern Palestine. 36
Damietta. A small town situated between the Damietta
branch of the Nile and Lake Menzaleh, and at present
called Dumyat. It is perhaps the site of the ancient
Egyptian Q^Jpg Ha't-nebes-t. 92
Dashur. A village near the site of the ancient Memphis
and only a short distance from a number of small and
two large pyramids. 91
Deb't. The Egyptian name of Edfu. 8T
Dehuti. The ibis-faced god whose name is written in
Egyptian <==> \\\\] Dehuti. The usual way of writing
this god's name is Thoth (which see). 66
Dehuti-meses. The family name of Thothmes III. in its
simplest form. 49 58 G0 C1
Dehuti-meses-nefer-kheperu. One of the variants of
the family name of Thothmes III., which means "the
child of Tlwtli, beautiful in Ms transformations". 58 60 61
Delta. The northern part of Egypt or Lower Egypt ly-
ing around the seven branches of the Nile. This part
of the country forms avast triangle and, because of its
resemblance to their letter D \_A Delta], was called by
the Greeks "the Delta". Its Egyptian name is J=L^f]
g pa ta mera/t, "tlie land of the inundation". 84 90
Demotic. The third kind of Egyptian writing which was
formerly also called "enchorial" or indigenous. It was
the simplest form in which the Egyptian picture-char-
acters were written, and was introduced in the reign
of Psametik I. [7th century B. C.]. Being read from
right to left like the Hieratic, it was employed for the
same class of literary work as this. The ease, however,
116 The New York Obelisk.
with which it could be written made it most suitable
for every-day use, and it supplanted the Hieratic al-
most completely. It was itself superseded in the time
of the Roman emperors by the Coptic (which see). It
was called in Hieroglyphics (on the Rosetta Stone)
IW3$S Sel 3 li en ^i "writing of tlie books".
The Demotic alphabet is here subjoined.
/ 30 <, ^ , x^0 *? J
*-Z> ,3 ^_ 1* 1_ <3-^ 6^. ^_ * ^ .
A ^^l A *
q k g t
Denderah. The capital of the vith nome of Upper
Egypt, called in Egyptian jffg or)*g Airt, "the city of
pillars", or ^"^^r^^g Ta-en-ta-rer-t,
Glossary of Names and Terms. 117
the province encompassed by a wall" or ^^<~>jjg^ . aoo .
"^H , ^i^ , &c., Ta-rer-t, the Greek Tenty-
ra. The goddess Hathor or Venus was worshiped here
in one of the most magnificent temples of Egypt. 88
Denys of Telmahre. Or Dionysius Tell-Mahraya. A
native of Tell-Mahre, a village near the junction of the
rivers Euphrates and Balikh in Syria, not far from
Antioch. He was patriarch of the Jacobites (818-845 A.
D.) and a great Syriac writer. lfl
Der-el-baheri. "The northern monastery " A place op-
posite Thebes on the western bank of the Nile, famous
for the magnificent temple of queen Hatasu. Here were
discovered in 1881 the mummies of many kings and
queens, and among them those of the great Pharaohs
Thothmes III., Seti I., Ramses II. , and Ramses III. 88
Diadems. Besides the crowns (cf. page 114) there are
two diadems always specially mentioned, which also
refer to the Pharaoh's power and rule over Upper and
Lower Egypt, the diadems of the Vulture and the Urse-
us snake or cobra, expressed thus: \]L [pronunciation
very uncertain!]. Some other forms of royal head-gear
or diadems were the helmet iQ kheperesh, the
or the simple head-dress, and most of the crowns wit]
which the gods are represented. 56 57 7
Domitian. The eleventh Roman emperor (81-96 A. D.),
whose name in Egyptian is * 7 8 9 10 2 "
^~^ & * r\
i ^^ ( ^
1 H _^/| SSS \ -
nuter Ra sa
neb taui Autugretur Kisers neb kh.au Tumtines ent khu
The divine lord of "Autocrator the Sun's offspring, "Domitiauns, Ihe
the two countries, Caesar", the lord of diadems, glorious" or, Augustus.
Drah-abul-Neggah. The modern name of a portion of
the necropolis of ancient Thebes on the western bank
118 The New York ObelisTt.
of the Mle with many royal tombs of the xi tli, xvn th,
and beginning of the xvm th dynasties. 9
Drah-abul-Neggah Obelisks. Two obelisks found at
this place, near Thebes, in 1878, each broken into sev-
eral pieces. They belong, perhaps, to the xi th dynas-
ty, and would then be next to the Lepsius Obelisk the
oldest in existence. 9 "
Diimichen, Johannes. One of the triad of the greatest
living Egyptologists [the two others being Brugsch
and Ebers]. He is at present Professor of Egyptian in
the University of Strassbnrg, Alsace. (The author's
teacher.)
Dynasty. A set of kings belonging to one family. For a
list of the thirty -four Egyptian dynasties, see under:
Chronology.
Edfu. Modern name of the Apollinopolis of the Greeks
and Romans, or the Egyptian \ Jjf?, Deb't, "the city
of transfixion" or ^^, Hud't, "t7ie city of the winged
sun-disk". It was the capital of the nd nome of Up-
per Egypt, its local deity being Horns, who was iden-
tified by the Greeks with Apollo, the sun-god; whence
the city's name. 31 *''
.Egypt. The oldest empire of the world, comprising the
north-east corner of Africa and extending from the
First Cataract to the Mediterranean Sea. Its modern
name isj*** [Misr], and some of its Egyptian names are
a lk> Qem ' t ' i^ or JW' Beq-t ' W| or iS'
Mer't, &c. It was the seat of the first civilization and
in its golden age - - in the time of the xix th dynasty
- the mistress of the world. At present it has lost all
its prestige and is being ruined by Mohammedan mis-
rule. For its divisions, &c., see pages 84 to 92.
Egyptian Ritual. See under: Book of the Dead. 34
Glossary of Names and Terms. 119
Eileithyiapolis. The Greek name of the Egyptian city
^ D J@, Nekheb-t, "the city of the goddess NeJcheb", a
deity whom the Greeks identified with their Eileithy-
ia (the goddess of childbirth) and the Romans with
their Lncina. It was the capital of the in d nome of Up-
per Egypt. 87
Electrum. The name given by the ancients to an alloy
of gold (4 parts) and silver (1 part). Some consider the
so-called Egyptian gold-metal r^l, usem, to be iden-
tical with it. a9
Elephantine. [Pronounced Elefan^eenay.] The Greek
name of the town and island in the first nome of Upper
Egypt, opposite Assuan. The Egyptian name (which
the Greeks only translated) is TQ J or $5"^ > Ab
or Ab.t [Abirt], "the ivory island or city". The cata-
racts of Elephantine, called ^^"n], qerti, were re-
garded by the ancient Egyptians as the source of the
Nile. 4 24 29 86
El-Kab. The modern name of Nekhebt or Eileithyiapol-
is, which see. 87
El-Khargeh. The present name of the oasis to the west
of Thebes, called in the inscriptions -^f^ , Kenem-
ti, "the wine-land'' 7 . It formed at one time a part of the
vn th nome of Upper Egypt. In it stood a large temple
of Amen-Ra. 89
El-Lahoon. A village close to the Fayoom, the site of
the pyramid of Amenemhat III. (according to Lepsius)
or Usertesen II. (according to Bragsch). The modern
name is derived from the Egyptian < ^1^ , Ru-
hmrt, "the mouth of the canal". uo
El-Thabut-ben-Marrat. A mythical person. 80
El-Tineh. The modern name of the ancient Thinis, the
120 The New York Obelisk.
Egyptian ^p|@ , TJieni't, the first capital of the vmth
nome of Upper Egypt, which was at one time a very
important city and the home of the first two Egyptian
dynasties. 89
Elysium. The Greek 'HXveiov [elusion]. The abode of
the blessed or the "Elysian Fields", called in Egyp-
tian Aanuru or Aahlu (see page 97).
Erment. The present name of the ancient Hermonthis
or the Egyptian IS^^M An-mentli, "the city of the
Hi
Karnak Obelisks. There are still at Karnak six obe-
lisks: two large ones of Thothmes I., one of them be-
ing prostrate and broken; two of queen Hatasu (which
see); and two small ones, resembling stele and bearing
the name of Thothmes III.
Kenemti. The Egyptian name of the oasis El-Khargeh,
which see. 89
Kharu. A Syrian tribe subdued by Seti I. 36
Khedive. The Persian word ^juj^-> [khedif] signifying
"the monarch". This is the title of the governor of
Khefren. The Greek form of the Egyptian Khafra, a
king of the fourth dynasty, and the builder of the
second Great Pyramid of Memphis (Gizeh). His name
in Egyptian is =fVko( Os*
eTo\ J\ "The Icing of Upper
and Lower Egypt, His glory is Ra r '. 91
128 The New York Obelisk.
Khennu. The ancient name of Silsilis, in Egyptian N^
g"@, and at present Jebel Selseleh, which see. Bl
Kheops. The Greek form of Khufu, which see. 91
Kheper. An Egyptian deity symbolizing the creative
energy of the sun, which is the source of all life. The
deity is frequently represented as a man with the
scarab or beetle on his shoulders, instead of a head.
His name in Egyptian is ^ J), which is derived from
the verb g kheper, "to create". 28 29
Khepera. The same as the above. In Egyptian
Khepera. 63 fi4
Kherp-kheper-Ra-sotep-en-Ra. The royal name of the
king Osarkon I. 3S 72
Kheta. An Asiatic people, the Hittites of the Bible,
where they are called D'TlPI [khittim]. They are con-
stantly mentioned in the Egyptian inscriptions, es-
pecially in those that treat of the wars of Seti I. and
Ramses II. Their Egyptian name is gj^^/^rp Kheta. 36 37
Khnum. The spirit of Amen-Ra, represented as a ram-
headed deity; thus, ^ M. He was especially
worshiped at Elephantine, and his figure was painted
a bright green. His Egyptian name is
Khnum-Ra. A form of the solar deity, a combination
of Ra and Khnum. 29
Khufu. A king of the fourth dynasty, the builder of
the Great Pyramid at Gizeh, the Kheops of the Greeks.
His name in Egyptian is written ^\^( 'w^ ^K J
a ^ \^^ _Z1 -U. _^J\
suten-kaut? KJiufu, "The king of Upper ancTLower
Egypt, KJiufu". 5
Glossary of Names and Terms. 129
Kircher, Athanasius. A German scholar and mathe-
matician, who endeavored to solve the mysteries of
the Egyptian language, but signally failed in the at-
tempt. He died in 1680. 79
Kom-Omboo. "TheJiillof Omboo" The modern name
of the Egyptian r^^ nubi't, "the gold-city" , called
Ombos by the ancients, a city in the first nome of Up-
per Egypt. The crocodile-headed god Sebek was wor-
shiped here. 8G
Kosser. "Small castle." A. town in Egypt situated on
the Red Sea, to which a road led in ancient times from
Coptos by way of Hammamat. The Greeks called it
Leukos-Limen, "the icJiite Jiarbor". 23 88
Kuft. The modern name of Coptos, which see. 8
Labyrinth. The grand palace of Amenemhat III. in the
Fayoom, described by the Greek geographer Strabo.
At one corner of it was the Pyramid of Howara, which
is built of brick. The name Labyrinth seems to be de-
rived from the Egyptian ^f^f^ rupu ruhun, "the
temple at the mouth of the canal" (see under El-La-
hoon). 90
Lateran Obelisk. The largest of all the erect obelisks,
in front of the church of St. Giovanni in Laterano, in
Rome. It was ordered to be made by Thothmes III.,
but was completed by Thothmes IV., who added the
outer vertical lines and erected the obelisk in front of
the temple of Amen in Thebes. It was removed to Al-
exandria by Constantine the Great, but was taken to
Rome by Constantius in 357. After its fall it was re-
erected by Sixtus V. in 1588. 9 20 23 25
Lepsius, Richard K. The so-called "father of Egyptol-
ogy", the teacher of the great Egyptologists of the
present day. His greatest work was the Deiikmdler
130 The New York Obelisk.
aus JEgypten und JEtMopien. He was born Dec. 23,
1810, and died July 10, 1884.
Lepsius Obelisk. A small obelisk discovered by Lepsi-
us in a tomb at Grizeh in 1843. It is the smallest obe-
lisk known and at present in the Berlin Museum. 4 IU
Libyan Desert. The large tract of barren country to the
west of Egypt, containing seven oases (see under El-
Khargeh). 5a 90
Lisht, Pyramid of. A small pyramid between those of
Dashur and Meydoom, situated near the Fayoom. 31
London Obelisk. The present name of the Alexandrian
Obelisk, which see. 25 3a 40 59 72 73 81 91
Lower Egypt. The northern part of Egypt, comprising
the Delta. 1G 31
Luxor. A village in the southern part of ancient Thebes
on the east side of the Mle.
Luxor Obelisks. There are two obelisks of this name.
One was brought to Paris in the reign of Louis Phi-
lippe of France, and erected on the Place de Concorde
on Oct. 24, 1836. The cost of its removal was about
$500 000. The other is now standing in Luxor. - - Both
obelisks stood originally, side by side, in front of the
temple of Amenophis III. in Thebes, and are the most
artistic obelisks extant. They were erected by Ramses
TT 8 9 10 23 41
Ma. An Egyptian deity, called the daughter of Ra. Her
name signifies "Truth", and she plays an important
part in the theology of the ancient Egyptians. She
represents the truth and justice of the supreme god.
Hence the Pharaohs received her attributes and were
called "truthful and just", or, as the inscriptions ex-
press it $ Ma mer, "tTie beloved of Md". Her name
is written y) Ma [really Maa] or ^^[) Maa't.
65 68 G9
Glossary of Names and Terms. 131
Maad Boat. The boat of Ra, in which he was thought
to travel over the expanse of heaven, changing to the
Sekti boat as Turn in the latter part of his journey.
The word is written ^v 1 ^ N \| = ^ ^
( (I I or '( si I (as on the necklace in the
V^^AAAAAA I ^J\ X^ AAAAAA7J J\
possession of the New~York Historical Society) suten-
kaut? Mena, "tTie Icing of Upper and Lower Egypt,
Menes". 89
Men-kheper-Ra. The royal name of Thothmes III. 3G 47
18 4) oO 52 53 5-t 55 56 58 59 60
Menthu. The Egyptian god of war, identified by the
Romans with their Mars. He is usually represented
with the head of a hawk surmounted by the disk
f r
). He was only a form
Glossary of Names and Terms. 133
of Amen-Ra, and was worshiped in the district round
.niniiiii.^ yy
about Thebes. His name in Egyptian is /ww^ YNr/j Men-
Menzaleh Lake. A large and shallow tract of water in
the north-east corner of Egypt, extending from Dami-
etta to the Suez Canal. 92
Mer-ab. A son of Khufu of the fourth dynasty. The ar-
chitect and builder of the Great Pyramid. 5
Meri't. The Egyptian name of the Mareotis Lake. 91
Mer-Tunrt. The Egyptian name of the modern Mey-
doom, which see. 90
Mesopotamia. " The land between the rivers (Euphrates
and Tigris)." The eastern part of ancient Syria [Assyr-
ia], called in the Bible Padan-aram or Aram-nahara-
yim (Gen. xxiv : 10), which means "Aram of the two
/WVWWVWW*
rivers", whence the Egyptian designation en ^^ Nahar.
The country was frequently invaded ancTsubjugated
by the Egyptian kings, notably by Thothmes III.,
Amenophis II., and Seti I. 3I
Mesphres. Pliny's name for Thothmes III. It is in real-
ity, however, the name of his great sister, queen Hata-
su, which see. 36
Meydoom. Or Meydoon [Medun]. The modern name of
the Egyptian ^^g Mer-Tunrt, "the favorite city of
the god Turn") situated in the xxi st nome of Upper
Egypt, and famous for its quaintly terraced pyramid,
ascribed by Diimichen to king Snefru of the fourth
dynasty. 90
Mitrahineh. The present site of ancient Memphis. 91
Mizrayim. The Hebrew name of Egypt, really "the two
Egypts". The Arabic is^a/> [misr]. 84
Mnevis-bull. The sacred bull of Heliopolis, the incar-
nation of Ha. ( 98 )
134 The New York Obelisk.
Moeris Lake. The so-called lake, or rather reservoir, in
the Fayoom, constructed by Amenemhat III. to re-
ceive the excess of the waters of the inundation, and
keep the water for the times of drought. 9
Monolith. A monument made of one stone only. 7
Monte Cavallo Obelisk. This is at present in front of
the Quirinal in Rome, and is the companion of the St?
Maria Maggiore Obelisk. As it is uniiiscribed, it is
impossible to tell by whom or when it was erected.
Perhaps the emperor Claudius [41-54 A. D.] had it re-
moved to Rome. It was re-erected by Pius VI. in 1789. 9
Monte Citorio Obelisk, or the Campensis Obelisk,
which see. 2
Monte Pincio Obelisk, or the Barberini Obelisk, which
see. aa
Moses. The Jewish law-giver, who studied at the uni-
versity in Heliopolis, was brought up at the court of
the Pharaohs, and afterwards led the Israelites out of
Egypt. He lived in the time of Ramses II., and depart-
ed with his people under Menephthah I. His name has
not yet been found on the Egyptian monuments or in
the papyri. 2
Mummies. The bodies of the Egyptian dead which were
preserved in a mixture of salt, bitumen, cedar oil, &c.
The bodies were prepared for embalming by the para-
TcTiistce or taraklieutce, who disemboweled them, wound
linen bandages around them, placed with them chap-
ters from the Book of the Dead (which see), and then
deposited them in a sarcophagus of stone or wood, ac-
cording to the means of the deceased. The purpose of
this embalming was that the soul, on its return to the
earth, would again find its body and reanimate it.
Everything was, therefore, done by the ancient Egyp-
Glossary of Names and Terms. 135
tians to protect tlieir mummies against decomposition
and robbers, some of the Pharaohs even building the
monster-pyramids for their reception. 8 33 34
Mycerinus. The Greek form of the Egyptian Men-kau-
Ra, a king of the fourth dynasty and the builder of
the third Great Pyramid. His sarcophagus and a part
of his mummy are in the British Museum. His name
^\\^r" MU~^J suten-kaut? Men-kau-
is written 4^ = u J Ra? u^, Ungof Upper
and Lower Egypt, The Sun, mighty in Ills works". IJ1
Nahasb Obelisk. A small and prostrate obelisk about
70 miles south-east of Suez, in the Sinaitic Peninsula.
It was discovered by a German traveler in 1817, but
nothing further is known of it. The place where it is
standing is also called Wadi Nasb. ' '
Naples Obelisk. It is also called the Borgian Obelisk,
having been for a time in the Borgian Museum at Vel-
letri, and was discovered at Prseneste, Italy, in 1791,
broken in four pieces. The inscription on it coincides
with that of the Albani Obelisk (which see). It is now
in the Museo Nazionale at Naples. "
Necropolis. A Greek word meaning "tlie city of the
dead", our "cemetery". In Egypt the necropolis was gen-
erally a collection of rock-hewn tombs, but always sit-
uated to the west of a city toward the setting sun,
this being the first station on the road to the Lower
World. It is expressed in Egyptian by the sign u-^i
aa. 2 4 5
Nectanebo I. The Greek name of a king of the xxx th
dynasty, who forced the Persian king Artaxerxes II.
to relinquish his hold on Egypt and reigned for eight-
een years, His Egyptian name is "
136 The New York Obelisk.
suten-kaut? Senezem-ab- sa Ra Amen-mer-neklit-^er Ijteb't
sotep-en-Amen-Ra
The king of Upper "Benevolent, chosen the Sun's "Beloved of Amen,
and Lower Egypt, of Amen Ra", offspring, Nekht-Her-Heb."
Negative Confession. A passage in the 125 th chapter
of the Book of the Dead, where the deceased gives an
account of his life and begs to be admitted into para-
dise. To that end he states that he has not committed
the forty- two great sins. ( 98 )
Neith. The Egyptian goddess of the lower heavens, the
sister of Isis and Nephthys. She is generally repre-
sented holding a bow and arrows in her hand. The
Greeks identified her with their Athene (Minerva). In
Egyptian her name is / jz^rj) Net. 9a
J-^^Ki.1
Nekheb. The goddess of Eileithyia and identified by
the ancients with their Lucina, the goddess of child-
birth. Little is known of her. The Egyptian form of
her name is ^ Jg$i Nekheb't. 87
Nekheb't. The Egyptian name of Eileithyiapolis, which
see. 87
Nero. The fifth Roman emperor [54-68 A. D.]. His full
name is Nero Claudius Csesar Drusus Gfermanicus. On
the Egyptian monuments he is called X1
hez-desher heq-hequ-sotep- sa Ra Autugreder
neb taui en-Ptahi-mer-As't neb khau Narani
The possessor of "The prince of the Sun's
the red and white princes, chosen offspring, "Autocrator
crowns, lord of the of Ptnh, beloved lord of
two countries, of Isis", diadems, Nero."
New York Obelisk. It is usually, but incorrectly, called
u Cleopatra's Needle". 20 23 25 49 7a 73 81 91
Glossary of Names and Terms. 137
Nile. The ancient Egyptians venerated it as a special
deity, giving him the epithet p-f S'ankh, "he w7io pro-
duces life". He was generally represented thus ML and
his name was ~D^^ Hap. 2 4 1G 27 84 8G 88 9C 92
Kilometer. This was erected by the Pharaohs on the
island of Elephantine, to enable them to measure the
height of the inundation. It was restored in 1870 by
the Khedive Ishmael. Another Kilometer is at present
on the island of Rhoda at Cairo. The Egyptian sign of
the Nilometer is ^ ded, which means "stability". 8G
Nineveh. The capital of the Assyrian empire. It was
taken by several Pharaohs in their Asiatic campaigns,
especially by Thothmes III., Amenophis II., and Seti
I. 3G
Nome. The Greek word for "province". There were 22
nomes in Upper and 20 nomes in Lower Egypt. The
Egyptian word is H+H? fc.esp, "the province" '. B4 90
Nubia. It is also called Ethiopia, and was incorporated
into the Egyptian empire at the time of the xvm th
dynasty. Its capital was Napata, now Jebel Baikal,
which even became the capital of the whole empire
during the xxvi th dynasty. The Egyptian name of
Nubia is S Kush, the biblical tri3 [kush]. bc
Nubi't. The Egyptian name of Ombos, at present Kom-
Oinboo (which see). 8G
Oasis. There were seven oases in the Libyan desert, to
the west of Egypt. The Egyptian word is 2^ u ^ "the
oasis". 6g
Ombos. The modern Kom-Omboo, which see. 20 8G
Orontes. The principal river of Syria, called in Egyp-
tian ('^^^cri Arunutli. 36
138 The New York Obelisk.
Osarkon I. A king of the xxn d dynasty, whose name
in Egyptian is 38 71 72
suten-kaut? Kherp-kheper-Ra- sa Ra Amen-mer-frsarken
^" sotep-en-Ra
The king of Upper "Made governor by the Sun's "Beloved of Amen,
and -Lower Egypt, Ra, chosen of Ra", offspring, Osarkon."
Osiris. One of the oldest of the Egyptian gods and the
judge of the dead in the Lower World. His worship
was universal throughout Egypt at all times. His
Egyptian name is J| Usar. The great Osiris-myth is
this. Osiris was, at one time, a king, and reigned over
Egypt. Going on travels he left Isis, his sister and
wife, to conduct the government. The devil, Set, then
revolted against him, killed him, cut his body into
fourteen pieces, and scattered them over the country.
Isis collected them, erecting a temple where a piece of
his body was found, and called on her son Horus to
avenge his father. Horus met Set in combat at Eclfu.
In this encounter Set was "transfixed". The inscrip-
tions in the temple of Edfu give a glowing description
of this battle. Osiris is generally represented with his
whole body shrouded in a covering and his head sur-
mounted by the atef-crown; thus, ^. He has a peculiar
beard curving outward at the end. He was considered
to be the author of all animal and vegetable life, and
the god of agriculture. All those that died were called
by his name, "the Osirian", that is, "amenable to O-
siris in his judgment-hall". G1 87 88 92
Palestine. Many Pharaohs, especially Thothmes III.,
subjugated this country in their Asiatic conquests. The
names of most of its cities and provinces occur on the
Egyptian monuments. One of its Egyptian names is
"Canaan". 36 / 36
Glossary of Names and Terms. 139
Pamphilian Obelisk, or the Obelisk of the Piazza Na-
vona in Rome. This is a pseudo-Egyptian obelisk, cut
by the Romans in the quarry of Syene. It was erected
by the emperor Domitian, and re-erected by Innocent
X. (Pamphili) in 1651 in its present position. There is
a single column of poorly executed hieroglyphs on
each face of it. '
Panopolis. The Greek name of the capital of the ix th
nome of Upper Egypt, called in Egyptian I v 1=a ^ : g Per-
Khenrt, "tJie city of tJie temple of (tlie god] Kliem". It
was the seat of the worship of Khem, whom the Greeks
identified with their Pan. b9
Pantheon Obelisk. The same as the Mahutean Obe-
lisk, which see.
Papyrus. The Egyptian paper, made of thin slices of the
papyrus plant, called in Egyptian "^^ JJ thufi. On
it were written works on almost all subjects. The finest
papyri are at present in the British Museum and the
Museum of Bulak. 34
Pasht. The Greek name of the Egyptian goddess Sekhet,
which see. 92
Pelusium. The classical name of a city near the site of
the ancient Egyptian Avaris, which see. 92
Pentaur. The Egyptian Homer, who described the ex-
ploits of Ramses II. in his war with the Hittites. His
name is written ] f, ^*J) Pen-ta-ur. 37
AAAAAA
Per-ba-neb-ded't. The Egyptian name of Mendes, which
see. a2
Per-Bas't. The Egyptian name of Bubastis, which see. 92
Per-Khenrt. The Egyptian name of Panopolis, which
Per-Usar*t. The Egyptian name of Busiris, which see.
140 The New York Obelisk.
Pharaoh. The Hebrew form of the Egyptian 3 per-a,
"the great house ", or more correctly, as the Hieratic
generally has it, ^^ ^ ^ Per-a, "he of the great doub-
le house" . This was the official title of the Egyptian
kings. 1 2 5 c 7 1G ia 20 22 25 29 37 38 4C 48 53 " 58 co G1 63 G4 G& GG G7 Gb 6a
70 7U !v 87 89
"Pharaoh of the Oppression." All Egyptologists are
agreed that this was Ramses II. 37 C3
"Pharaoh's Needle." The Arabic rendering for "obe-
lisk". 79
Philae. An island in the Nile near the Nubian bound-
ary, belonging to the first nome of Upper Egypt. 4 7 a 10
22 84 80
Philae Obelisk. A fragment of an obelisk which was
erected, together with its companion, the Corfe Castle
Obelisk (which see), in front of the temple of Isis by
Ptolemy IX. Euergetes II. and his sister Cleopatra II.
It has one column of hieroglyphs on each face, and is
at Philae. 9
Piankhi. An Ethiopian king, of the xxivth dynasty,
who conquered Egypt at the close of the xxnd dynas-
ty, when it was divided into thirteen petty kingdoms.
His name in Egyptian is 21
v G3D
suten-kaut? Men-kheper-Ka sa Ra P-ankhi
The king of Upper "The stable and the Sun's "He who
and Lower Egypt. creative Sun", offspring, lives."
Piazza della Minerva Obelisk. A small obelisk in
Rome. It has only a single column of hieroglyphs on
each face, and was probably erected by Psametik II.
in Sai's. It was removed by the Romans and re-erected
by Pope Alexander VII. in 1667, who had it placed on
a marble elephant. 10
Glossary of Names and Terms. 141
Piazza del Popolo Obelisk. Another name of the Fla-
miniaii Obelisk, which see.
Piazza Navona Obelisk. Another name for the Pam-
philian Obelisk, which see. 2
Pliny, surnamed "the Elder". A famous Roman natu-
ralist and author (23-79 A. D.). 3C
"Pompey's Pillar." The only important monument of
antiquity at present in Alexandria. It is a shaft of
granite from the quarry of Syene rising, with the
pedestal, to the height of 104 ft., and erected by the
Roman prefect Pompeius in honor of the emperor Dio-
cletian. 91
Pontius. The architect who transported the two obelisks
of Heliopolis to Alexandria in 12 B. C. He may have
possibly also removed the Flaminian and Campensis
Obelisks (which see) to Rome for the emperor Augus-
tus in 20 B. C. 3U 73 74 82
Porta del Popolo Obelisk. Another name of the Es-
meade Obelisk, which see. lx
Prioli Obelisk. A small obelisk in the gardens of the
Sultan in Constantinople. Nothing is known of it, as
its inscriptions have never been published. CJ
Psametik II. A king of the xxvi th dynasty, the son of
Psametik I. He conquered Ethiopia and reigned for
six years. His son Hophra is mentioned in the Bible.
His name in Egyptian is 7 9 10 2:
O
f~ f ^M
GiiJ
suten-kaut? JsTefer-ab-Ra sa Ka Psem^hek
The king ot Upper "the kind-hearted the Sun's "Psametik."
and Lower Egypt, Sun", offspring,
Pseudo-Egyptian, that is, having the appearance of
being Egyptian, but not so in reality. A number of
the extant obelisks belong in this category. 4
142 The New York Obelisk.
Pthah [pronounced ta]. The chief deity of Lower Egypt,
an emanation of Ra. He is generally represented as a
deformed child holding two serpents and stepping on
two crocodiles. In Upper Egypt he was worshipped
under the form of an upright mummy (j|). His name
in Egyptian is |^ Ptah. G5 69 90
Ptah-Sokar-Osiris. A form of Ptah, peculiar to Mem-
phis, and represented as a deformed child. His Egyp-
tian name is gj^jFS Ptah-Seker-Usar. 29
Ptah-tathunen. A title of Ptah of Memphis. The Egyp-
tian form of the word is Ej|^llj|| Ptah-tathunen,
meaning perhaps "Ptah of the stable earth". Ga
Ptolemies. The descendants of Ptolemy Soter, a general
of Alexander the Great, and forming the xxxiud dy-
nasty of Egyptian kings. Each of them married his
sister. Their reign extended from 305 to 30 B. C., and
was characterized by infamy, tyranny, murder, and
poisoning. 9 21 2i
Ptolemy IX. Euergetes II. A weak king of the xxxm d
dynasty, married to and reigning for a time with his
sister Cleopatra II. and his niece Cleopatra III. His
name in Egyptian is 7 10
suten-kaut? Nuter-per-aa-en-Ptah-sotep-en-ar-maa- sa Ra
Amen-Ra-sekhem-ankh
The king of Upper "The Epiphanes, the heir of Ptah, the chosen of Amen- the Sun's
and Lower Egypt, Ra, dispenser of justice, conqueror, living", offspring,
Ptulmis-ankh-zeta-Ptah-mer
"Ptolemy, living forever, beloved of Ptah.'
Punt. The Egyptian name of the southern part of Ara-
bia, which see.
Glossary of Names and Terms. 143
Pylon. The large mass of masonry of an Egyptian tem-
ple, resembling two truncated pyramids with the gate
between them. A picture of one is given on page 20.
Its hieroglyph is perhaps |. 20 24
Pyramidion. The apex of an obelisk which resembles
a miniature pyramid. It was sometimes inscribed with
pictures and hieroglyphs, and covered with a capping
of gold-metal or electrum (which see).
19 21 22 26 47 50 51
Pyramids. The enormous masses of stone built by vari-
ous kings, especially those of the fourth dynasty, and
serving as their tombs. There are quite a number of
them in and near ancient Memphis, the largest being
that of Khufu, called the Great Pyramid, which is
480 ft. high. The usual Egyptian word for "pyramid"
is abmer.
Qebti't. The Egyptian name of Coptos, which see. 88
Qerrrt. The common Egyptian designation of Egypt,
which see. G1 6(i 70 84
Qurnah. A modern village marking the site of a part of
the necropolis of ancient Thebes, situated on the west
shore of the Nile. Here are the ruins of the grand tem-
ple begun by Seti I., and completed by Ramses II. 8
Ha. The Sun, the Supreme Being, and the organizer of
the world according to Egyptian mythology. He was
worshipped in the entire country, but especially in
Heliopolis. He is always represented with the face of
a hawk. With the fifth dynasty the Pharaohs began
to call themselves the incarnation of Ra, or ^^ G sa
Ha, "the son of the Sun", which title they retained un-
til the time of the Roman emperors. The Egyptian
name of the sun is " 22 27 30 31 36 3T 38 39 46 47 48 49
144 Tlie New York Obelisk
Ra-Hor-Khuti. A name of the sun-god, written in Egyp-
tian ^ or ^Sb-
fcar- Osiris. 91
Sa-el-Hajar. The modern name of Sais. 92
Sais. The capital of the fifth nome of Lower Egypt, the
Egyptian \%\^ Sa*t, and the Coptic cda [sai]. Noth-
_Xj^ rr\^5
ing now remains but a mass of debris. *
Saiu't. The Egyptian name of Sioot, which see. 8!
Sallustian Obelisk. An obelisk in Rome standing oppo-
site the church of Santa Trinita dei Monti. It is a poor
Roman copy of the Piazza del Popolo Obelisk, and
has three columns of hieroglyphs on it, together with
the cartouches of Seti I. and Ramses II. It was re-
erected by Pius VI. in 1789. 9
Sn. The modern name of Tanis, which see. u
146 The New Yor~k Obelisk.
San Obelisks. As many as thirteen fragments of perhaps
four obelisks are still at Tanis (San). These obelisks
appear to have been erected by Ramses II. X1
Sarbut-el-Khedem Obelisk. An erect obelisk in the
Sinaitic Peninsula, on the way from Suez to Mount
Sinai. The hieroglyphs on it are partially obliterated. 9
Sa't. The Egyptian name of Sais, which see. 92
Sebek. The crocodile-headed deity and a form of Ra.
He was specially worshiped in the Fayoom, and his
Egyptian name was PJ^>|fg\ Sebek. 90
Sebek-Ra. A combination of the gods Sebek and Ra,
the local deity of Onibos. 29
Sekhet. A lion-headed goddess and the wife of Ptah.
As a destroying deity her name is V g. Sekhet, but
as a goddess of love it was U ^ Bastf or, as the Greeks
called her, Pasht. She was^usually identified with Di-
ana. ( 92 98 103 )
SektetBoat. The boat of the evening- sun Turn, in which
he was thought to pass over the heavens. In Egyptian
the word is written pl^^^ sektet. 22
Seni't. The Egyptian name of Esneh, which see. 87
Set or Sutekh. The national god of the Hyksos or the
Shepherd kings of Asia, whose worship was forced on
the Egyptians. He was the personification of evil, and
was represented as an ass-headed deity with the usual
divine insignia. He was the sworn enemy of Horus,
whose father (Osiris) he had slain, and is identified
with the devil. His picture, Jj, was afterwards com-
pletely erased by the Egyptians from their monu
ments. His Egyptian name is \^j[ Set or
Sutekh. 87
Glossary of Names and Terms. 147
Seti I. A famous king of the xixth dynasty and the fa-
ther of Ramses II. He was an intense worshipper of
Set, the devil, and forced his adoration on the people.
His many wars carried him into Arabia Felix, Pales-
tine, the Hittite territory, and beyond the Orontes and
Euphrates. Out of him and his two successors the
ancients fabricated the name Sesostris. His Egyptian
suten-kaut? Ma-men-Ka sa Ra Seti-mer-en-Ptah
The king of Upper ''Truth, the the Sun's "Seti, the beloved
ana Lower Egypt, stable Sun", oilispiing, ofPtah."
Setting Sun. The god Turn, which see. 22
Shepherd Kings. See under Hyksos. 92
Silsilis. The Egyptian Khennu, which see. 86
Sinaitic Peninsula. That part of western Asia lying
between Syria and Egypt, and playing an important
part in the forty years' sojourn there of the Israelites
under Moses.
Sion House Obelisk. Perhaps the same as the Alnwick
Castle Obelisk, which see. Sion House is the coun-
try-seat of the Duke of Northumberland. 10
Sioot. The modern name of the capital of the xin th
nome of Upper Egypt, called in Egyptian ^^^S\ 00 v^
Saiu*t. Its local deity was the jackal-headed god
Anubis. 89
Soughton Hall Obelisk. An obelisk mentioned by Bo-
nomi, which may be identical with one of those at
present in England. J1
Sphinx. There are three kinds of sphinxes: Androsphinx-
es, having the head of a man; Criosphinxes, having
that of a ram; and Hieracosphinxes, having that of a
148 TTie New York Obelisk.
hawk. A few are also found with the form of a woman.
"The Sphinx" is the monster figure in front of the Pyr-
amid of Khufu, but older than it. It was cut out of a
solid mountain, and had between its paws a temple of
Harmachis, to whom it was dedicated. The sphinx
represents the incarnation of the divine wisdom of the
Pharaoh. 3 * 4G 47 4y 50 51 52 53 64 55
Stele. A slab rounded off on top and covered with in-
scriptions. It was made either of wood or of stone. The
word comes from the Greek arrf\.rf [stele]. The Egyp-
tian word for it is ]%Q utu.
St. Ephraim Syrus. A Christian writer of the Syrian
church, who died 373 A. D. 19
St a - Maria Maggiore Obelisk. The companion of the
Monte Cavallo Obelisk, at present in front of the ba-
silica (church) of Santa Maria Maggiore in Eome. It
has no inscriptions, and was removed to Rome by the
emperor Claudius. Sixtus Y. re-erected it on its present
site in 1587. 9
Stuart, Villiers. A traveler and author. 2
"Sublime Porte." The name of the place where the
Sultan administers justice, and, with us, a designation
for the Sultan himself. The Turkish term for it is LJIJ
^Jic [babi 'all], "the high gate". 53
Suez Canal. The first attempt to construct it was made
by Seti I., ofthexixth dynasty. It then only con-
nected the Mle with the Red Sea, and was finished
by Ramses II. Traces of it still remain. The present
Canal was planned and completed by Lesseps in 1869.
Surrt. The Egyptian name of Syene. 86
Syene. The Greek name of the modern Assuan, which
was in the first nome of Upper Egypt, and called P^g
Glossary of Names and Terms. 149
Start by the Egyptians. The famous quarries, from
which most of the obelisks were taken, were located
here. The biblical name is rttt.D [s'veneh, cf. Ezekiel
xxix : 10, xxx : 6], which is the same as the Coptic
[suan], and the Arabic UJ [aswan].
5 J3 16 23 a4
Syenite. The reddish amphibole-granite of Syene, which
was taken for all the Egyptian obelisks. " 3
Syria. A large tract of country in western Asia, bordering
on Egypt. It was inhabited by many different tribes,
with whom the Pharaohs of the xvmth and xixth dy-
nasties carried on extensive wars, 3<
Ta-en-ta-rer't. The Egyptian name of Denderah, which
Tanis. The Greek name of the Egyptian ^ Zan't,
the capital of the xiv th nome of Lower Egypt, now
San. It was the main seat of the Hyksos, who embel-
lished it in every possible way. 4 1L 4a 9!i
Tathunen. See under Ptah-tathunen. 65
Tel-Basta. The modern name of Bubastis, which see. 92
Tel-el-Amarna. The present site of a city founded by
the heretic king Amenophis IV. in honor of the sun-
disk Aten, in the xv th nome of Upper Egypt. It was
totally destroyed after his death. 2 " 8 "mouth."
Pron. Letter r. 52731313138393939
39 48 49 49 51 51 51 53 55 56 56 60 60
60 60 63 64 64 64 65 65 65 69 69 72 86
86 88 88 90 90 91 91 94 97 97 97 102
102 102102102 102102102106 106
Glossary of Hieroglyphs.
159
107 111111111111 111112112 114
114 114 115 116 116 116 117 117 117
117 117 119 119 122 122 122 123 124
128 129 129 131 131 133 136 137 138
139 142 143 144 145 151 152 152
( I "two arms."
Pron. qa, 122 135 135 135 150 152 ka, *q,
*k.
'two arms."
Pron. nen, 48 58 67 *n.
Dei. of negation, defense, secrecy.
'two arms holding an oar."
khen. 86 128
Vet. of rowing.
'arm holding a whip."
Pron. khu. 117 122
fl "arm."
Pron. Letter a, 56577091 929599116
116121 122124 130132 137138144
149 152 152 ded. 60 60 70 70
^ J\ "arm with lash."
Pron. nekht, 484850535556 585960
60 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 68 68 70 136 *n.
Vet. of any violent action. 31 64 66 70
'open hand."
Fran. Letter d. 27 31 31 31 39 62 70 87 91
94 102 102 102 102 106 111 111 112
115 116 118 122 124 127 131 136 150
_/\ "legs walking."
Pron. iu, *i or u 86
Det. of progressive motion. 48 64 144
1 "leg."
Pron. uar, 92 102 ped, red, men.
Vet. of foot, motion, measure.
leg standing on earth."
Pron. ger. 62 67
A "knee."
Pron. Letter q. 39 39 39 39 60 61 61 70 86
86 94 94 97 102 102 102 106 106 111
111 112 112 112 114 115 116 118 119
124 144 Roman additions for sym-
metry (?) 122 122 (reading from
right to left).
"foot."
Pron. Letter b. 2121 24 2727 585869
86 87 87 88 88 88 97 103 106 114 115
116 118 118 119 119 121 124 136 146
% "piece of flesh."
Pron. f, auf.
Vet. of flesh, part of the body. 56 56 56
V. FIGURES OF ANIMALS.
bull."
Pron. qa, 48 48 48 50 53 55 56 58 59 62 63
65 66 67 68 68 70 ka, *q, *k.
Vet. of bull, quadruped. 100
'ram."
Pron. ba, 92 ser, *b, *s. 117
Vet. of ram, the god Khnum. 104
Jyg/ "cynocephalus-ape."
Pron. dehuti, 150 an, sa, *a, *zed, *ze.
Vet. of monkey, the god Thoth.
cynocephalus-ape."
Pron. dehuti. 49 150
Vet. of monkey, the god Thoth.
lion couching."
Pron. Letter 1 or r, both being inter-
changeable, 39 94 94 102 102 106 106
112112 116 117117117117 124136
160
The New TorTc Obelisk.
142 144 ar, ar, shena.
'lion with a human face."
Pron. neb. 46 98
'jackal on a tomb."
Pron. seshta.
Det. of the god Anubis. 99
'hare or rabbit."
Pron. un. 24 27 62 86 100 101 148
elephant."
Pron. ab. 119
Pron. set. 146 146
Det. of the god Set, wickedness, tem-
pest.
VI. PARTS OF ANIMALS.
^ "head and leg of a ram."
Pron. shef. 65
g $? "lion's head and paw."
Pron. ha. 95 122
'two horns."
Pron. ap, 99 *up.
\ "horn."
Pron. ab, in the dual abui. 48 48
Det. of horn, opposition, attack.
* - . "tusk of an elephant."
Pron. hu, 31 87 118 beh, *h.
Vet. of eating, speaking.
^ ^\^ "hind part and tail of an animal."
Pron. peh. 60
Det. of position behind, power, succes-
sion.
/^D "leg of an animal."
Pron. khepesh, 60 am, *a.
piece of flesh with a bone."
Pron. aa, 142 aa.
VII. FIGURES OF BIEDS.
'eagle."
Pron. Letter a. 27 39 61 87 89 92 94 94 94
97 100 102 102 102 102 106 106 106
107 107 107 111 112 112 116 117 121
122 122 124 136 136 138 138 139 144
145 147
VK "eagle with a bunch of feathers
on the breast."
Pron. ti, 88 114 neh, *n.
'sparrow-hawk."
Pron. her, 30 30 122 136 144 bak (name
of the bird), 30 *nuter, *p.
Det. of hawk, the god Horus. 31 125
hawk with the royal whip."
Pron. same as preceding.
Det. of the god Horns. 125
hawk surmounted by the snake-
encircled disk of the sun."
Pron. ECor-Ra or Ra-Hor. 30 30 49 49 55
55 58 60 144
Det. of the gods Ra or Horus. 125
Glossary of Hieroglyphs.
161
"hawk with the double crown of
Egypt."
Pron. her. 30 31 56 56 58 59 60 62 63 65
6667686870
Det. of the god Horus. 125
'hawk standing on the symbol of
gold (nub)."
Pron. her-nub. 60 64 68
Det. of the god Horus. 125
outline of an owl."
Pron. mer, 143 m.
ibis on a scaffold."
Pron. dehuti. 36 49 49 56 58 60 61 150 150
151 151
Det. of the god Thoth.
same as preceding.
Pron. her-nub.
Det. of the god Horus. 125
'hawk on a scaffold."
Det. of the god Horus. 125
'hawk on a scaffold preceded by
the sign hen."
Det. of the god Horus. 125
'hawk on a scaffold preceded by
the sign tljes."
Det. of the god Horus. 125
j,|J "hawk with the royal whip on a
scaffold with the symbols of Upper
and Lower Egypt beneath."
Det. of the god Horus. 125
'vulture."
Pron. mut, 56 66 70 97 117 153 mert, ner,
m, *qed.
"owL"
Pron. Letter m. 27 27 31 31 48 48 50 53
55 56 56 56 56 58 58 58 59 59 60 70 87
95 97 106 107 116 118 124 132 141
'owl with an arm written across
it.'
Pron. ma. 66 131 144
same as preceding.
Pron. dehuti. 49
Det. of the god Thoth.
ibis on a scaffold with the letters
t and i beneath."
Pron. dehuti. 150
heron."
Pron. khu, 63 64 97 *kh.
a species of fowl."
Pron. zef. 69
goose."
Pron. sa, 31 36 37 38 48 48 50 53 55 56 58
59 61 62 62 64 64 65 65 66 66 67 67 68
68 69 69 70 70 72 89 92 94 95 96 96 96
97 99 106 106 107 107 111 122 136 136
138 140 141 142 143 144 144 145 147
147150 150 151 151 152 men, hep, *s,
*r, 117 117 (hieroglyph reading from
right to left) *u.
Det. of bird, flying.
goose flying."
Pron. pa, 84 *p.
Det. of bird, flying.
swallow."
Pron. ur. 58 58 90 131 139
'chicken."
162
The New York Obelisk.
Pron. Letter u. 24 27 27 27 48 60 60 64 65
68 89 99 106 115 115 116 117 124 128
128 128 133 147 148 150
n "chicken with an arm across it.
Fron. ua. 66 70
VIII. PARTS OF BIRDS.
Tight wing of a bird."
Pron. mehu
Det. of wing, rising, flying. 31
"feather, plume."
Prow, maa, 99 130 shu, qeb, *m, *sh.
^ "egg."
Pron. sa, 39 63 66 68 70 102 117 122 *s.
Det. of egg, progeny, goddess, queen.
39 39 102 112 112 112 112 121 126 130
136 146 146 152
IX. FIGURES OF REPTILES.
'crocodile."
Pron. sebek, 103 seq, ad, *n.
Det. of crocodile, insolence, plundering,
hiding.
fH^ "crocodile on a tomb."
Pron. sebek, anp.
Det. of the god Sebek. 146
f I "tail of a crocodile."
Pron. qem. 61 66 70 84 118
'cobra."
Pron. ara, 152 neb, *k, *r.
Det. of goddess, queen. 136 146
'cobra."
Pron. ara or mehent. 56 66 70 117
snake."
Pron. ru, 97 *r, 102 *f.
Det. of snake, reptile.
{ "water-snake."
Pron. Letter z. 39 47 48 50 52 54 57 58 60
61 69 92 102 106 116 124 142 149
a^-^ "Egyptian horned snake."
Pron. Letter f. 27 27 31 31 48 49 51 53 55
55 56 56 56 57 58 58 58 58 58 59 60 60
60 60 62 64 65 65 65 66 67 67 67 69 69
69 707070979799 112112 113116
124 127 128 139
X. FIGURES OF FISHES.
XL FIGURES OF INSECTS.
"bee."
Pron. af, men, sekhet, kheb, kat or
qet. Its pronunciation when com-
bined with the reed (suten) is un-
known. We choose to transcribe
by suten-kaut, which means
the king of Upper and Lower Egypt
Glossary of Hieroglyphs.
163
36 37 38 52 53 54 56 58 59 60 62 63 65
66 67 68 68 70 72 84 94 95 96 96 96 97
99 106 106 107 107 111 122 127 128
132 135 136 138 140 141 142 144 144
147 150 150 151 151 152 152
(ftsl ^jP "scorpion."
P5 "beetle." \Pron. serq. 81 114 114 114
Prow, kheper, 36 38 47 48 49 49 50 50 52\Det. of scorpion, wickedness.
53 54 55 56 58 58 59 60 60 61 63 64 72
82 96 96 97 100 128 128 128 138 140
150 150 151 151 151 152 khep, *ta
117 117 in dual *taui, 39 39 112 112
*t.
XII. FIGURES OF TKEES AND PLANTS.
outline of a tree."
Prow, am, *m.
Vet. of tree, shrub, plant. 118
f
"reed."
Prow, renp, 64 68 rep, ter, *qed.
Det. of year, season, germination,
newal.
J^ "reed on the letter r."
Pron. renp, 48 ter.
Q "reed on land."
Prow, renp, rep, ter, mera. 90 115
Det. of year, season, renewal.
re-
point of a reed."
Prow, sput, 48 sbud.
tuft of grass."
Prow, nekheb, 87 119 136 n, 65 65 142
142 *n.
4= "reed."
Prow, su, 37 60 62 63 64 64 64 65 65 66 66
6767 686869 69697070 7171126
144 146 suten 56 56 66 70 and in con-
nection with a bee, 36 37 38 52 53 54
56 58 59 60 62 63 65 66 67 68 68 70 72
84 9495 9696969799 106106 107
107 111 122 127 128 132 135 136 138
140141 142144144 147 150150151
151 152 152 *s.
Vf? "papyrus with the letter a drawn
through it."
Pron. qema. 152
ft* "papyrus on the letter r."
Prow. res. 84
Prow. Letter a. 27 28 38 49 51 59 62 62 63
65 66 69 72 87 88 89 90 94 95 95 96 96
96 97 97 97 97 97 98 98 98 99 101 102
102 106 111 111 115 116 122 124 128
132 132 136 137 138 144 149
two leaves."
Prow. Letter i. 39 56 57 58 60 62 65 86 89
90 91 91 97 102 106 106 106 111 116
116 117 117 120 121 122 122 122 122
124 129 131 140 142 147 147
j} "leaf walking."
Prow, iu or ai. 132
J?T0T "basin of water full of lotus."
Prow. Letter ijh. 107 113 116 124 126
\J "bunch of lotus flowers."
Prow, hun, 119 129 as.
Det. of plant, flower.
164
The New York Obelisk.
"a lotus plant."
Pron. meh, 90 152 152 ateh, kheb.
Det. of reed, water-plant. 139
a papyrus plant."
Pron. res, 152 ha. 121
lotus blossom."
Pron, uz. 152
V \ "l
lotus blossom with snake (z)
Pron. uz. 131
"papyrus blossom."
Pron. unknown. 152 In the combina-
tion IT the pronunciation is *taui.
lotus flower."
Pron. kha, 113 *kh.
} "a bud."
Pron. *r. 102 102 122
166
"reed with two spikes."
Pron. ut. 148
reed."
Pron, hez, 132 *het.
part of a reed."
Pron. ut. 60
bundle of reeds."
Pron. mes. 31 36 37 49 49 49 49 56 56 58
59 60 61 62 62 63 64 64 64 65 65 66
66 67 67 67 68 68 69 69 69 69 70 70 71
71 106 115 144 144 150 150 151 151
pod of the acacia fruit."
Pron. nezem, 136 nem.
Det. of sweetness, pleasure.
XIII. FIGURES OF HEAVEN, EARTH, AND WATER.
'heaven with the horizon on two
sides."
Pron. pet, 56 56 56 58 59 60 62 63 65 66
67 68 68 70 her, khi, *p, *men.
Det. of heaven, covering, height, supe-
riority.
O "disk of the sun."
Pron. ra, 27 27 31 36 36 37 37 37 38 38 38
4647 4848 484950 5050 525353
54 55 55 56 56 57 58 58 59 59 60 60 61
62 62 62 62 62 62 62 64 64 64 64 64 64
64 64 65 65 65 65 65 65 66 66 66 66 66
66 66 66 67 67 67 67 67 67 67 68 68 68
68 68 68 68 69 69 69 69 69 69 69 69 70
70 70 70 70 70 70 71 71 71 71 72 72 72
82 87 94 95 95 96 96 96 96 96 96 97 97
9797 98 9999 106106106 107107
111 122 122 127 135 136 136 138 138
138 140 140 141 141 142 143 143 144
144 144 144 144 144 147 147 150 150
150150 150151 151 151151152152
*r.
Det. of sun, sun-god, light, time. 27 27
56 62 89 97 101
3X "disk of the sun with the cobra
around it."
Pron. ra, 39 102 117 122 *r.
disk of the sun with rays."
Pron. khu, am, *per, 142 *kh.
Det. of splendor, radiance. 62
disk of the sun with two cobras
around it."
Pron. *nuter. 39 102 117 122
winged disk of the sun."
Glossary of Hieroglyphs.
165
Pron. hud. 87
Q "half of the sun with halo."
Pron. kha, 39 48 50 53 55 56 59 64 102
117 117 117 122 122 122 127 136 150
150 151 151 *kh, *sh.
/ "moon"
Pron. ab, *&. 116
Dei. of the moon in all its phases.
}lc ".star."
Pron. seb, dua, 65 97 khabes, *s, *z.
Det. of star, constellation, god.
t =^= "land with clods of earth beneath.
Pron. ta, 39 47 48 49 49 50 52 54 57 58 60
60 61 65 90 102 106 117 142 142 in the
dual taui, 39 39 47 47 48 48 50 50 51
51 52 52 53 53 54 54 55 55 62 62 62 62
64 64 65 65 65 65 66 66 67 67 67 67 68
68 69 69 70 70 98 98 102 102 136 136
152 152 *t. 102 102 102
\/ -( "land with a line and a piece of
rock beneath."
Pron. ta, 70 *t.
V <" f same as preceding with three
clods of earth added.
Pron. ta, 84 88 88 90 90 115 116 116 117
*t.
^ same as preceding, doubled.
Pron. taui. 112 117 122
fx/x/1 "earth with valleys and mount-
ains."
Prow, either men 60 66 70 or set (doubt-
ful).
Det. of country, land, place, people. 28
86 89 90 97 97 97 97 100 103 119 119
127 128 133 137 145
&/] "earth with a stick to which pris-
oners were tied."
Det. of foreign country or nation. 132
137 138 144
[x^l "valley."
Pron. du, 88 88 88 *men, *a, *h.
Det. of mountain, mountainous region.
151
fO] "sun rising over a valley."
Pron. khu, 55 55 62 89 generally in the
dual khuti. 30 122
HIM "land intersected by canals."
Pron. hesp, 137 sep, *n.
Det, of province, field, vineyard.
\> "piece of rock."
Pron. hu, *h.
Det. of land, earth. 84 90 117
/ "parcel of land (?)."
Pron. Letter m. 30 62 64 65 67 70 89 103
116 117 119 122 124 142
1 I "block of granite."
Pron. aner, an, *men.
Det. of stone, rock. 88 88
"clod of earth."
Det of earth, metal, sand, frankincense,
flour. 58 58 58
i j. "basin of water."
Prow, mer, 37 38 39 62 63 64 64 65 65 66
66 67 67 68 68 69 69 70 70 72 94 102
106 136 138 142 144 144 aa, *m.
Det. of water, fluid, lake, river, ocean,
irrigation, inundation. 131 137
i t "basin of water with the symbol
of water in it."
Pron. mer, 90 aa, *m.
Det. of water, fluid, lake, river, ocean,
irrigation, inundation. 91 131 137
basin of water."
Pron. Letter sh. 60 65 90 116 116 124 127
137
'a portion of land or sky."
Pron. khu, generally in the dual g khu-
ti. 30 49 49 55 55 58 60 144 144
pond full of water."
Prow, him, 112 ba, peh.
166
The New Jorlc Obelisk.
'undulating surface of water."
Prow. Letter n, 21 21 21 24 27 27 27 28 31
37 38 38 38 48 48 48 48 53 56 56 56 56
56 56 56 57 58 58 58 58 58 58 58 59 60
60 62 62 62 62 64 64 64 64 64 65 65 66
66 66 67 67 67 68 68 68 69 69 69 70 70
71 71 72 72 72 86 86 87 87 87 88 88 88
88 89 89 89 89 90 92 94 94 94 95 95 95
96 96 96 96 97 97 97 97 97 97 97 98 98
99 99 100 101 101 103 115 116 116 116
116 119119 120120120 122122122
122 124 128 129 132 132 132 133 133
136 136136136137 138138 138138
138 139 142 142 144 144 145 147 148
149 149 150 150 152 *mu.
AAAMA
A/wwv same as preceding, repeated three
times.
Pron, mu, 144 *m.
Det. of water, fluid, ablution, purifica-
tion. 53 55 87 90 119 133 137 137
XIV. FIGURES OF BUILDINGS.
@ "plan of a village with streets on a
hill."
Pron. nen, nu. 87
Det. of city, town, island, country. 24
24 31 36 51 51 52 53 56 58 61 66 69 69
70 84 86 86 86 86 86 86 87 87 87 87 87
87 88 88 88 88 88 88 89 89 89 90 90 90
90 90 91 91 92 92 92 92 92 92 97 101
102103 105105114114 115115 116
116 116 117 117 117 118 118 118 118
118 118118 119119 120120120120
123 128 129 132 132 133 136 139 144
145 147 148 149 149 149 149 149 150
151 152 152 152 152 152 152
[7H "plan of a house."
Pron, per, 21 53 59 64 67 69 89 92 92 92
105 105 139 140 140 140 pu, 129 *p.
Det. of place. 51 53 55 55 62 89 92 102 115
123
[~[] "wall."
Pron. Letter h. 48 60 65 116 124 133 144
LJ1 "plan of a house."
Pron, mer. 118
y
_ plan of a house."
Pron. ha or ha-t, 21 51 53 92 102 103 115
123 *h, ^'kh.
|_Q same as preceding with the sign a
and the feminine ending t in it.
Pron. ha-t-a. 56
'hawk in a house."
Pron. ha-t-her. 88 123
Det, of the goddess Hathor.
J "plan of a fortification."
Pron. anb. 132
Det. of wall, fortification.
' L! "corner of a house."
Pron. neh, qen.
Det. of corner, protection. 119
\^\ "tomb with four feathers, the
symbols of truth."
Pron. mer. 118
pyramid."
Pron. abmer.
Det, of pyramid, tomb. 90 132 143
LJ "pyramidion."
Pron. benben.
Det. of heap, pyramidion. 58
Glossary of Hieroglyphs.
167
_ 'obelisk."
Pron. tekhen, 58 58 men, *t.
Det. of obelisk, monument. 5 21 21
I I "stele, slab."
Det. of stele, monument. 148
'room of a temple with images."
Pron. sed, 58 afd.
; 'room of temple with images on
top of the sign heb."
Pron. heb. 65 69
room of a temple with a lotus
blossom on top of the sign heb."
Pron, heb. 58 69 136
H "bolt of a door."
Pron. Letter s, 31 39 39 48 49 56 56 56 58
60 60 61 62 62 69 69 87 89 92 94 94 94
94 94 94 97 102 102 103 106 106 111
111 111 114 115 116 117 120 121 122
122 122 124 142 144 144 145 147 150
151 152 ses.
"temple ornament on a scaffold.
Pron. khem. 89 139
men climbing on poles.
Det. of an Egyptian festival. 8!
pylon of a temple."
Prou. an, 36 51 51 52 53 56 58 69 87 88 91
96 116 120 120 123 143 144 a.
XV. FIGURES or SHIPS AND THEIR PARTS.
rigging of a ship."
Pron. shep, 64 khep.
boat."
Det. of boat, sacred barge of deities. 131
146
J "mast (?)."
Pron. aha, 58 *h, ab.
XVI. FIGURES or HOUSE FURNITURE.
seat, chair."
Pron. as or us, 39 92 102 105 126 138 142
s, men, tern.
| "back of a chair."
Pron. Letter s. 24 31 36 37 49 49 56 56 58
59 59 60 62 62 63 64 64 64 65 65 66 66
67 67 67 68 68 69 69 69 69 69 70 70 71
71 8694 94 (reading from right to
left) 101 106 106 106 114 114 114 115
116 117 122 122 124 136 137 141 142
144 146 146 148 151 152
, o .... "top of a table with offerings."
Pron. hotep. 27 96 96 96 104
Pron. kher, 97 *kh.
\^^\ "bed."
Pron. aa, 86 135 *a.
Det. of coffin, cemetery, embalming.
j\ "leg of a table (?)."
168
The New Yor~k Obelisk.
Pron. deb, 87 118 zeb.
post of a house (?)."
Pron. qed, 127 sat.
/ ' "floor (?)."
Pron. maa, 142 *m-
XVII. FIGURES OF TEMPLE FURNITURE.
1
| "flag in front of the temple."
Pron. nuter, 31 31 31 47 49 50 51 52 53 54
57 57 62 62 62 65 65 67 67 67 71 71 96
96 97 98 142 reading from right to
left. 71 71 142
Del. of god. 102 115 150
J_[ "nilometer."
Pron. ded, 53 57 92 137 psed, *d.
column of a temple-
Prow, sen, 97 1JL2 *s.
f "altar."
Prow. ab. 88
altar with the symbol of truth on
top of it."
Pron. men, amen, 97 set.
XVIII. FIGURES OF CROWNS AND INSIGNIA.
t "royal head-dress."
Pron. Letter *k. 106 106
^3 " r yal head-dress with the cobra.
Pron. suten.
Det. of the royal hood. 46 117
.r\
M7 "royal helmet."
Pron. kheperesh. 117
desher, 31 114 136 net.
same as preceding with the sign for
"country" below it.
Pron. desher. 152
white crow r n of Upper Egypt.'
Pron. hez, 31 60 114 136 *nefer, *n.
Det. of crown. 64
same as preceding with the sign for
"country" below it.
Pron. tiez. 152
red crown of Lower Egypt.'*
Pron. Letter n. 63 64 70 116 116 121 124
'the white and red crowns of
Egypt combined into jsne."
Pron. sekhet, sekhent. 31 114 114
@ "loop of a crown."
Pron. Letter u. 27 27 39 102 102 102 102
102102102102 106 111111116 117
117 117 121 122 122 122 124 136 136
139 146 151
5^j? "necklace."
Pron. usekh. 61
two royal whips in a recepta-
cle."
Pron. dem. 60 70
Glossary of Hieroglyphs.
169
cross with a handle."
Pron. ankh. 29 29 39 46 46 47 48 49 50 51
51 52 53 53 54 55 55 57 61 63 63 65 67
69 70 71 71 99 101 102 106 137 140 142
142
wand, staff."
Pron. kherp. 38 72 138
wand, sceptre."
Pro n. sekhem. 142
wand, sceptre."
Pron. sekhem. 146
I
Pron. heq. 39 49 51 51 52 60 60 60 96 96
96 106 112 112 144
I za
um-sceptre."
Pron. us, 46 46 53 57 58 153 sem.
same as preceding with the feather,
the symbol of truth.
Pron. us. 48 48 49 50 53 55 56 59 87 96 96
149
1,
sceptre with the head of a jackal."
Pron. us, user, 37 62 62 64 64 64 65 65
66 66 67 67 68 68 68 69 69 70 70 71 71
98 144 144 152 153 *ha.
'royal banner shield.'
Around the fixed titles of the kings. 56
58 59 60 62 63 65 66 67 68 68 70 102
XIX. FIGURES OF IMPLEMENTS OF WAR.
I "post to which prisoners were tied."
Pron. am, za, am, qem, neh, qa, ga,
gem, *a.
Det. of foreigner, country, action. 56 89
120 126 150
|l, "mace."
Pron. tep. 58
'mace."
Pron. kha, 27 56 64 88 *kh.
[Q] "cover of a quiver."
Pron. sa, 38 72 111 138 s.
o-=> "spear, javelin."
Pron. aa or a, 49 51 53 53 57 64 68 96 99
140 140 149 150 150 *a.
knife."
Pron. qed, 91 144 sat.
XX. FIGURES OF TOOLS AND UTENSILS.
T
'fork."
Pron, Letter *m, 106 khen.
'hoe on earth."
Pron. sotep, 37 38 62 62 64 64 65 65 66 66
67 67 68 68 69 69 70 70 72 94 98 136
136 138 142 144 reading from right
to left 71 71 anp.
'sickle."
Pron. ma, 31 31 48 56 maa. 98
^>n rr "sleigh."
170
The New York Obelisk.
Pron. turn. 27 27 51 51 51 53 56 57 90 102
133 151
sickle with the sign maa."
Pron. maa. 95 99 130
plough, hoe."
Pron. mer, 5 31 57 58 58 60 60 62 62 65 67
6871719090 91 98115 130131133
136 147 *ma, *rn.
| unknown utensil.
Pron. ab, 143 sekhmer.
9
| unknown utensil.
Pron. ab. 24 86 119
y "mallet."
Pron. menkh. 59 66
Pron. Letter Q. 87 106 115 116 120 124
132
bag on land."
Pron. Letter z (really pronounced like
our j). 113116124
^ "cover of a box (?)."
Pron. ep. 97 100
^-J "spit."
Pron. ua. 04 9U 97
cloth wrung out."
Pron. nub.
Vet. of gold, gold-metal. 58
same as preceding with the sign
us.
Pron. usem (some pronounce it only
sem). 119
the sign nub with a leg written
through it."
Pron nub. 86 129
XXI. FIGURES OF COED AGE.
(<> "core 1 and line.
Pron. set, 97 as, as.
'cord with a cloth attached to it."
Pron. au. 151
^5 "loop."
Pron qeb, 88 114 qes, ser, shes, *q, *g,
twisted cord."
Pron. arq, sekhi.
Dei. of writing, reading, book, tying,
closing. 116
Pron. net, 136 *n.
XIX "two cords."
Pron. ad. 131
loop."
Pron. Letter u. 38 39 72 112 112 116 124
138142
Q\ "loop with a knot."
Pron. rud. 98
twisted cord.
Pron. meh. 90 90
two cords."
twisted cord."
Pron. Letter h. 27 39 56 56 56 60 62 65 69
90 97 97 100 102 113 115 116 119 124
129 137 142 142 142 142 142 147 150
'twisted cord with knot."
Glossary of Hieroglyphs.
171
Pron. sek. 146
'twisted cord with a large loop on
top."
Pron. uah. 56 56
g "> "cord with two knots."
Pron. Letter t. 65 89 97 103 106 116 120
124 133 137 139 141 142 145 150
same as preceding on legs.
Pron. ^et, 31 *t.
(~>n
>^j "round loop with two knots."
Pron. ut, 137 zet, heseb, *a.
Del. of counting, covering, embalming,
sickness, opposition. 119
XXII. FIGUKES OF VESSELS.
U "jar of incense."
Pron. bes, 92 105 146 *b.
Del. of oil, wax, incense.
jar of water."
Pron. qebeh. 53 55 97 152 152
"jar."
Pron. hen, 31 48 *h.
\j "pitcher."
Pron. khnum, 87 104 122 128 nem.
& "two vases."
Del. of fluid, scent. 49 51
Q "vase."
Pron. Letter n, 27 36 51 51 52 53 56 58 58
5858 6986878791 106114 116117
117 119 120 122 122 123 124 128 136
136 145 nu, nen, men, khen.
vase on legs."
Pron. an, 99 nen, *n.
^ "vase with handles."
Pron. ab. 5 48 88 136 141
Del. of heart, centre, valor. 60 122
56 57 62 64 65 66 66 68
jar (?)."
Pron. ma or ma.
69 69 70 150
\j "vessel with flat bottom."
Pron. au, ab, hen, usekh, *a, *u. 136
Det. of size, victuals, offering. 60
*& "censer with a flame and grains of
incense."
Pron. *ba, *b. Ill
2J "drinking cup."
Pron. ta. 60 128
S "basket, satchel."
Pron. Letter g. 31 31 94 102 102 102 106
116 117 124 136
^^7 "basin."
Pron. neb, 31 39 39 39 47 48 49 49 49 50
51 51 51 51 51 52 53 53 53 54 54 55 55
56 57 58 60 61 62 64 64 65 65 66 67 68
69 69 69 70 70 70 92 96 98 102 102 112
112 117 117 121 121 122 122 136 136
in connection with the cobra and
the vulture, 56 56 66 66 70 70 117
117 153 *ri.
^ "basin with a handle."
Pron. Letter k. 31 38 48 66 70 72 89 94
102 106 107 107 111 113 114 114 116
117 119 122 122 124 132 137 138 138
141 142 146 146
D "box."
Pron. Letter p. 39 39 48 49 51 62 64 65 65
8688 9094979999 100100102 104
112 112 114 115 116 124 137 139 140
141 142 142 142 142 142 142 147
172
The New YorTc Obelisk.
XXIII. FIGURES OF TEMPLE OFFERINGS.
loaf of bread."
Pro;/, ta.
Det. of bread, nourishment, quantity. 69
(Q) "sacrificial loaf."
Pron. pau't. 57
"sacrificial loaf."
Pron. sep. 58
H "sacrificial loaf."
Pron. Letter kh. 21 54 56 56 59 60 60 63
64 65 66 TO 97 114 116 117 122 124 128
128 146 146
loaf of bread shaped like a pyra-
mid."
Pron. du, 31 47 48 48 49 49 50 51 51 52 53
53 53 54 55 55 55 57 61 63 65 67 69 70
*d, 94 *th.
XXIV. FIGURES OF INSTRUMENTS FOR WRITING, ETC.
| 6 [o| "brash, inkstand, and pallet."
Pron. an, na, sekhi. 116
, w i "papyrus roll with a string tied
around it."
Prow. ash.
Det. of book, writing, plan, drawing,
any abstract idea. 486061 626565
6770
'sistrum."
Pron. sekhern.
495052535456586061
909697 98 132141 150
guitar."
Prow, nefer. 4
71 71 71 71
151
i"""""i "chess-board with chess-men."
Prow. men. 28 36 38 47 48 48 49 50 50 52
53 54 55 56 58 58 59 59 60 66 72 82 87
87 87 90 95 95 96 96 96 97 97 98 98 98
120122132 132132 133 135138140
144 147 149 151 151
XXV. FIGURES OF LINES, ETC.
| "one line."
Prow, a (as first person singular mascu-
line or feminine personal pronoun).
Sign of the singular. 27 27 31 48 48 59 60
60 62 63 64 64 64 65 65 66 66 66 67 67
67 68 68 69 69 69 70 70 70 70 84 87 88
8989 929292 979797 105105 107
114119129 129136 137139 143149
149 149 151
| j "two lines."
Prow, i, 62 65 ui.
Sign of the dual.
1|| | "three lines."
Prow, u and sign of the plural. 39 49 57
58 60 60 60 61 64 64 64 65 65 66 68 68
70 88 96 97 102 150 151 151 151
I | i same as preceding.
Prow, u and sign of the plural. 31 48 60
60 69 97 137
I same as preceding.
Prow, u and sign of the plural. 69 96 121
122
Glossary of HieroglypJis.
173
1 1 same as preceding.
Prow, u and sign of the plural. 106
1 1
I same as preceding.
Prow, u and sign of the plural. 56
\y "two slanting lines."
Prow. Letter i. 87 88 89 102 106 115 116
119 120 120 121 122 124 136 139 150
150 150
X "two lines crossing each other."
Prow, ur, su, u, sesh.
Del of crossing, mixing, increasing. 99
o "semicircle."
Prow. Letter t. 21 21 24 24 27 27 31 31 31
39 39 39 39 39 39 47 48 48 49 50 51 51
51 51 51 52 53 53 53 54 54 55 55 56 56
56 56 56 56 56 57 57 57 58 58 58 60 60
60 60 60 60 60 60 61 61 62 62 62 64 64
64 65 65 65 65 66 66 66 67 68 68 69 70
70 70 70 84 86 86 86 86 87 87 87 87 87
87 87 87 88 88 88 88 88 89 89 89 89 90
90 90 90 90 90 91 91 92 92 92 92 92 92
92 94 94 94 95 95 97 98 99 99 100 100
101101 102102 102102102 102102
102102 102102 104105105 106106
106 111112112 112112112112 114
114 114 115 115 115 115 116 116 116
116 117117 117 117117117 117117
118 118 118 118 118 118 118 119 119
119 119 120 120 120 121 122 122 122
122122122122 123124126 128 129
130 131 132 132 133 133 136 136 136
136137 139139 142142142142 142
142 142 144 144 145 146 146 146 147
147 148 149 149 149 149 149 149 150
150 150 151 151 152 152
pronounced ti (or possibly
tet). 28 56 89 90 97 97 97 103 119 146
In the combination ll/<7 suten-kaut
ftZflBN
(pronunciation doubtful !). 36 37 38
52 53 54 56 58 59 60 62 63 65 66 67 68
68 70 72 84 94 95 96 96 96 97 99 106 106
107 107 111 122 127 128 132 135 136
138 140 141 142 144 144 147 150 150
151 151 152 152
CZL
'cartouche or royal seal
containing the name of a king or a
queen."
Around royal names. 36 36 37 37 38 38
39 39 39 47 48 49 49 49 49 49 50 50 52
53 54 55 56 56 58 58 59 60 60 61 62 62
62 63 64 64 64 64 65 65 65 65 66 66 66
66 67 67 67 67 68 68 68 68 69 69 69 69
70 70 70 70 71 71 71 71 72 72 82 87 94
94 95 95 96 96 96 96 96 96 97 97 98 98
99 99 102 102 106 106 106 106 107 107
107107 111111112 112117117 121
122 122 122 122 127 128 132 132 135
136 136 136 136 138 138 140 140 141
141 142 142 144 144 144 144 147 147
150 150 150 150 151 151 151 151 152
152
}| "cartouche or royal seal."
Prow. ren. 107
Del. of name, circle, inkstand.
"right angle with tw r o quarter cir-
cles."
Pro??, ap. 88
Sign of a lacuna or a gap in the
text. 58 59 66 67 68
A GLOSSAKY
OF THE EGYPTIAN WORDS OCCURRING ON THE NEW YORK
OBELISK.
THE words in this Glossary are arranged according to
the Hieroglyphic alphabet as follows:
1
h
kh
s
s
k
b
* -' 8
f 8 _ t
m
m
n
n
n
r
As there was no fixed orthography among the ancient
Egyptians the same word is frequently spelled in many
different ways. This will be noticed in the following
pages. - - The plural of nouns or adjectives was formed
by adding three lines (1 1 1) to the word or by repeating
the Hieroglyphic sign of the word three times. The
dual was formed by adding two lines (II) or by repeat-
ing the sign twice. The dot before the t ('t) denotes
that the t is the feminine ending, which was pronounced
by the ancient Egyptians only slightly or, probably, not
at nil.
a
J
D
a
a
t\
i
&
i
=
/WVAAA
u
u
V
u
<^ i>
Glossary of Egyptian Words on the Obelisk. 175
Abbreviations: E stands for East Face of the Obelisk;
W for the West Face; N for the North Face; S for the
South Face. Pyr. stands for Pyramidion. EAST, WEST,
NORTH, SOUTH denote the vertical columns of the Obe-
lisk on that particular side of its face. CENT, denotes the
central column. The small numerals refer to the pages
of the book.
A
qra
_|^ am. Prep, "in." Adv. "there, where." W CENT. 59
Amen-mer-Ila-meses.su. Second car-
touche or the family name of Ramses II., "belov-
ed of Amen, the Sun, begetting Jiimself". E NORTH
62 63 SOUTH G4 G4 S EAST G5 a WEST 66 " W SOUTH 68 68
NORTH 67 67 N WEST 7 7 EAST 69 "
C
Amen-mer-Ra-meses-su. Same as pre-
ceding. BASE OF E 7I ' S 7I l W 7 l N 7
v^ ir=:i Q I^^AAAAAA^ Amen-mer-Usarken. Second car-
touche or the family name of Osarkon L, "beloved
of Amen, OsarJcon". SMALL SIDE INSCRIPTIONS E 72
72 g 72 72 -yrr 72 72 jj 72 72
An. "Heliopolis." E CENT. 56 S CENT. 58 N EAST "
Pyr. WEST 52 53 SOUTH 51
ar. Verb: "to make, form, fashion; maMng, mak-
er". E CENT. 5G W NORTH " " S CENT. 58 58 N WEST
70 Pyr. WEST B3 NORTH 54 56
176 The New York Obelisk.
Tlll aritu. Noun, feminine, plural: "works". S EAST 65
arp. Noun: "wine". Pyr. EAST 49 SOUTH 51
aten. Noun: one of the names of "the sun". E
<^=> aa or a, Adjective: "great, large". E CENT. 57 SOUTH
4 W SOUTH 68 Pyr. EAST 49 SOUTH 5l WEST 53 In com-
bination with Jj.a*t. E CENT. 5C
1 ankh. Verb, &c.: "to live; living; life". E CENT. 57
NOETH 63 S EAST G& W NORTH G7 N CENT. G1 EAST G9
WEST 70 Pyr. EAST 47 49 SOUTH 50 51 WEST &2 53 &3 NOKTH
54 55 65 B ASE QF JJ1 71 71 g 71 Tl ^ 71 7, jgr 7, 71
u
ua, Adj. and adv.: "one, sole, alone; only". E SOUTH 6 *
a uaf. Verb, &c.: "to smite, ward off , vanquish-,
conqueror, victor". S WEST GB
I us.
^. u af- Same as preceding. N WEST 70
Noun and adj.: "strength, power; strong". E CENT.
57 Pyr. WEST 53
Us. "Thebes." E CENT. 5G W CENT. 59 Pyr. EAST
SOUTH 60 WEST 53 NORTH 55
Glossary of Egyptian Words on the Obelisk. 177
usem. Noun: "gold-metal; electrum" r S CENT. 68
I user. Adj.: "great, powerful, long". E SOUTH 64 W
SOUTH 68
User-Ma-Ra-sotep-en-Ra. The first car-
touche or the royal name of Ramses II., "strong
in truth, the sun, cJiosen of the sun". E NORTH 62 62
SOUTH 6464 S EAST 6565 WEST G " W NORTH 6787
SOUTH 68 68 N EAST 69 B9 WEST 70 70 BASE OF (all read-
ing from right to left) E 71 71 S 71 71 W 71 71 N 71 71
*_, utu. Verb, &c.: "to command, order; decree". N
CENT. 6
f| ft
uah. Verb: "to place, put, establish". E CENT. 66 66
urui. Dual of the adjective ur "large", hence: "the
two large" obelisks, referring to the New York and
London Obelisks. S CENT. 68
J B
/\ benberrt. Noun: "pyramidion" . S CENT. 58
n P
pau-t. Noun: "circle, assembly, company 1 '. E CENT. "
178 The New Yor~k Obelisk.
,-" per. Noun: "Twuse". W CENT. 59 NOETH 6 '
peru. Plural of the preceding word with the deter-
minative of 'city": "temples, sanctuaries".
per. Verb: "to go out, proceed, issue". E SOUTH G
, pehu. Plural of peh "back, behind"', hence "far-
thest, extreme". N CENT. 60
D O
^^fi\ pesed. Verb: "to shine, illumine". E NOETH 6i
F=q pet. JN"oun and adj.: "heaven; heavenly". ENOETH GS
CENT. 5G 5G SOUTH G3 S EAST 65 CENT. 58 WEST GG W
NOETH 67 CENT. 59 SOUTH Gs N" EAST G8 CENT. G WEST
Ptah-tathnnen. Epithet of the god "Ptah"
of Memphis. S EAST 5
Ptah-tathunen. A variant (different spelling) of
the preceding word. N EAST 69
f. Third person sing. masc. pers. and possessive
pronoun: "he, him, his; it, its". E NOETH fi " CENT.
56 56 56 57 g OTJTH g EAgT 65 CENT ^ 58 58 58 58 W NQKTH 67 67
CENT. 59 N EAST fi9 CENT. 60 60 WEST 7 Pyr. EAST 49
SOUTH 51 WEST 5i NOETH 54 55
M
m. Prep. : "in, for; at; as; (made) of; with". E CENT.
Glossary of Egyptian Words on the Obelisk. 179
56 56 56 56 g CENT 58 58 58 -^ CE ^rp 59 Jf (^NT 6 WEST 7<>
Pyr. EAST ^ SOUTH 50 WEST 53 NORTH 55
m. Same as preceding: "in; at; from". E NORTH 62
SOUTH 64 S EAST ^ W NORTH 6T
ma or ma. Adv.: "like, as". E CENT. 5657 SOUTH 64 S
WEST (i " W SOUTH
JN
n. Prep.: "by, for". E CENT. 56 SOUTH 64 S CENT. 585858
58 N EAST 69 CENT. 60 Sign of the genitive case: "of,
in". E CENT. 56 56 SOUTH 64 64 W CENT. 59 SOUTH 6S Pyr.
WEST 53 Sign of the accusative case. E CENT. 56
n. Same as the preceding. Sign of the genitive case:
"of". E NORTH 6:5 SOUTH 64
? neb. Noun: "lord, master". E NORTH 62 SOUTH 64 64 S
EAST 65 65 CENT. 5S WEST 6(i W NORTH 67 SOUTH 6 " N EAST
69(W WEST 70 Pyr. EAST 474949 SOUTH 505151 WEST 525353
NORTH 545455 Adj.: "all, every". E CENT. 57 N" EAST
69 CENT. 60 61 WEST 7 7 Pyr. EAST 49 SOUTH 51 NORTH 55
neb't. Feminine of the preceding word: "mistress,
Glossary of Egyptian Words on the Obelisk. 181
queen". E CENT. 5fi where by mistake, perhaps, it
stands for the preceding word and means "lord".
Pronunciation doubtful, either neb mut neb ara
or neb shsta neb mehen't: "the lord of the Vult-
ure and Urceus diadems". The title of Pharaoh as
the ruler of Upper- and Lower Egypt. E CENT. 56 S
WEST 66 N WEST 73
nub. Noun: "gold". In the phrase Hor-nub "the
golden hawTc or Horus". E SOUTH 64 W SOUTH <; " N
nefer. Adj.: "good, gracious, benevolent, 'beautiful".
Pyr. EAST 47 SOUTH 50 WEST 52 53 NOETH 54 BASE OF E
71 71 71 71 O 71 71 71 71 -TTT 71 71 71 71 TyT 71 71 71 71
5| nefer u. Plural of the preceding word: "beauty". Js*
CENT. 56
nen. Adv.: "not". S CENT. 58 W NOETH 67
neheh or, possibly, only heh. Noun, &c.: "eterni-
ty; eternal; forever". E CENT. 56
a nekht. Adj. and noun: "powerful, valiant, mighty ;
strength". E NOETH 62 CENT. 56 SOUTH 63 S EAST 65
CENT. 58 WEST ^ W NOETH 6T CENT. 59 SOUTH 68 N" EAST
68 CENT. w WEST 70 Pyr. EAST is SOUTH 50 WEST 53 NOETH 55
\ nekhtu. Plural of the preceding word: "victory".
N CENT. 60
nekhtu. Same word as the preceding: "victo-
ry". E SOUTH 64 W SOUTH 68
182 The New York Obelisk.
"^ ent. Lengthened form of the preposition n (cf.
above). Sign of the genitive case: "of". N CENT. G0
2T^ enti (others read entet). Relative pronoun: "who,
which, what; wJwse; whom" . E CENT. 5(i
I nuter. Noun and adj.: "god; divine". E CENT. 57 Pyr.
EAST 47 49 SOUTH 50 51 WEST ^ 2 53 NORTH 54 BASE OF E 71 71
S 71 71 W 71 71 N 71 71 Reading from right to left. BASE
OF E 71 71 S 71 71 W 71 71 N 71 71
k/j nuter. Same word as the preceding: "god". SEAST 65
I'" nuteru. Plural of nuter: "gods". E CENT. 5T
I I I nuteru. Same word as the preceding: "gods". E
NORTH 62 W NORTH 67
i nuteri dua. Noun: "morning - star" . SEAST
<=> r. Prep.: "out, over, for, as, in order to". E SOUTH
64 64 N EAST 6!) 69 CENT. 60 60 Pyr. E 49 S 31 W M N 55
^T 1 ^ ru. Noun: "mouth, end". N CENT. fi
G Ra. "Rci, the sun." E NORTH 62 62 CENT. 3(i 5T SOUTH 64 64 S
EAST fi5 65 CENT. 38 WEST f>fi fifi W NORTH 67 C7 CENT. 5)
EAST 69 69 CENT. 61 WEST 7 7 Pyr. EAST 48
53 55
72 72 72 72
I Ra. Same word as the preceding: "Rd^ the sun". E
SOUTH 64 64 S WEST 6 rekh. Verb: "to know, understand". E CENT. 56
Same word as the preceding: "to know, under-
stand" . S EAST 65
ra H
D _y, ^ n hapu. Noun, plural of hap "law, judgment",
hence: "laws". SEAST 65
ra
har. Adj.: "calm, satisfied, glad". N" CENT. 60
hau. Noun, plural of ha "limb", hence: "limbs".
184 The New York Obelisk.
E CENT. 56
hu. Verb: "to smite, strike". N CENT. w
heb. Noun: "festival, feast". S EAST 65
i
| hebu. Plural of the preceding word: "festivals".
N EAST 69
heb. Noun: "festival". In the phrase sed-heb "the
thirty -year period" . S CENT. 5S
A/WWVA]J hun. Noun: "child, boy ', youth" . E NORTH 62
j _ fl hena. Prep.: "with". E CENT.
>| her. Noun: "face". N" WEST 70
Her. "Horns" with the double crown of Egypt. E
NORTH 62 CENT. 56 SOUTH 63 S EAST 65 CENT. 58 WEST 66
W NORTH SOUTH 6 " N EAST 68 CENT. 6 WEST 70
B
See under Ra-Hor-khuti.
Her-nub. ' ' The golden Horus" E SOUTH M W SOUTH **
N" CENT. 6
See under neheh. E CENT. 5fi
f heq. Noun: "prince, chief". Pyr. SOUTH 51 WEST 52
(ff hequ. Plural of the preceding word: "princes^
chiefs". N CENT. 60
0,
Glossary of Egyptian Words on the Obelisk. 185
ha*t. Noun: "temple". Pyr. SOUTH 5l WEST 53
ha*t-a. From the preceding word with the adjective
a "great", hence: "the great temple". E CENT 5 "
hez. Adj.: "white". Noun: "the white crown" of Up-
per Egypt. N CENT. G0
Kh.
kha Adj.: "glorious, crowned". E CENT. 56 W CENT. 59
khau. Noun, plural of kha "crown", hence: "dia-
dems, crowns" . E SOUTH kher. Conj. and prep. : "for". E CENT. 56
(
V_
Kherp-kheper-Ra-sotep-en-Ra. The
first cartouche or the royal name of Osarkon I.,
186 The New York Obelisk.
"made governor by Rd, chosen of Rd". SMALL SIDE
INSCRIPTIONS E 7 ' 2 7 ' 2 S 7 ' 2 W 7 ' 2 7 ' 2 N" 7 ' 2 7 ' 2
kha't. Noun: "belly, womb". E CENT. 56
, kha't. Same word as the preceding: "belly, womb".
E SOUTH 64
1 khst. Noun: "thing; things". Pyr. NORTH 54
2= khatf. Prep, and conj.: "for, before; since, be-
p
S
sa. Noun: "son, child, offspring". E NORTH 6265
CENT. 56 SOUTH 64 64 S EAST 65 65 CENT. 5S WEST (X (iii W
NORTH 67 67 CENT. 59 SOUTH 68 68 N EAST 69 69 CENT. 61
WEST 70 70 Pyr. EAST 48 SOUTH 5 WEST 53 NORTH 55
SMALL SIDE INSCRIPTIONS E 72 72 S 72 7 ' 2 W 72 72 N 72 72
I sa. Same word as the preceding: "son, child, off-
spring" . E SOUTH 63 S WEST 66 W SOUTH 68 N WEST 70
ni
I J S'aha. Verb, causative form of aha "to raise", hence:
"to cause to be raised, erect". S CENT. 58
f su. Personal pronoun third person: "he, liim; him-
self; she, her; herself; it; itself; they, them; them-
selves" . E SOUTH 64 N EAST 69
su. Same word as the preceding: "he; him,;
Glossary of Egyptian Words on the Obelisk. 187
xj S'usekh. Verb, causative form of usekh. "to ex-
tend", hence: "to cause to be extended". N CENT. m
sep. Noun: "time, times", after numerals. S CENT. 58
S'menkh, Verb, causative of menkh "to be beau-
tiful", hence: "to render beautiful, embellish". W
CENT. 59
sen. Personal pronoun third person plural mascu-
line: "they; them; their". E CENT. 5656
S'heb. Verb, causative form of heb "to be
glad", hence: "to cause to rejoice, gladden". N"
EAST 69
suten. Noun: "Icing". E CENT. 56
suten. Same word as the preceding: "king". S
WEST H6 N WEST 70
To rL suteni't. Noun, derived from the preceding word :
"kingdom". E CENT. 56
suten-kaut (doubtful !). Noun: "the King of Upper
and Lower Egypt" . E NOETH 62 CENT. 56 SOUTH 63 S
EAST 65 CENT. 58 WEST C6 W NORTH 67 CENT. 39 SOUTH fi8
N" EAST 68 CENT. 60 WEST 7 PyT. WEST 52 NOETH 54 SMALL
SIDE INSCRIPTIONS E T2 72 S 7 " 72 W 72 72 N 72 72
3Q
sed. In the phrase sed-heb "the thirty year period
festival". S CENT. 5S
)
s-zef. Verb, causative form of zef "to be
188 The New York Obelisk.
full", hence: "to cause to be fitted, provide with".
N EAST 69
oa Sh
5