A thousand miles up the Nile - Amelia B. Edwards

[It was the opinion of Mariette, and it is the opinion of Professor Mapero, that the sphinx dates from the inconceivable remote period of the Horshesu, or “followers of Horus;” that is to say, from those prehistoric times when Egypt was ruled by a number of petty chieftains, before Mena welded the ancient principalities into a united kingdom. Those principalities then became the nomes, or provinces, of historic times; and the former local chieftains became semi-independent feudatories, such as we find surviving with undiminished authority and importance during the twelfth dynasty.—[Note to second edition.]

A long-disputed question as to the meaning of the sphinx has of late been finally solved. The sphinx is shown by M. J. de Rougé, according to an inscription at Edfu, to represent a transformation of Horus, who in order to vanquish Set (Typhon) took the shape of a human-headed lion. It was under this form that Horus was adored in the Nome Leontopolites. In the above-mentioned stela of Boulak, known as the stone of Cheops, the Great Sphinx is especially designated as the Sphinx of Hor-em-Khou, or Horus-on-the-Horizon. This is evidently in reference to the orientation of the figure. It has often been asked why the sphinx is turned to the east. I presume the answer would be, because Horus, avenger of Osiris, looks to the east, awaiting the return of his father from the lower world. As Horus was supposed to have reigned over Egypt, every Pharaoh took the title of Living Horus, Golden Hawk, etc. Hence the features of the reigning king were always given to the sphinx form when architecturally employed, as at Karnak, Wady Sabooah, Tanis, etc.

[269] It is certainly not a temple. It may be a mastaba, or votive chapel. It looks most like a tomb. It is entirely built of plain and highly polished monoliths of alabaster and red granite, laid square and simply, like a sort of costly and magnificent Stonehenge; and it consists of a forecourt, a hall of pillars, three principal chambers, some smaller chambers, a secret recess, and a well. The chambers contain horizontal niches which it is difficult to suppose could have been intended for anything but the reception of mummies; and at the bottom of the well were found three statues of King Khafra (Chephren); one of which is the famous diorite portrait-statue of the Boulak Museum. In an interesting article contributed to the “Révue Arch.” (vol. xxvi. Paris, 1873), M. du Barry-Merval has shown, as it seems, quite clearly, that the Temple of the Sphinx is in fact a dependency of the second pyramid. It is possible that the niches may have been designed for the queen and family of Khafra, whose own mummy would of course be buried in his pyramid.

[270] This letter appeared in The Times of March 18, 1874.

Typographical errors corrected by the etext transcriber:
AMELIA BLANDFORD EDWARDS.=> AMELIA BLANFORD EDWARDS. {Frontispiece} Shegered-Durr, a beautiul Turkish=> Shegered-Durr, a beautiful Turkish {fn 6} cut a sorroy figure=> cut a sorry figure {pg 46} But the must amazing=> But the most amazing {pg 46} low perdendicular cliffs=> low perpendicular cliffs {pg 46} This colussus is now raised=> This colossus is now raised {fn 19} it place in history=> its place in history {pg 62} and murmnr’d “bakhshîsh!”=> and murmur’d “bakhshîsh!” {pg 63} certain amount of insistance=> certain amount of insistence {pg 66} is supended a goat-skin bucket=> is suspended a goat-skin bucket {fn 22} a shoal of medicant monks=> a shoal of mendicant monks {pg 75} and most suble gradations=> and most subtle gradations {pg 77} régulièrement trios enfants sur cinq=> régulièrement troos enfants sur cinq {fn 24} to downs-tairs=> to down-stairs {pg 83} fifty colored lanters outlined=> fifty colored lanterns outlined {pg 84} for contemplatation=> for contemplation {pg 91} nomarch of the Lycopolite nome=> monarch of the Lycopolite nome {pg 95} the twelth dynasty=> the twelfth dynasty {pg 26} reputation for unusal sanctity=> reputation for unusual sanctity {fn 31} effect of afterg-low=> effect of after-glow {pg 105} towed by goverment=> towed by government {pg 106} the precints=> the precincts {pg 111} these gloomy threshelds=> these gloomy thresholds {pg 118} the Triad worshiped=> the Triad worshipped {fn 44} La culta de Bes parait=> La culte de Bes parait {fn 45} but quite preceptibly=> but quite perceptibly {pg 147} for which purpuse=> for which purpose {pg 147} expressive pantomine=> expressive pantomime {pg 148 x 2} of more that doubtful=> of more than doubtful {pg 148} incapable of oevenge=> incapable of revenge {pg 150} his bad cnes=> his bad ones {pg 150} much better rharacter=> much better character {pg 150} the usual attemps=> the usual attempts {pg 160} the judical susceptibilities=> the judicial susceptibilities {pg 161} we found ourselvelves=> we found ourselves {pg 170} his next two successsors=> his next two successors {fn 54} following succint account=> following succinct account {fn 56} on the righ road to Thebes=> on the high road to Thebes {pg 197} in the precints=> in the precincts {pg 199} supended in his time=> suspended in his time {fn 60} and believd Philæ to=> and believed Philæ to {fn 61} when Burkhardt went up=> when Burckhardt went up {pg 202} their tale intelligbly=> their tale intelligibly {pg 208} is as audidle=> is as audible {pg 209} ancient blue porcelian=> ancient blue porcelain {pg 216} but found them to much defaced=> but found them too much defaced {pg 233} But with he second Rameses=> But with the second Rameses {pg 236} through Westminister Abbey=> through Westminster Abbey {pg 237} sharer of the thorne=> sharer of the throne {pg 238} it has often deen observed=> it has often been observed {fn 84} A similiar document=> A similar document {pg 247} colored mosaice=> colored mosaics {pg 95} Marray is wrong=> Murray is wrong {pg 95} almost unparalelled length=> almost unparalleled length {pg 105} the ninteenth dynasty=> the nineteenth dynasty {fn 108} were wont to speak of them as=> were wont to speak of them as as {pg 181} size or of portaiture=> size or of portraiture {pg 260} From the southermost colossus=> From the southernmost colossus {pg 261} the hieroglypic character=> the hieroglyphic character {pg 266} gloomy magnificance=> gloomy magnificence {pg 271} the besigers’ camp=> the besiegers’ camp {pg 272} to represents water=> to represent water {pg 274} is almst Panathenaic=> is almost Panathenaic {pg 274} the city of the beseiged=> the city of the besieged {pg 274} a sort of Egyption Iliad=> a sort of Egyptian Iliad {pg 274} Archilles is left out=> Achilles is left out {pg 275} there is no vendure=> there is no verdure {pg 284} north of the second contract=> north of the second cataract {pg 284} jewels, and papiry=> jewels, and papyri {pg 304} at once fell swoop=> at one fell swoop {pg 305} Governor of Ethiopia=> Govornor of Ethiopia {pg 316} in conjuction or identification=> in conjunction or identification {fn 143} ordrer of Mariette Bey=> order of Mariette Bey {pg 154} towered, loop-hooled=> towered, loop-holed {pg 334} little flanking off=> little flaking off {pg 374} The wall scuptures=> The wall sculptures {pg 381} and more respectfully designated=> are more respectfully designated {fn 208} wholly pontomimic=> wholly pantomimic {pg 413} schoolmaster—come round=> schoolmaster—came round {pg 416} were introdouced from=> were introduced from {pg 448} is appearent to every=> is apparent to every {pg 451} been cherised by=> been cherished by {pg 452} The decrepancies between these=> The discrepancies between these {pg 452} Twefth dynasty=> Twelfth dynasty {pg 454} some being addressed=> some beng addressed {pg 454}

Typographical errors corrected by the etext transcriber:

AMELIA BLANDFORD EDWARDS.=> AMELIA BLANFORD EDWARDS. {Frontispiece} Shegered-Durr, a beautiul Turkish=> Shegered-Durr, a beautiful Turkish {fn 6} cut a sorroy figure=> cut a sorry figure {pg 46} But the must amazing=> But the most amazing {pg 46} low perdendicular cliffs=> low perpendicular cliffs {pg 46} This colussus is now raised=> This colossus is now raised {fn 19} it place in history=> its place in history {pg 62} and murmnr’d “bakhshîsh!”=> and murmur’d “bakhshîsh!” {pg 63} certain amount of insistance=> certain amount of insistence {pg 66} is supended a goat-skin bucket=> is suspended a goat-skin bucket {fn 22} a shoal of medicant monks=> a shoal of mendicant monks {pg 75} and most suble gradations=> and most subtle gradations {pg 77} régulièrement trios enfants sur cinq=> régulièrement troos enfants sur cinq {fn 24} to downs-tairs=> to down-stairs {pg 83} fifty colored lanters outlined=> fifty colored lanterns outlined {pg 84} for contemplatation=> for contemplation {pg 91} nomarch of the Lycopolite nome=> monarch of the Lycopolite nome {pg 95} the twelth dynasty=> the twelfth dynasty {pg 26} reputation for unusal sanctity=> reputation for unusual sanctity {fn 31} effect of afterg-low=> effect of after-glow {pg 105} towed by goverment=> towed by government {pg 106} the precints=> the precincts {pg 111} these gloomy threshelds=> these gloomy thresholds {pg 118} the Triad worshiped=> the Triad worshipped {fn 44} La culta de Bes parait=> La culte de Bes parait {fn 45} but quite preceptibly=> but quite perceptibly {pg 147} for which purpuse=> for which purpose {pg 147} expressive pantomine=> expressive pantomime {pg 148 x 2} of more that doubtful=> of more than doubtful {pg 148} incapable of oevenge=> incapable of revenge {pg 150} his bad cnes=> his bad ones {pg 150} much better rharacter=> much better character {pg 150} the usual attemps=> the usual attempts {pg 160} the judical susceptibilities=> the judicial susceptibilities {pg 161} we found ourselvelves=> we found ourselves {pg 170} his next two successsors=> his next two successors {fn 54} following succint account=> following succinct account {fn 56} on the righ road to Thebes=> on the high road to Thebes {pg 197} in the precints=> in the precincts {pg 199} supended in his time=> suspended in his time {fn 60} and believd Philæ to=> and believed Philæ to {fn 61} when Burkhardt went up=> when Burckhardt went up {pg 202} their tale intelligbly=> their tale intelligibly {pg 208} is as audidle=> is as audible {pg 209} ancient blue porcelian=> ancient blue porcelain {pg 216} but found them to much defaced=> but found them too much defaced {pg 233} But with he second Rameses=> But with the second Rameses {pg 236} through Westminister Abbey=> through Westminster Abbey {pg 237} sharer of the thorne=> sharer of the throne {pg 238} it has often deen observed=> it has often been observed {fn 84} A similiar document=> A similar document {pg 247} colored mosaice=> colored mosaics {pg 95} Marray is wrong=> Murray is wrong {pg 95} almost unparalelled length=> almost unparalleled length {pg 105} the ninteenth dynasty=> the nineteenth dynasty {fn 108} were wont to speak of them as=> were wont to speak of them as as {pg 181} size or of portaiture=> size or of portraiture {pg 260} From the southermost colossus=> From the southernmost colossus {pg 261} the hieroglypic character=> the hieroglyphic character {pg 266} gloomy magnificance=> gloomy magnificence {pg 271} the besigers’ camp=> the besiegers’ camp {pg 272} to represents water=> to represent water {pg 274} is almst Panathenaic=> is almost Panathenaic {pg 274} the city of the beseiged=> the city of the besieged {pg 274} a sort of Egyption Iliad=> a sort of Egyptian Iliad {pg 274} Archilles is left out=> Achilles is left out {pg 275} there is no vendure=> there is no verdure {pg 284} north of the second contract=> north of the second cataract {pg 284} jewels, and papiry=> jewels, and papyri {pg 304} at once fell swoop=> at one fell swoop {pg 305} Governor of Ethiopia=> Govornor of Ethiopia {pg 316} in conjuction or identification=> in conjunction or identification {fn 143} ordrer of Mariette Bey=> order of Mariette Bey {pg 154} towered, loop-hooled=> towered, loop-holed {pg 334} little flanking off=> little flaking off {pg 374} The wall scuptures=> The wall sculptures {pg 381} and more respectfully designated=> are more respectfully designated {fn 208} wholly pontomimic=> wholly pantomimic {pg 413} schoolmaster—come round=> schoolmaster—came round {pg 416} were introdouced from=> were introduced from {pg 448} is appearent to every=> is apparent to every {pg 451} been cherised by=> been cherished by {pg 452} The decrepancies between these=> The discrepancies between these {pg 452} Twefth dynasty=> Twelfth dynasty {pg 454} some being addressed=> some beng addressed {pg 454}