within the pyramids, and tombs contemporaneous with them, as the inscribed names of their builders, Soupho, Shefre, and Menkare, shew the state of the arts at the period of these stupendous structures; whose commencement, in all probability, was but little subsequent to the dispersion of the families of mankind from the plains of Shinar.

The scientific knowledge and artistic skill of the Egyptian people did not, then, originate with them, but were merely carried with them from the central station where these powers had been in vigorous, and even stupendous exercise, in the plan and progress of that gigantic city and tower, whose top was to reach unto heaven. And since this was so, the same knowledge would of course be found among the other families of the dispersion; a fact with which the monumental records of Egypt have made us acquainted, by proving that the arts of the surrounding nations, and particularly those of Canaan, were, in many respects, fully equal to those of that renowned valley, which has been styled the cradle of science.

It is therefore with no small degree of interest that we examine the mechanical arts of so early an era; nor will it be without instruction, if we render the praise of these things to Him, who expressly declares of such knowledge, "This also cometh forth from the LORD of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working,"* to whom, also, are attributed those peculiar talents required for the service of the Tabernacle, to which we shall find so remarkable a counterpart in Egyptian art.

* Isa. xxviii. 29.

And Moses said unto the children of Israel, See, the LORD hath called by name Bezaleel, the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; and he hath filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship; and to devise curious works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in the cutting of stones to set them, and in carving of wood, to make any manner of cunning work. And he hath put in his heart that he may teach, both he and Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work, of the engraver, and of the cunning workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of them that do any work, and of those that devise cunning work. Exod. Xxxv. 30-35.

In examining the evidence which the Egyptian remains afford us of the state of the arts in these primeval times, we will adopt the order in which they are enumerated in the above passage, commencing with that which is perhaps most important of all, the working in metals.

The account given us by Agatharcides, of the working of the gold mines of ancient Egypt, is the more interesting, because the monuments which contain so many illustrations of subsequent operations give us little information on this point. The mines alluded to, are believed to have been situated in the Bisháree desert.

"The kings of Egypt were accustomed to compel a multitude of poor persons, with their wives and children, to labour in the gold mines, with inconceivable suffering. The labourers having split the rock by heating it with fire, apply their iron instruments. The strongest break the rock to fragments with their hammers, forming a number of narrow passages, following the direction of the vein

of gold, which is as irregular in its course as the roots of a tree. They carry lights affixed to their foreheads, as they cut their way through the rock, following the white veins. Overseers keep the labourers at their toil by inflicting stripes on the indolent. The stone fragments are carried out of the passages by boys and infirm men, and are received by the examiners, young men, under thirty years of age, strong and robust, who pound the fragments in iron mortars with stone pestles till they are reduced to the size of a vetch. These are then placed on grinding-stones, where women, three on each side, destitute of clothing, labour to reduce them to a fine powder. This operation is intolerably laborious. The powdered stone is then passed to a set of workmen called Sellangeis, who lay it on a polished board, slightly inclined. The sellangeus having poured some water upon the mass, rubs it with his hand, gently at first, then more forcibly, which causes the lighter earthy particles to slide down the sloping board, the heavier being retained. With a soft sponge he then lightly presses upon the board, when the lighter particles that remain adhere to the sponge, while the heavy shining grains of metal are left behind. These atoms of gold are transferred to the roasters, who measure and weigh all that they receive, before putting it into an earthen jar. To the gold they add a certain amount of lead, some lumps of salt, a little tin, and barley-bran, and having fitted on a tight cover, they burn it in a furnace for five successive days and nights. On the sixth day, they open the jar and take out the gold, much dimin

ished in quantity, while the other substances have disappeared."

Copper mines were worked as early as the fourth dynasty. Gold mines were known at the same period; and there is evidence that both these, and mines of emeralds were worked during the twelfth dynasty.

The author of the Book of Job alludes to mining operations, as being at that early period the ordinary

WASHING GOLD ORE.

mode of obtaining metals. "Surely there is a vein [mine, marg.] for the silver; and a place for gold where they fine it. Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is molten out of the stone."*

* Job xxviii. 1, 2.

We find in the pictures at Beni Hassan and Thebes, some of these processes. Workmen are represented as shaking the washed ore in a cloth, which had been stretched over a frame, that the water and dissolved earth might drain off, while over them are depicted the wooden mallet, the mat, and an oblong trough, which had been used in the beating and washing of the ore.

In another scene, the melter is occupied in increasing the heat of a furnace by means of a blowpipe, defended at the extremity by a piece of clay. On the top of the furnace is a large bowl containing the metal, and the hieroglyphic inscription explains the process to be the purifying of gold. Before him stands the weigher at the balance, while a scribe records the amount on his tablet. In another part two artificers are engaged in the manufacture of some ornaments, resembling collars, of gold.

Respecting the use of the precious metals for articles of personal decoration, we have already spoken. They were not less copiously employed in the manufacture of vases of exquisite workmanship, and often of elegant forms. The representations already given in this work, of tribute from conquered nations, have shewn that the skill and taste displayed in such productions was not peculiar to Egyptian artists; and we cannot, therefore, in every case be certain whether the vessels delineated in the monuments, be of domestic or foreign manufacture. The presence of hieroglyphics engraved on some, however, precludes doubt in such instances.

The ornamental accompaniments of these vases