EX LIBXIS Henry Blacrmer Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016 https://archive.org/details/drawingsofsomeruOOnord •5 DRAWINGS O F ' SOME RUINS AND COLOSSAL STATUES A T THEBES IN EGTPT, with an account of the fame IN A LETTER T O THE ROYAL SOCIETY. MDCCXLI. T O MARTIN FOLKES Efq; PRESIDENT, And to the Reft of the COUNCIL and FELLOWS O F T H E Royal Society of London, FOR IMPROVING NATURAL KNOWLEDGE. Gentlemen, T H E Plates I have the honour to lay before you, are taken from four of the Drawings, which I made about four years fincc, by the command of His Majefty the King of 'Denmark , my Gracious and Royal Mafter, from fomc of the remains of antiquity, that are Hill found difpers’d, almoft all over the king- dom of Egypt. And as thefe may poftibly be of ufe to illuftrate fomc pafiages in antient au- thors, who have taken notice of the Statue of Memnon ; I have fub joined moft of thofe paflages, to which I have added, what I have met with in modern books alfo, relating to the fame fubjed ; together with an extrad from my own jour- nal, of what I oblerv’d on the fpot, and wrote down there immediately after 1 had taken the drawings, for the more ready underftanding the fame. I present them to you, Gentlemen, as to perfons of the moft extenfive know- ledge and learning, thereby qualified to judge of all works of antiquity, to com- pare one with another the diycrfe writings of the antients, and to corrcd the A 2 fevcral ( 4 ) feveral errors and unaccuraeics, to which they, as well as the moderns may have been fubject. I lay claim my felf to no erudition, and defire you will only look upon what I lay, as the report of a faithful traveller, and of one who pretends to no more, than having feen with fomc care, and related honeftly what he has feen. The three firft Drawings were executed upon the place juft as you fee them : I have not fincc been willing fo much as to finifh them ; much lefs would I have ventured to add any thing by way of ornament or imbellifhmcnt. The Jaft Drawing which exhibits the plan, was made fince 1 came away, but from the sketch and meafures I took all'o upon the fpot, when I was at Thebes. The marvellous and the agreeable which frequently recommend works to the multitude, but which at the fame time deftroy the true fruit that fhould be gathered from relations of this fort, have always appeared to me unworthy of a traveller ; and more particularly of one who treats of places fo far diftant, that it is very difficult for others to examine into the truth of his reports : for this rcafon, I am here defirous to allure my readers, that in whatever 1 may hereafter have occafion to publifh of my obfervations on the places I have feen, it is my fix’d refolution to purfue no other rule, than that of delivering with truth and fimplicity, fuch accounts as I am able to give of thofe places, and of the things 1 have there thought beft deferving to be taken notice of. I t is upon this account only, that I have thought thefe few Drawings worthy to be laid before you : and I flatter my felf, Gentlemen, that you will accept them as a fmall token of my fincere refped, and of my thankfulnefs for the honour you have been pleafed to do me, in admitting me a member of your Illuftrious Society ; being with great truth. London , the 7 th of January 17+1. n . Gentlemen, Tour moft Humble and moft Obedient Servant , F. L. Norden, Pajjciges from ancient and modern Authors, referred to in the joregoing Letter. Strabo lib. i 7. pag. 8 1 6. H IC cum duo Coloffi client de folido lapide inter fc propinqui, alter adhuc extat, alterius vero fuperiorcs a fede partes corruerunt, terra: (ut fama eft) motu. Creditum etiam eft, fcmcl quotidic fonittim quendam vcluti ictus haud magni edi a parte, qua: in fede ac baft remanfit. Ipse cum ^Elio Gallo adeflem, cipua fuerc Mcmnonis laxea effigies, ubi radiis Solis icta eft vocalem fonum reddens. Pausanias cap. 42. Eum certe in fabricandis muris ab Apollinc adjutum Megarcnfcs affirmant, at- que eum de quo^dixi lapidem ubi citharam depofuit, pro teftimonio habent. Redd it enim, calculo ft quis earn percuflerit, eundem quern pulfa: fides fonum : qua: mihj res plane admirabilis vifa eft : quanquam Coloftum qui Thebis ^Tgyptiis eft trans Nilum, non longe ab eo loco, qua: Syringes appellantur, majore utique cum ad- miratione fpedavi. Statua ibi eft fedentis hominis ; cam multi Memnonis nominant: quern ex ^Ethiopia in ASgyptum venifle, ac Su fas etiam ufque penetrafle tradunt. At jpfi Thebani Memnonem die negant, nam Phamenophem fuifle indigenam hominem dicunt. Audivi etiam qui Seloftris illam ftatuam cfle die crcnt : earn Cam- byfes diffidit : & nunc etiam fuperior pars a vertice ad medium truncum humi ncgleda neglcfta jacct : reliquum adhuc federe videtur, ac quotidic Tub ipfum Solis ortum, fonum edit, qualcm vel citharae vel lyrae nervi, ft forte dam tenduntur rumpantur. Philostratus de vita Apollonii , lib. 6. cap. 3. Locum enim ubi templum fundatum fuerat, antiquo foro fimilem diennt die* Extant cjufmodi fora quaidam in vetuftiftlmis civitatibus, ubi & columnarum vifun- tur fragmenta, & parictum quxdam veftigia. Praitcrea fedes & limina & Mercurii fimulachra, partim manu, partim vetuftate confumpta, illic etiam confpici dieunt. Ipfius vero Memnonis ftatua adolefccntis impuberis imagincm referens, ad Solis radios converfa eft. Eft autem ex nigro lapide fabricata, atque utroque pede lo- lum attingens juxta Dxdali ftatuariam artem : crettx autem manus fedi innituntur hominis furgerc volentis fimilitudinem exprimentes. Cum vero Solis radius ftatuam attingeret (id autem circa folis ortum evenire perhibent) turn vero fupra mod um admirabilis vifa eft. Tunc enim ftatuam loqui perhibent, ubi primum Solis radius ad cjus os pervenit. Philostratus Iconum lib. 1 . Ipse autem Memnon in nigrum transformants eft in -^Ethiopia lapidem, & fi- guram quidem fedentis : Ipeciem vero illam puto, & folis radii ftatuam petunt. Sol enim Memnonis os veluti ple&ro percutiens, inde vocem elidcre, loquacique fo- phifmate invento diem folari videtur. Lucian 1 Toxaris feu amicitia. Memnon em autem vocem edcrc exoriente Sole. L u c 1 a n 1 c Philopfeudes . Qjjum in iTgypto verfarer adhuc adolcfecns, a parte videlicet dodrinai gratia tranfmiflus, cupicbam navigio profedus in Coptum, illinc adiens Memnonem, miraculum illud audire, cum videlicet fonum reddentem ad orientem Solcm. Ilium igirur audivi non hoc vulgari rnodo quo audiunt alii fonum quempiam inanem, fed mihi oracula etiam edidit Memnon ipfe aperto ore feptem verfibus : quod nifi eft'et fupervacaneum, ipfos vobis verfus recenfercm. T z e t z e s Chiliad 6. Hift. 6\,. I11 patriam autem rclatus, fepultus eft domi. £t columna huic fuit rubri varii lapidis Fabrefa fcavoir les fcpulchrcs dcs Rois dc Thebes , 6c trois flatucs colofiales, les deux premieres dont a tant parle Strabon font remplics dune vingtaine d’inferiptions foit Grecques foit Latines : la troifieme eft la ftatue du Roi Memnon , qui, felon la tradition des anciens Egyptieps, rendoit un fon au lever du folcil. ExtraSi ■/(■//. LLVN1VS CALVINVS LMCrWONTIS BER.1KI AVDIVI MEMNONEMCV MIMCIN R.VT - - - - - LIXANC LIBER- TV5 p aocvK ator vsiacvs C MAN J VS HAN IOC MS CLAVDIVS MAXIM VS LEG XXII AN D I MEMNONEM HQRAl . CAM! LI VS - - - H ORA PKIMA. - - SIMIS AVDIVI _ . - . MEMNONLS _ . . TETKONIVS PRAEF HAlOAOPQZ.THN.TL NOEKAIZApElAEriA NIAAOZHtVOYZ A&PAl EMNHr 0HNTKn.NOI At A NO YA GEAOn. H HOBAMCVM PRIMAMCVMQVE HOKAM SOLES FECVND AM HR.OLATA OCEANO LVMtNANT L^AiJZuxderjxixto. Or to ANNO V HADRI ANI IMP THXTER.I MEROS PRAEF Avoir MEMNONEM. XIII MART HORXIS FVNI iVLXfsJXVERTVLlVS CLE7TAFRICAN/ PRAEF VXOa AVDI MEMNONETM PRIDJE CR HORAI-f ANNO LIMP OOMITIANIAVG CVM IM M TERTIO VENISSEM T FI TITIANVS *■ PREFECT - - - AVDIT - - - MEMNONEM — T R APM1 — IK FIAMLI - HO R A _ _ _ __ / - /<'(//<" t ’/ r't v L ,4ccorckri0 /o^icl o* J?ar/u *' • ’ Extract from ?ny own Journal \ containing pan of what pajfed on the 1 2 th of December 1 737, N. S. being the 25th day fince my departure from Grand Cairo. L AST night about fun- let, we had made fad: on the weftcrn fhorc of the Nile, over again ft Luxorene, accounted diftant from Cairo, 135" French leagues : and this morning at break of day, I got out to fee if there were any remains of the ancient city of Thebes, yet to be met with on this fide the river. I prefcntly perceived two Colofial Figures, which I at firft took for thofc dclcrib’d by Strabo ; tho’ 1 had foon after reafon to believe the ftatucs mentioned by that Author, were others I afterwards met with. I then returned to the veil cl for my arms, and fuch company as were wil- ling to go with me, which the Reys, or mailer of the vcflel, no fooncr per- ceived but he began to do all he could to prevent our defign. He firft would have frighted us with notions of danger, but when he faw no body attended to his reprefentations of that fort, he had rccourfe to his moft preffing argu- ment, which was fwcaring that if we all went on fhore, he would go away with the boat,, and leave us to fhift as we could. 1 had him told we had taken our refolution, and that if he dar’d to leave us, we fhould certainly be able to come up with him again, when he mull expect to pay dearly for his infolencc. When this fail’d, he began to pray and beg of us not to go for his fake ; for, faid he, if you arc fo happy as to cfcape, you will however expofe me to the utrnoft danger, for if I am ever forced to land here again, I fhall certainly be murder’d for having brought you hither, from whence the inhabitants will be allur’d you have carried off the hidden treafures. I had before heard fo much of this fort of fluff, as to be very little moved by it; befidcs that I grew folicitous to fet out, that I might have the more time on fhorc. My Janifary alfo, who thought himfelf more privileged to talk than the reft, feemed pleafed with my refolution, began to threaten and talk big to the Reys, and prefcntly jump’d 011 fhore with me ; the reft of the company and my fervants immediately followed. We travers’d the plain, directing our fteps towards the two Colofial Figures, which were not above a league off, if we cou d have gone directly to them 5 but we found the grounds fo divided by channels, U and ( ) and fo covered with Turkijb corn, and were forced to take fo many turns that three hours were fpent, before I get near enough to the flames to take my firft; Drawing of them. As foon as I had finifh’d that, I came up to them as near as was ncceflary to draw the Hicroglyphical Figures that are cut on one fide of the (tone, upon which one of the Coloflal Statues is reprefented as fitting, and I at the fame time copied lome of the Latin Infcriptions, and one of the Greek ones, with which the legs and part of the breafts of both the Figures are almofl cover’d. W-hen we firft came on fhorc we faw nobody, either near or at a diftance ; but 1 had not finifh’d my firft Drawing when we were already furrounded with above fifty Arabs , who, at firft only fainted us, and feemed under fome furprife j but were mod of all troublefomc tome with their curiofity to find what I was doin°\ When they had pafled about half an hour in this manner, they began to ask for the Backjich, that is for money, as all the Arabs ordinarily do: we thought it ncceflary to refufe them, as the complying might only have drawn on greater inconvcniencies. They then grew very noify and infolent, whilft 1 follow’d my Drawing as clofe as I could ; leaving the Reverend Father Miflionaries to appeafe them, and the fervants to cavil as well as they were able, while the Janifary , who had a loud voice and a heavy ftafF, fupported me by his bawling and threats tak- ing care however not really to ftrike any of the people he was wrangling with. 1 meafured as far as I could reach of the Coloflal Figures with a pole, and gather- ed their whole heights by their fhadows. While I was here, arrived a man on horfeback, preceded by another carrying a long pike, to whom x\\o.*Arabs gave the title of Sheik Arab ; he came up with a ftern countenance, and asked the Jew fervant what we did here, and who had given us leave. The Jew , who was as infolent as himfelf, returned a rough anfwer, asking by what authority he en- quired; and one word drawing on another, things went fo high, that the Sheik declared if we did not go off inftantly, he would drive us away by force : upon which the Janifary went up to him, and told him, as in confidence, that he fhould be careful what he did, fince we were fo well provided with fire-arms, and fo good at the ufe of them, that any fuch attempt might happen to coft him his life. This difeourfe feemed to have its effed, and the Sheik was fome time filent ; he neverthelefs prefently returned to the charge, and threatned, that if we did not retire, he would burn our boat, and plunder all that was in it. The Janifary h ill perfifted in his threats, and finding the other not fo refolute as he would have appeared, went on fwearing in a terrible manner, that if he attempted the leaft infult, himfelf would be the man fhould kill him like a dog. At this the Sheik feemed to fmilc, but wifh’d us a good day, and went off with all the people after him, leaving ( 11 ) leaving us however in Tome uncertainty, if he was not gone to the boat, or to lie in wait for us at our return; tho’ in the main very well plcafcd to be rid of fo troublefome a company. I had in the mean time finifh’d my mcafurcs of the two Great Statues, after which we went on towards the ruins that lie to the north of the figures, of which I alfo made the general Drawing, and took fuch dimenfions as I thought neceffary for the laying down the Plan, &c. Remarks > ‘which I made> and wrote down on the Place , for the better underftanding of the Drawings . The Fir ft PLAT E. A BOUT a league from theweftern fhore of the Nile, where the plain be- gins to rife with dry burning land, which Hopes upward for a quarter of a league further weft, to the foot of the mountains, dividing Egypt from Lybia ; are feituated the two lifting Coloftal Figures, mark'd A and B. They face to the eaft, and northward from them at the diftance of 200 pa- ces are the Ruins, and overturned Coloftal Statues mark’d C, D, E, F, G, H, I, of which more will be laid in the obfervations 01a the third Plate. The Nile pafles eaftward, and about half a league to the fouthward are more Ruins both ancient and modern, the latter are call’d by the name of Medinet- Habou , and the former were part of the old city of Thebes. The two great Coloftal Figures A and B, arc each in height near * yo Da- nijh feet, from the bafes of the pedeftals to the top of the heads, which meafurc I determined from their fhadows j but as from the foie of the foot of one of the figures to juft below the knee, I found by my pole ly feet; it fhould follow, from the ordinary proportion of a man, that their height is about yi feet with the pedeftals. The almoft cubical ftones on which they lit, are iy feet in height, and as much in breadth, taking in the Iftac Figures that ferve for ornaments at the two foremoft corners of each. Behind, thole ftones arc a foot and a half higher. B 2 The * The Danijh foot is larger than the Englijh , in the proportion nearly of 103 to 100. ( '2 ) The pcdeftals are y foot high, 36 and a half long, and 19 and a half wide. The diftance between the two Statues is 2 1 ordinary paces. The Statues themfelves are made of fcveral blocks of a fandy fort of hone, taken mod probably from fome of the Grotts, which appear very numerous in the neighbouring mountains. Their breafts and legs are covered with a vaft number of Greek and Latin inferiptions, grav’d in the time of the Romans. The feats or chairs on which they feem to fit, are covered behind and on each fide with Hieroglyphical Figures, which in their general difpofition are much alike, but differ in the particular compofition of the chara&ers. These feats, which appeared to me each of one piece, feem of the fame fort of hone as the Statues, though fomewhat more brown and hard. The two IJiac Figures before mentioned, which finifh the foremoft corners of both feats, appeared to me much whiter and of a finer grain than the reft; which might make one fufped, that though adjufied to the old Egyptian tafte, they may have been carved long fince the building of the Coloffal Statues them* felves. The Pedeflals are yet harder and browner than the feats, they are inferibed with only one line of Hieroglyphicks, which has alfo been much defac’d by the injury of time, and the violence that has been ufed. The bodies of the Coloffal Figures have fuffered nothing from the hand of man, and all disfigur’d as they are, do not appear to have receiv’d a fingle broke j it is Time only that has defac’d them and wore away their extreme parts. The Second ELATE Gives the particular Drawing of one fide of the feat of the Coloflal Figure markt A, in the former plate. Of i 1 3 ) Of the Hicroglyphicks here reprefented, I have nothing to fay, but that they are very neatly wrought and extremely well preferv’d 5 they are hollow’d into the flone with a flat bottom, only the two figures which draw the knot arc workt in bas-relief, but in fuch a manner that their higheft parts arc only rais’d to the fame height as the fmooth fupcrficies of the flone. I have already laid, that the other Tides of the feats arc adorn’d in the fame manner. The fmall figures in bas relief upon the towers, that the Ifiac Statues above- mentioned carry on their heads, have not the appearance of Egyptian work, and are contrary to the reft rais’d above the furfacc of the flone. The feveral Latin inferiptions, and the Greek one, added to this plate, were copied from fomc of thofe that arc on the legs of the Colofllis markt B , in the firft Plate. As I copied thefe in great hafle, being willing to lofe as little time as I could from my drawing; I dare not anfwer for the greateft exadnefs in them, and for the Greek one, being in a language I do not underhand, I doubt whether it may be found intelligible. I chofe upon the whole rather to give them juft as I took them, than to attempt the having them corrcded. The Third B LATE Represents more at large, what was lccn at a drftance in the firft, and under the letters C, D, E, G, H, and I. The beautiful remains of the ancient building at C, are only reprefented here from their fituation, fo clofe to the other things I have now propos'd to’ give an idea of : for which reafon, I omit any account of their fine dilpofition and architedure, as well as of the hiftorical and other figures, and hicroglyphicks hollowed out and painted upon the walls ; what I took notice of relating to. them, will be fpccified fomc other time in another place. The Ruins markt D and E, I cannot pafs over, fince one of the * authors above quoted, feems to make mention of them in his account of Memnon’s Temple. The $ Pbilojiratus de Vita Apolloniu ( 14 ) T h e four pillars at D, arc built of the above-mention’d fandy {lone, and con lid of fcvcral pieces, as may be obferv’d in the Plate. Each pillar has be- fore it a fort of -f- Terme with crofs’d arms, and holding a kind of hook in his right hand ; their heads have been broke off, only there flill remains part of the common Egyptian head-drefs on the fhoulders ; the reprefentations of fomewhat like clubs over where the heads were, I have nothing to fay to, only that I law fuch there. Three great blocks of (lone cover thefe four pillars, and the whole is covered with hieroglyphicks, hollowed into the hones and painted : thofe re- prefented in the Drawing are only to fhew there are fuch, for time did not al- low me to take the particulars exadlly. A t, E, are four other pillars equal to the former, and adorn’d in the fame manner ,• they face the others, and have behind them a wall now very ruinous, but which is yet partly joined to the Colonade by large flat ftoncs on the top, fo that there muft formerly have been a walk there fhaded from the lun : and the Stone at D, which remains upon thofe covering the firft men- tion’d four pillars, (hows there was a like walk on that fide alfo. The diftance between the feveral pillars at D and at E, is too large to have been ever covered ; whence it appears, that if this was the place where ancient- ly the flatue of Memnon flood, it muft have been expos’d to the open air > which feems alfo moft reafonablc, as it was hereby more capable of receiving the rays of the fun. At, G, there remains a broken Colofius, overturn’d and half buried; by what remains, it may be judg’d to have been made fitting, and in the fame at- titude as thofe at A and B in the firft plate. All the upper part is wanting and feems to me to have been thrown off by violence, of which marks flill re- main : it has been all of a piece, and is of black granite marble, which is the hardeft fort. Nothing but the pedeftal, whofc bafe prefents it felf in the Drawing, ap- pears any ways preferv’d, upon which alfo may be feen fomc hieroglyphicks of knives, half rounds, &c. Otherwife the figure is fo mutilated and fpoilt, that I < f Terminus. Hermes . ( r S ) I could not take any exacl meafurc, though to the bed of my judgment, it mud have been about twenty foot high, when it hood in its place. From all thefe indications, this is what I take for the remains of the famous vocal Statue of Memnon , of which the fcveral ancient authors above quoted have given their deferiptions : But I leave the determination of the truth to thole that are more learned than my felf, if they fhall think it worthy of their con- f deration. I struck the remains of this figure with a key, but being folid, it gave no other found than any other block of Granite that refts firmly on the ground. The Sepulchral Cheft in the firft Pyramid, though it reds on its whole bale yet founds like a bell : but it mud be obferv’d that that is hollow. Whether the dones of the wall of Megara , mention’d by c Paufanias , were of this, or any other fort of done, is not my bufinefs to enquire 5 but certain it is, that this mafly piece of a Colodus, as I have faid, would give no found in its prefent fituation. At, H, is another Coloffus of one fingle piece of granite marble, but only of a middling height ; it now lies on the face, and half buried in the ground : what appears, does not at all feem damaged, and the attitude is the fame as that of the others, of which I have been fpeaking. A t, I, is a very fine Colofial Head of black Granite, drefs’d after the Egyptian manner. I mcafur’d it to be two foot long ; the body mud have been lod or cover’d by the fand, for there now remains nothing vifible to which it could belong. The Fourth ELATE Exhibits the Plan of the Ruins of that part of ancient Thebes ; repre* fented in the preceding Drawings. A and B, are the two great Colofial Statues. At, C, are the Ruins of a Temple all cover’d with great dones, which arc not here expreffed, in order to fhew the Columns that remain on the infide. ( i6 ) A t, D, are the Pillars with the Ter me s , above defcrib'd In the third Plate. A t, E, are the other Pillars of like make, with the wall behind them. A t, H, lies the Colofliis of granite marble, that is entire, but thrown down. A t, G, lies the half of the great Coloflus of black granite marble, thrown down and much defac’d, which I take for the remains of the Vocal Statue. A t, I, is the Coloflal Head, mentioned in the foregoing Plate. FINIS. - ‘f 4 i I ■ . •** ♦ , * V iL * d . , . - - — '