Chapter V (1)

THE HISTORY OF THE NEW YORK OBELISK, AND ITS REMOVAL FROM ALEXANDRIA.

§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, record as the author of this monument, Thothmes III., called the Great, the greatest sovereign of that period (about 1600 B. C.). A warrior 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, surnamed Makarâ, and constituted himself sole regent and law-giver. He heads the list of the kings of the XVIIIth 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 {36}Palestine at Megiddo, and overpowers the Kharu [Syrian] and Kheta [Hittite] tribes. The Rotennu [Syrians of Mesopotamia] are conquered, Damascus falls, and Carkhemish 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 Syene and erected them in front of the temple of the sun in Heliopolis or the Egyptian [glyphs], AN. The site of this once prosperous city is now at the village of Matarîyeh near Cairo, 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 centuries 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", {37}the "Pharaoh of the Oppression", who reigned from 1388 to 1322 B. C. (according to Lepsius). Not only in his monuments but also in his deeds he carries off equal honors with Thothmes the Great. We find the wars of former days fought over again, and always successfully, and we see his exploits recorded not only on impassive monuments of stone but also in the writings on fragile papyrus. A second Iliad by the poet Pentaûr recalls some wonderful hymns addressed amid the din of battle to his guardian deities, in particular to Amen-Râ, 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 negotiated a most favorable treaty after many years of war. But with all his good qualities he had one great fault, vainglory. Not satisfied with erecting obelisks, stelé, and temples with his name inscribed on them in large letters, and seeing {38}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 substituting 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 inscribed, leaving to Thothmes III. besides the pyramidion 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 erecting 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, however, not the case. Osarkon I. had chiseled into the stone at the very edges of each side in diminutive characters his own name. He was a Pharaoh of the xxiid 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 XVIIIth year of the reign of {39}Augustus Cæsar (12 B. C.) by Pontius during the prefecture of Barbarus. It was then transported to Alexandria and placed in front of the Cæsareum, the temple of the Cæsars, with the obelisk at present in London. During the transportation a large portion of the edges at the base was very badly damaged. Four large bronze crabs were then placed under the obelisk to keep it from falling over. Since this time of their erection in Alexandria tradition has associated one of them, the New York Obelisk, with the name of the monster-queen Cleopatra VI. She had, however, nothing {40}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 Alexandria. Here both remained for many centuries until one--the present London Obelisk--fell prostrate and was left to lie half-hidden in the ground. It was subsequently taken in 1877 to England, while the other obelisk remained standing in Alexandria until 1880, when it was lowered into the steamer Dessoug, brought over to our country, and presented to New York City through the munificence of the late Mr. William H. Vanderbilt.

§2.[1] At the time of the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 the Khedive Ishmaël first suggested the removal of {41}the standing obelisk at Alexandria to the United States. This suggestion was soon spread abroad and it was estimated that for $60,000 the obelisk could be removed. As the late Mr. William H. Vanderbilt had agreed to furnish this sum, negotiations were opened with the Egyptian 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. Gorringe 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.

{42}

{43}As soon as the news of the presentation by the Egyptian government of Cleopatra's Needle to the United States reached the ears of the foreign residents of Alexandria, 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 undertaking 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 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 channel through the water to the dry-dock was first necessary. Divers were hired until March 1880 and employed in removing about 170 tons of granite, being the débris of former Alexandrian monumental structures. While the obelisk was being lowered the spite of the European residents was again painfully felt. Nevertheless, although 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 steamer 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 Graywacke Knoll opposite the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Central Park, had already been selected. The foundation 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, however, presented many difficulties, the most humiliating {44}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 experiment 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 Graywacke Knoll, the final 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 placing 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 Congress of the United States took due notice of the wonderful feat of procuring for our country such a grand specimen of Egyptian monuments, and fitting resolutions were passed by both the Senate and the House of Representatives. And certainly a sincere vote of thanks {45}will be given for his munificent gift to our late illustrious fellow citizen, William H. Vanderbilt, by everyone having at heart the honor and advancement of our city and country.

{46}CHAPTER VI

THE INSCRIPTIONS OF THE NEW YORK OBELISK.

_I. Inscriptions of Thothmes 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 inexperienced hand and a person unacquainted with Egyptological subjects. The figures seated in the squares are the gods Râ-Hor-Khuti and Tum, 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 [glyphs] (US "_power_"), and handing it to the king with the usual sign [glyphs] (ÂNKH "_life_"). Besides this the disk of the sun [glyphs] (RÂ "_sun_") reclines on his head. The god Tum, on the other hand, is represented in his human form, bearded and wearing a king's head-dress [glyphs], and holding in his hands the identical symbols of [glyphs] "_life_" and [glyphs] "_power_". In front of the gods we find in each case the king represented as an androsphinx ([glyphs]) 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.

{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 remainder to the god RÂ-HOR-KHUTI (_i. e._ "the sun, Horus in the horizon") and the libation in the hands of the sphinx.

The three columns above the sphinx are:

nuter nefer neb taui Men-kheper-Râ
The god · good · lord (of · the) two countries · Thothmes III. ·

du ânkh zeta
giving · life · forever.

_i. e._ This is _Thothmes III., the gracious god, the lord of the two countries [Egypt], who gives eternal life_.

Below the sphinx we read:

qa nekht khâ em Us {48}
The bull · powerful · glorious · in · Thebes ·

sa Râ Men-kheper-Râ
son (of) · Râ · Thothmes III.

_i. e._ This is _the powerful_ and _glorious bull_ [king] _in Thebes, the Sun's offspring, Thothmes III._

The term [glyphs] 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 expresses the grand title of the Roman emperors: lord of the Universe.--The [glyphs] DU ÂNKH 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.--[glyphs] QA 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-stelé, already alluded to on page 31, in the following words: [glyphs] DU·A MA SEN HEN·K EM QA RENP MEN AB SPUT ÂBUI NEN HAN·TU·F "_I let them behold your majesty like a young and stout-hearted bull whetting his horns; none can escape him._"--[glyphs] US "Thebes" was the capital of Upper Egypt and the seat of government at that time.--[glyphs] SA RÂ "the son of Râ" is the usual title of Pharaoh which has already been explained on page 31.

The four columns to the right above the god bear the following legend:

du ânkh· f neb Râ-Hor-khuti {49}
giving · life · him · all · Râ-Hor-Khuti ·

nuter â neb taui (neb ta neb ta)
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:

er du·t arp
for · a gift · wine.

_i. e._ _As a gift_ (the king brings an offering of) _wine._

[glyphs] RÂ-HOR-KHUTI "_the 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 written in oval rings called _cartouches_, to distinguish them more readily from other words and names in the inscriptions. The usual "divine" title of Thothmes III. is [glyphs] MEN-KHEPER-RÂ (the first sign being read last), which means "_the stable_ and _creative sun_". His family name, in its simplest form, is [glyphs] DEHUTI-MESES "_child of Thoth_". There are as many as 12 variants (or different readings) of this cartouche, prominent and somewhat odd among them being the following:

Dehuti-meses-nefer-kheperu Dehuti-meses-heq-Us Dehuti-mes
Thoth's child, of beautiful Thoth's child, lord of Thoth's child.
form. Thebes.

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}South Pace of the Pyramidion.

The three columns above to the left refer to the sphinx-king and are identical with those of the East pyramidion (page 47): [glyphs] NUTER NEFER NEB TAUI MEN-KHEPER-RÂ DU ÂNKH ZETA "This is _Thothmes III., the gracious god, the lord of the two countries_ [Egypt], _who gives eternal life_".

The hieroglyphs below the sphinx-king are totally destroyed, but must have been the same as those on the East pyramidion (page 48): [glyphs] QA NEKHT KHÂ EM US SA RÂ MEN-KHEPER-RÂ "This is _the powerful and glorious bull_ [king] _in Thebes, the Sun's offspring, Thothmes III_".

{51}The four columns above to the right refer to the god Tum, the setting sun, seated on a throne beneath. The inscription is:

du ânkh· f neb Tum neb taui
Giving · life · him · all · Tum · lord (of · the) two countries ·

heq An nuter â neb ha·t
prince (of) · Heliopolis · the god · great · lord (of · the) temple.

_i. e._ This is _Tum, the lord of the two countries_ [Egypt], _the prince of Heliopolis, the great god, the lord of_ his _temple, who gives him_ [the king] _all life_.

[glyphs] HEQ AN "_the prince of Heliopolis_" signifies as much as "the tutelary divinity of Heliopolis". This famous city was the capital of the XIIIth _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".--[glyphs] TUM "_Tum_" was the god of the setting sun. The word is derived from the Egyptian verb [glyphs] TUM "_to close, finish_", and when referring to the sun "_to set_" (cf. page 27). A fuller form of the name is Atum.--[glyphs] ÂNKH 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, motion, thought, speech, pleasure, &c. The hieroglyph [glyphs], 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 [glyphs] [R] at the top. It must have been, however, the same as on the East pyramidion, namely: [glyphs] ER DU·T ARP "_As a gift_ (the king brings an offering of) _wine_".

{52}West Face of the Pyramidion.

The four columns above to the right (the last one being destroyed) refer to the sphinx-king and read as follows:

nuter nefer heq An suten kaut?
The god · gracious · prince of · Heliopolis · king of Upper and Lower

neb taui Men-kheper-Râ du ânkh
Egypt · lord (of · the) two countries · Thothmes III. · giving · life ·

zeta
forever.

_i. e._ This is _the gracious god, the prince of Heliopolis, the king of Upper and Lower Egypt, the lord of the two countries_ [Egypt], _Thothmes III., who gives eternal life_.

{53}[glyphs] SUTEN-KAUT (pronunciation doubtful!) "the king of Upper and Lower Egypt" is the official title of the Egyptian kings and conveys the same meaning as the [glyphs] 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 [glyphs] PER Â "_Pharaoh_", which is, literally translated, "_the great house_"; 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: [glyphs] QA NEKHT KHÂ EM US SA RÂ MEN-KHEPER-RÂ "This is _the powerful_ and _glorious bull_ [king] _in Thebes, the Sun's offspring, Thothmes III_".

The three columns above to the left refer to the god Tum, who is seated below, and read:

du ânkh ded us Tum neb An
Giving · life · stability · strength · Tum · lord of · Heliopolis ·

nuter nefer â neb en ha · t
the god · gracious · great · lord · of · the temple.

_i. e._ This is _Tum, the lord of Heliopolis, the gracious_ and _great god, the lord of_ his _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:

er du·t qebeh ar ef du ânkh
For · a gift · libation · to make · him · give · life.

_i. e._ The king _pours out a libation_ of water _in order to receive from him_ [the god] _life_.

{54}North Face of the Pyramidion.

The four columns above to the left refer to the sphinx-king and read:

nuter nefer neb ar khet suten kaut?
The god · gracious · lord · maker of · things · king of Upper and Lower

neb taui Men-kheper-Râ du ânkh
Egypt · lord (of ·the) two countries · Thothmes III. · giving · life ·

zeta
forever.

_i. e._ This is _the gracious god, the lord_ and _maker of everything, the king of Upper and Lower Egypt, the lord of the two countries_ [Egypt], _Thothmes III., who gives eternal life_.

{55}The inscription below the sphinx is identical with the one on the East pyramidion; namely, [glyphs] [glyphs] QA NEKHT KHÂ EM US SA RÂ MEN-KHEPER-RÂ "This is _the powerful_ and _glorious bull_ [king] _in Thebes, the Sun's offspring, Thothmes III_".

The three columns above to the right refer to the sun-god Râ seated below, and read:

du ânkh ef neb Râ-Hor- khuti neb
Giving · life · him · all · Râ-Horus in the horizon · lord (of ·

taui
the) two countries.

_i. e._ This is _Ra-Hor-khuti, the lord of the two countries_ [Egypt], _who gives him_ [the king] _all life_.

[glyphs] RÂ-HOR-KHUTI "Râ-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 [glyphs] KHU·T, the [glyphs] showing the disk of the sun between two mountains and in the act of rising, and the [glyphs] 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 rising 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: [glyphs] ER DU·T QEBEH AR·F DU ÂNKH "The king _pours out a libation_ of water _in order to receive from him_ [the god] _life_".

{56}THE OBELISK PROPER.

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 [glyphs], literally PET "heaven", which may either be taken with the next sign [glyphs] HOR "Horus" so as to signify "the heavenly Horus", or else it may be regarded to express the wish of the Pharaoh, that heaven would protect his obelisk and proclaim its inscriptions as of heavenly origin.

EAST FACE [CENTRAL COLUMN].

Hor-pet qa nekht khâ em Us
The heavenly Horus · bull · powerful · glorious · in · Thebes ·

neb mut _or_ sheta neb ârâ _or_ mehen · t
lord of the Vulture diadem · lord of the Uræus-snake diadem ·

ûah suten ma Râ em pet Tum neb · t en An
placed · king · like · Râ · in · heaven · Tum · lord · of · Heliopolis ·

meses sa en kha · t ef meses nef Dehuti qema en
begotten · son · of · womb · his · born · him · Thoth · created · by ·

sen em hat-â em neferu hâu sen rekh
them · in · great-temple · in · beauty of · limbs · their · knowing ·

enti ar · f sutenî · t ûah kher neheh suten-kaut?
what · he should do · kingdom · placed · for · eternity · king of Upper
and Lower Egypt

Men-kheper-Râ Tum nuter â henâ pau · t nuteru · f
Thothmes III. · Tum · god · great · with · circle · (of) gods · his ·

merî du ânkh ded us neb ma Râ {57}
beloved · giving · life · stability · strength · all · like · Râ ·

zeta
forever.

_i. e._ Behold Pharaoh! He is _the heavenly Horus, the powerful_ and _glorious bull_ [king] _in Thebes_.[2] He is _the lord of the Vulture_ and _Uræus diadems_[3], and his _kingdom is established_ as firmly _as the sun in the heavens_. His name is[4]: "_He whom Tum, the lord of Heliopolis, has begotten_, and who is _the son of his loins, whom Thoth has brought forth_"[5], 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 Tum and his circle of gods, who gives all life, stability, and strength now and for ever!_

{58}SOUTH FACE [CENTRAL 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 Râ mer suten-kaut?
The heavenly Horus · bull · powerful · Râ · beloved · king of Upper and

Men-kheper-Râ ar nef em mennu · f
Lower Egypt · Thothmes III. · made · by him · for · monument · his ·

en tef neb An s · âhâ nef
for · father · lord of · Heliopolis · caused to erect · by him ·

tekhenui ûrui benben · t em usem em sep
two obelisks · large · the pyramidion · of · gold-metal · at · time ·

tep sed-heb .......... nen
first (of) · the thirty-year-period · ... _illegible!_ ... · not ·

ar nef sa Râ Dehuti-meses-nefer-kheperu
(as) done by him · the son of Râ · Thothmes III. ·

Râ-Hor-khuti merî zeta
Râ-Hor-Khuti · beloved · forever.

_i. e._ Behold Pharaoh! He is _the heavenly Horus, the powerful bull, beloved of Ra_. He is _Thothmes III., the king of Upper and Lower Egypt, who has made_ this to be _his monument_ in honor _of_ his _father_ Tum, _the lord of Heliopolis_, and who _has set up for him two[6] large obelisks, the pyramidion_ being covered _with gold-metal,[7] on the first day[8] of the thirty-year festival[9] ..........[10] No one_ has ever done what _he did, the Sun's offspring_, {59}_Thothmes III., the beloved of Ra-Hor-Khuti_, who lives _forever_.

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.

Hor-pet qa nekht khâ em Us
The heavenly Horus · bull · powerful · glorious · in · Thebes ·

suten-kaut? Men-kheper-Râ s · menkh
king of Upper and Lower Egypt · Thothmes III. · causing to be adorned ·

per en meses am · f ..........
the house · of · birth · there · his · ...._illegible!_.... ·

sa Râ Dehuti-meses-nefer-kheperu Râ-Hor-khuti {60}
the son of Râ · Thothmes III. · Râ-Hor-Khuti ·

merî zeta
beloved · forever.

_i. e._ Behold Pharaoh! He is _the heavenly Horus, the powerful_ and _glorious bull_ [king] _in Thebes_. He is _the king of Upper and Lower Egypt, Thothmes III., who has embellished the house where he was born, .........., the Sun's offspring, Thothmes III., the beloved of Ra-Hor-Khuti_, who lives _forever_.

NORTH FACE [CENTRAL COLUMN].

Hor-pet hez qa Râ mer
The heavenly Horus · the white crown · lifting · Râ · beloved · king of

suten-kaut? Men-kheper-Râ Hor-nub har
Upper and Lower Egypt · Thothmes III. · the golden Horus · rejoicing in ·

nekht hu hequ men · tu? pehu su
strength · smiting · the princes (of) · the countries · distant · they ·

khatf utu nef tef Râ nekhtu er ta
because · ordered · for him · father · Râ · victories · over · land ·

neb dem·t ent khepesh em ru dedui ·
all · completeness · of · power · at · the end of · the two hands ·

f er s·usekh tash·tu Qem · t
his · in order to · cause to be extended · the boundaries of · Egypt ·

sa Râ Dehuti-meses-nefer-kheperu du ânkh neb zeta
the son of · Râ · Thothmes III. · giving · life · all · forever.

{61}_i.e._ Behold Pharaoh! He is _the heavenly Horus, who has crowned_[11] himself _with the white crown_[12], _beloved of Ra_. He is _Thothmes III., the king of Upper and Lower Egypt, the golden Horus_[13], _rejoicing in_ his _strength, the vanquisher of the princes of the countries which are distant_. He did this _because_ his _father Ra had_ so _commanded 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 boundaries of Egypt_. This was done by _the Sun's offspring, Thothmes III., who gives all life forever_.

{62}_II. Inscriptions of Ramses II._

The inscriptions of Ramses II. are found in the two vertical columns to the right and left of the central column of each face and the two horizontal lines at the base of each face of the obelisk. The inscriptions are in a much better condition than those of Thothmes III., and can be more readily deciphered. They were engraved on the stone not quite three centuries after the pyramidions and the central columns were inscribed. Even a casual observer will notice that the hawk at the top of each central column is larger than those to the right and left of it, these being crowded into the remaining space.

EAST FACE [NORTHERN COLUMN].

Hor-pet qa nekht Râ mer suten-kaut?
The heavenly Horus · bull · powerful · Râ · beloved · king of Upper and

User-Mâ-Râ-sotep-en-Râ Râ meses nuteru ger
Lower Egypt · Ramses II. · the Sun · born of · the gods · possessing ·

taui sa Râ Amen-mer-Râ-meses-su hun shepes
the two worlds · the son of Râ · Ramses II. · a child · glorious ·

merîti ma Aten pesed· f em khu·t neb
beloved · like · Aten · shines · he · in · the horizon · lord · of the

taui User-Mâ-Râ-sotep-en-Râ sa Râ
two countries · Ramses II. · son of Râ ·

Amen-mer-Râ-meses-su khu en Râ du ânkh {63}
Ramses II. · the glory · of · Râ · giving · life.

_i. e._ Behold Pharaoh! He is _the heavenly Horus, the powerful bull, beloved of Ra_. He is _Ramses II._[14], _the king of Upper and Lower Egypt, the Sun_ himself, and _the child of the gods_. He is _master of the two countries_ [Egypt], _the Sun's offspring, Ramses II._[15] He is _a youth glorious_ and _beloved like Aten_[16], _when he shines in the horizon_. He is _the lord of the two countries_ [Egypt], _Ramses II._[14], _the Sun's offspring, Ramses II._[15], _the glorious_ image _of Ra, who gives life_.

{64}EAST FACE [SOUTHERN COLUMN].

Hor-pet qa nekht khepera sa suten-kaut?
The heavenly Horus· bull · powerful · Khepera's · son · king of Upper

User-Mâ-Râ-sotep-en-Râ Hor-nub user renpe·tu
and Lower Egypt · Ramses II. · the golden Horus · abounding in · years ·

â en nekhtu sa Râ Amen-mer-Râ-meses-su per en
great · in · victories · the son of Râ · Ramses II. · going out · by ·

ef em kha·t er shep khâu en Râ meses
him · from · womb · to · obtain · diadems · of · Râ · begetting ·

su er neb uâ neb taui
himself · as · lord · only · lord of · the two countries ·

User-Mâ-Râ-sotep-en-Râ sa Râ Amen-mer-Râ-meses-su khu en
Ramses II. · son of Râ · Ramses II. the glory · of ·

Râ ma Râ
Râ · to-day (_literally_: like Râ).

_i. e._ Behold Pharaoh! He is _the heavenly Horus, the powerful bull, the son of Khepera_[17]. He is _Ramses II., the king of Upper and Lower Egypt, the golden Horus, who abounds in years_ and _is great in victories_. He is _the Sun's offspring, Ramses II., who issued from the_ Sun's _loins to receive the diadems of Ra_. It is he _who brought forth himself[18] as sole ruler_ and _lord of the two countries_ [Egypt], _Ramses II., the Sun's offspring, Ramses II., the glorious_ image _of Ra, now_ and forever.

{65}SOUTH FACE [EASTERN COLUMN].

Hor-pet qa nekht Mâ mer suten-kaut?
The heavenly Horus · bull · powerful · Truth · beloved · king of Upper
and Lower Egypt ·

User-Mâ-Râ-sotep-en-Râ neb heb ma tef · f
Ramses II. · lord of · festival · like · father · his ·

Ptah-tathunen sa Râ Amen-mer-Râ-meses-su nuter nuteri
Ptah-tatunen · the son of Râ · Ramses II. · god · morning

dûa taui rekh hapu shef · t em
star of · the two countries · knowing · the laws · awe inspiring · in ·

arî · tu neb taui User-Mâ-Râ-sotep-en-Râ sa Râ
(his) works · the lord of · the two countries · Ramses II. · son of Râ ·

Amen-mer-Râ-meses-su du ânkh
Ramses II. · giving · life.

_i. e._ Behold Pharaoh! He is _the heavenly Horus, the powerful bull, beloved of Ma_.[19] He is _Ramses II., the king of Upper and Lower Egypt, the lord of festivals_, who is _like his father Ptah of Memphis_.[20] He is _the Sun's offspring, Ramses II., a god_ himself, _the morning-star of the two countries_, who is well _versed in the laws_ and _awe inspiring in_ his _works_. He is _the lord of the two countries_ [Egypt], _Ramses II., the Sun's offspring Ramses II., who gives life_.

{66}SOUTH FACE [WESTERN COLUMN].

Hor-pet qa nekht Râ sa suten-kaut?
The heavenly Horus · bull · powerful · Râ's · son · king of Upper and

User-Mâ-Râ-sotep-en-Râ neb mut _or_ sheta neb ârâ _or_ mehen · t
Lower Egypt · Ramses II. · lord of the Vulture lord of the Uræus-snake
diadem · diadem ·

mâk Qem · t uâf men · tu? sa Râ
protector of · Egypt · smiter of · the countries · the son of Râ ·

Amen-mer-Râ-meses-su suten menkh ma Râ .......... neb taui
Ramses II. · king · kind · like · Râ · _illegible!_ · lord of the
two countries ·
User-Mâ-Râ-sotep-en-Râ sa Râ Amen-mer-Râ-meses-su ma Râ
Ramses II. · the son of Râ · Ramses II. · to-day
(_literally_: like Râ).

_i. e._ Behold Pharaoh! He is _the heavenly Horus, the powerful bull, the son of Ra_. He is _Ramses II., the king of Upper and Lower Egypt, the lord of the Vulture_ and _Uræus diadems, who protects Egypt_ and _smites the_ foreign _nations_. He is _the Sun's offspring, Ramses II., a kind ruler like Ra, .......... the lord of the two countries_ [Egypt], _Ramses II., the Sun's offspring, Ramses II., now_ and forever.

{67}WEST FACE [NORTHERN COLUMN].

Hor-pet qa nekht Râ mer suten-kaut?
The heavenly Horus · bull · powerful · Râ · beloved · king of Upper and

User-Mâ-Râ-sotep-en-Râ Râ meses nuteru ger
Lower Egypt · Ramses II. · the Sun · born of · the gods · possessing ·

taui sa Râ Amen-mer-Râ-meses-su ..........
the two countries · the son of Râ · Ramses II. · _illegible!_

nen ar ar· f em per tef· f
not · (was) done · (what) did · he · in · the house of · father · his ·

neb taui User-Mâ-Râ-sotep-en-Râ sa Râ
lord of · the two countries · Ramses II. · son of Râ ·

Amen-mer-Râ-meses-su du ânkh
Ramses II. · giving · life.

_i. e._ Behold Pharaoh! He is _the heavenly Horus, the powerful bull, beloved of Ra_. He is _Ramses II., the king of Upper and Lower Egypt_, who is _the Sun_ himself and _child of the gods_. He is _master of the two countries_ [Egypt], _the Sun's offspring, Ramses II. .......... No one has done_ what _he did in his father's_ [Tum's] _house_. He is _the lord of the two countries_ [Egypt], _Ramses II., the Sun's offspring, Ramses II., who gives life_.

{68}WEST FACE [SOUTHERN COLUMN].

Hor-pet qa nekht Râ sa suten-kaut?
The heavenly Horus · bull · powerful · Râ's · son · king of Upper and

User-Mâ-Râ-sotep-en-Râ Hor-nub user renpe·tu
Lower Egypt · Ramses II. · the golden Horus · abounding in · years ·

â en nekhtu sa Râ Amen-mer-Râ-meses ..........
great · in · victories ·son of Râ · Ramses II. · _illegible!_

neb taui User-Mâ-Râ-sotep-en-R sa Râ Amen-mer-Râ-meses-su ma Râ
lord of the two Ramses II. · son of Râ · Ramses II. · to-day.
countries ·

_i. e._ Behold Pharaoh! He is _the heavenly Horus, the powerful bull, the son of Ra_. He is _Ramses II., the king of Upper and Lower Egypt, the golden Horus, who abounds in years_ and _is great in victories_. He is _the Sun's offspring, Ramses II._, .......... He is _the lord of the two countries_ [Egypt], _Ramses II., the Sun's offspring, Ramses II., now_ and forever.

NORTH FACE [EASTERN COLUMN].

Hor-pet qa nekht Mâ mer suten-kaut?
The heavenly Horus · bull · powerful · Mâ · beloved · king of Upper and

User-Mâ-Râ-sotep-en-Râ neb hebu ma tef· f {69}
Lower Egypt · Ramses II. · lord of · festivals · like · father · his ·

Ptah sa Râ Amen-mer-Râ-meses-su meses en Râ er
Ptah · son of Râ · Ramses II. · begotten · by · Râ · in order to ·

s·heb An er s·zef
cause to be glad · Heliopolis ·in order to · cause to be filled ·

peru meses su neb taui
the sanctuaries · begetting · himself · lord of · the two countries ·

User-Mâ-Râ-sotep-en-Râ sa Râ Amen-mer-Râ-meses-su du
Ramses II. · the son of Râ · Ramses II. · giving ·

ânkh neb ma Râ
life · all · to-day (_literally_: like Râ).

_i. e._ Behold Pharaoh! He is _the heavenly Horus, the powerful bull, beloved of Ma_ [Truth]. He is _Ramses II., the king of Upper and Lower Egypt, the lord of the festivals like his father Ptah_. He is _the Sun's offspring, Ramses II._, whom _Ra has begotten in order to gladden Heliopolis_ and _fill_ her _sanctuaries_ with treasures. It is he _who brought forth himself_ as _lord of the two countries_ [Egypt], _Ramses II., the Sun's offspring, Ramses II., who gives all life now_ and forever.

{70}NORTH FACE [WESTERN COLUMN].

Hor-pet qa nekht Râ sa suten-kaut?
The heavenly Horus · bull · powerful · Râ's · son · king of Upper and

User-Mâ-Râ-sotep-en-Râ neb mut _or_ sheta neb ârâ _or_ mehen·t
Lower Egypt · Ramses II. · lord of the Vulture lord of the Uræus-snake
diadem · diadem ·

mâk Qem·t uâf men·tu? sa Râ
protector of · Egypt · smiter of · the countries · son of Râ ·

Amen-mer-Râ-meses-su suten qen ar em dedui· f
Ramses II. · king · triumph · made · at · the two hands · his ·

khatf her ta neb dem neb taui
in · the face of · the land · all · entire · lord of the two countries ·

User-Mâ-Râ-sotep-en-Râ sa Râ Amen-mer-Râ-meses-su du ânkh neb
Ramses II. · son of Ra· Ramses II. · giving · life · all ·

ma Râ
to-day (_literally_: like Râ).

_i. e._ Behold Pharaoh! He is _the heavenly Horus, the powerful bull, the son of Ra_. He is _Ramses II., the king of Upper and Lower Egypt, the lord of the Vulture_ and _Uræus diadems, who protects Egypt_ and _smites the_ foreign _nations_. He is _the Sun's offspring, Ramses II., a king_ whose _hands have done warlike deeds in full view of the entire world_. He is _the lord of the two countries_ [Egypt], _Ramses II., the Sun's offspring, Ramses II., who gives all life now_ and forever.

{71}THE BASE [EAST, SOUTH, WEST, NORTH].

At the bottom of each of the four faces of the obelisk are two horizontal lines of almost totally destroyed hieroglyphs. They bear the cartouches of Ramses II., and are so written as to read from the centre each way. The inscription is

Râ-en-sotep-Râ-Mâ-User nefer nuter ânkh nuter nefer Amen-mer-Râ-meses-su
Râ-en-sotep-Râ-Mâ-User nefer nuter ânkh nuter nefer Amen-mer-Râ-meses-su

Ramses II. · gracious · god · life · god · gracious · Ramses II.
Ramses II. · gracious · god · life · god · gracious · Ramses II.

_i. e._ Long _life_ to _the gracious god, Ramses II._!
Long _life_ to _the gracious god, Ramses II._!
Long _life_ to _the gracious god, Ramses II._!
Long _life_ to _the gracious god, Ramses II._!

_III. Inscriptions of Osarkon I._

Besides the three columns of hieroglyphs on each face of our obelisk, all chiseled in large and bold characters, we find at the lower end of each face near each edge inscriptions by a later king. The hieroglyphs of these inscriptions are so minute and so mutilated as to be scarcely legible. They seem to have started at the first of the lower cartouches and to have extended to the two {72}horizontal lines at the bottom of the obelisk. As each face has two of these columns, there are eight of these inscriptions on the obelisk. The last half of the inscriptions is destroyed in each case and may have been different on every column. The eastern column on the south face is the most legible one and presumably reads thus

suten-kaut? kherp-kheper-Râ-sotep-en-Râ sa Râ
The king of Upper Osarkon I. · the son of Râ ·
and Lower Egypt ·

Amen-mer-Ûsarken ..........
Osarkon I. · .........._illegible!_..........

_i. e._ _The king of Upper and Lower Egypt, Osarkon I., the Sun's offspring, Osarkon I._, ..........

_IV. Inscriptions of Augustus._

There is no name of any other Egyptian ruler, except the three mentioned above, inscribed on our obelisk. When the emperor Augustus, however, had the London and New York Obelisks transported to Alexandria in 12 B. C., he caused his name to be engraved on the crabs which supported them. Only two of these crabs have come down to us and are preserved in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Central Park. On the only remaining claw of one of the crabs are two inscriptions; on the one side in Greek and on the other in Latin, which give the names of the emperor, prefect or governor, and architect. Prof. Augustus Merriam of Columbia College has devoted some time to the study of these inscriptions and has made some very remarkable discoveries, which fix {73}the eighteenth year of the reign of Augustus as the time of the reërection of the London and New York Obelisks in Alexandria. The inscriptions are herewith given in fac-simile.

The Greek inscription reads

which looks like this in regular Greek types:

L [Greek: IÊ KAISAROS] In the year · 18 · of Cæsar
[Greek: BARBAROS ANETHÊKE] Barbarus · erected (it).
[Greek: ARCHITEKTONOUNTOS] The architect being
[Greek: PONTIOU] Pontius.

_i. e._ The governor _Barbarus erected_ this obelisk _in the eighteenth year of_ the reign of _the emperor_ Augustus (12 B. C.). _Pontius was the architect._

The Latin inscription reads

{74}which is in regular Latin types:

ANNO XVIII CÆSARIS In the year · 18 · of Cæsar
BARBARVS PRÆF Barbarus · the prefect
ÆGYPTI POSVIT of Egypt · erected (it).
ARCHITECTANTE PONTIO The architect being · Pontius.

_i. e._ _Barbarus, governor of Egypt, erected_ this obelisk _in the eighteenth year of_ the reign of _the emperor_ Augustus (12 B. C.). _Pontius was the architect._

The Greek letter _Psi_ ([Greek: Ps]) in the first line of the Latin text seems to have been the initial of the engraver's name, who must have been a Greek, if we can draw this inference from the beautiful Greek and the poor Latin form of the letters in the inscriptions.

THE FULL TRANSLATION OF THE OBELISK.

As a recapitulation of the translation of the Egyptian inscriptions on our obelisk, which has been given in the preceding pages, we now place the complete translation of each face of the obelisk in a very compact and simple form before our readers. The English translation will be found to correspond to the hieroglyphs, and each word can be easily picked out on the three columns of the original. All the words in _Italics_ are to be found in the Egyptian text, while those in common Roman types are supplied so as to render the inscriptions intelligible to the reader.

_Thothmes III., gracious _Râ-Hor-Khuti, the {75}
god, lord of great god, the lord
the two countries, of the two countries,
giving eternal life._ giving him all life._

_The powerful and _Wine:
glorious bull in as a
Thebes, the Sun's gift._
offspring, Thothmes III._

Behold Pharaoh! He Behold Pharaoh! He Behold Pharaoh! He
is _the heavenly is _the heavenly is _the heavenly
Horus, the powerful Horus, the powerful_ Horus, the powerful
bull, the son of and _glorious bull bull, beloved of
Khepera._ in Thebes._ Râ._
---------------- ---------------- ----------------
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
He is _the king of He is _the lord of the He is _the King of
Upper and Lower Vulture_ and _Uræus diadems_, Upper and Lower
Egypt, Ramses II., and his _kingdom is estab- Egypt, Ramses II.,
the golden Horus, lished_ as firmly _as the the Sun_ himself,
who abounds in sun in the heavens._ His and _the child of
years_ and _is great name is: "_He whom Tum, the the gods._ He is
in victories._ He is lord of Heliopolis, has be- _master of the two
_the Sun's offspring, gotten_ and who is _the son countries, the Sun's
Ramses II., who of his loins, whom Thoth has offspring, Ramses
issued from the_ brought forth_", who _was II._ He is _a youth
Sun's _loins to created by them in the great glorious_ and _be-
receive the diadems temple_ of Heliopolis _in loved like Aten,
of Râ._ It is he the beauty of their limbs_, when he shines in
_who brought forth and _who knew_ beforehand the horizon._ He is
himself as sole _what he would do to estab- _the lord of the two
ruler_ and _lord of lish_ for himself _an etern- countries, Ramses
the two countries, al kingdom._ He is _Thothmes II., the Sun's off-
Ramses II., the III., the king of Upper and spring, Ramses II.,
Sun's offspring, Lower Egypt, beloved of the the glorious_ image
Ramses II., the great god Tum and his circle _of Râ, who gives
glorious_ image _of of gods who gives all life, life._
Râ, now_ and forever. stability and strength now
and forever._

Long _life_ to _the gracious god, Ramses II_!
Long _life_ to _the gracious god, Ramses II_!
Long _life_ to _the gracious god, Ramses II_!
Long _life_ to _the gracious god, Ramses II_!

_Thothmes III., gracious _Tum, lord of the two {76}
god, lord of the two countries, lord of Helio-
countries, giving eternal polis, the great god, the
life._ lord of_ his _temple,
giving him all life._
_The powerful_ and
_glorious bull in _Wine:
Thebes, the Sun's as a
offspring, Thothmes gift._
III._

Behold Pharaoh! He is Behold Pharaoh! He is Behold Pharaoh! He is
_the heavenly Horus, _the heavenly Horus, _the heavenly Horus,
the powerful bull, the the powerful bull, the powerful bull,
son of Râ_. beloved of Râ_. beloved of Mâ_.
---------------- ---------------- ----------------
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
He is _the king of He is _the king of He is _the king of
Upper and Lower Egypt, Upper and Lower Egypt, Upper and Lower Egypt,
Ramses II., the lord Thothmes III., who has Ramses II., the lord
of the Vulture_ and made_ this to be _his of festivals_, who is
_Uræus diadems, who monument_ in honor _like his father Ptah
protects Egypt_ and _of_ his _father_ Tum, of Memphis_. He is
_smites_ all _the_ _the lord of Helio- _the Sun's offspring,
foreign _nations_. He polis_, and who _has Ramses II., a god_
is _the Sun's off- set up for him two himself, _the morning-
spring, Ramses II., a large obelisks, the star of the two coun-
kind ruler like Râ, pyramidion_ being cov- tries_, who is well
................... ered _with gold-metal, _versed in the laws_
................... on the first day of and _awe inspiring in_
................... the thirty-year fest- his _works_. He is
................... ival.... No one_ has _the lord of the two
the lord of the two ever done what _he countries, Ramses II.,
countries, Ramses II., did, the Sun's off- the Sun's offspring,
the Sun's offspring, spring, Thothmes III., Ramses II., who gives
Ramses II., now_ and the beloved of Râ-Hor- life_.
forever. Khuti_, who lives
_forever_.

Long _life_ to _the gracious god, Ramses II_!
Long _life_ to _the gracious god, Ramses II_!
Long _life_ to _the gracious god, Ramses II_!
Long _life_ to _the gracious god, Ramses II_!

_Tum, lord of Helio- _The gracious god, {77}
polis, the gracious_ and prince of Heliopolis,
_great god, lord of_ his king, lord of the two
_temple, giving life, countries, Thothmes III.,
stability_, and giving eternal life._
_strength._
_The powerful and
glorious bull in Thebes,
_Pouring out libation to the Sun's offspring,
receive from him life._ Thothmes III._

Behold Pharaoh! He is Behold Pharaoh! He is Behold Pharaoh! He is
_the heavenly Horus, _the heavenly Horus, _the heavenly Horus,
the powerful bull, the powerful_ and the powerful bull, the
beloved of Râ._ _glorious bull in son of Râ._
Thebes._
---------------- ---------------- ----------------
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
He is _the king of He is _the king of He is _the king of
Upper and Lower Egypt, Upper and Lower Egypt, Upper and Lower Egypt,
Ramses II.,_ who is Thothmes III., who has Ramses II., the golden
_the Sun_ himself and embellished the house Horus, who abounds in
_the child of the where he was born, years_ and _is great
gods._ He is _master ................... in victories._ He is
of the two countries, ................... _the Sun's offspring,
the Sun's offspring, ................... Ramses II._,
Ramses II. ........ ................... ...................
................... ................... ...................
................... ................... ...................
No one has done_ what ................... ...................
_he did in his ................... He is _the lord of the
father's house._ He is ..................., two countries, Ramses
_the lord of the two the Sun's offspring, II., the Sun's off-
countries, Ramses II., Thothmes III., the be- spring, Ramses II.,
the Sun's offspring, loved of Râ-Hor-Khuti,_ now_ and forever.
Ramses II., who gives who lives _forever._
life._

Long _life_ to _the gracious god, Ramses II_!
Long _life_ to _the gracious god, Ramses II_!
Long _life_ to _the gracious god, Ramses II_!
Long _life_ to _the gracious god, Ramses II_!

_The gracious god, lord_ {78}
and _maker of things, _Râ-Hor-Khuti, the lord
king, lord of the two of the two countries,
countries, Thothmes III., giving him all life._
giving eternal life._

_The powerful_ and
_glorious bull in Thebes, _Pouring out libation to
the Sun's offspring, receive from him life._
Thothmes III._