Page:A History of Art in Ancient Egypt Vol 1.djvu/325

 The Tomb under the Ancient Empire. 2 OD remained unexplored. One of them was silent and empty, but in the others the inscriptions and sarcophagi of two kings of the sixth dynasty, Papi and his son Merenzi, were found. Frag- ments of a Ritual of the Dead were recognized among them. Pleasure at this discovery, the last which he was destined to make in the soil of Egypt, brightened the last days of Mariette.^ In March 1881, M. Maspero, the successor of M. Mariette as director of the excavations, opened a pyramid belonging to a different group, which turned out to be the tomb of Ounas, the last Pharaoh of the fifth dynasty. In this pyramid, portcullis stones similar to those which have already been figured were found. When these obstacles were passed " the continuation of the passage was found, the first part of polished granite, the second of the close-grained limestone of Tourah. The side walls are covered with fine hieroglyphs painted green, the roof sprinkled with stars of the same hue. The passage finally opens into a chamber half filled with debris, upon the walls of which the inscription Is continued. . . . The mummy-chamber, like that which precedes It, Is covered with hieroglyphs, with the exception of the wall opposite to the entrance. This wall is of the finest alabaster, and is effectively decorated with painted ornaments. The sarcophagus is of black basalt, without inscription. . . . The text of the inscription which covers the walls is almost identical with that In the tomb of Papi, but it has the advantage of being complete. M. Maspero, whom Mariette had previously entrusted with taking squeezes from the Inscription In the tomb of Papi, recognised certain formulae and phrases which had already struck him in another place. . . . These texts make up a composition analogous to one which covers the walls of certain little. known Theban tombs. Without presenting any very considerable difficulties, they demand careful examination from those who would comprehend their meaning. " M. Maspero, encouraged by this first success, ordered a second pyramid to be opened. He wished to verify, upon the spot, a theory which he had long upheld In spite of the adverse opinions of the majority of egyptologists. It Is well known that between the sixth and the tenth dynasties a great gap exists, so far as monumental remains are concerned. M. Maspero has always believed that there Is no such gap. He has observed that the ' (t. Charmes, in the Journal dcs Dclmts, February 8, iS8i.