destroyed through the carelessness of
the workmen. This is to be accounted for from the fact that Mariette was
not always able to be present, and the workmen naturally had no personal
interest in preserving every relic and fragment from the past. It is
also to be regretted that he left no full account of the work which he
undertook, and for this reason much of it had to be gone over again by
more modern explorers.

In the Delta excavations were made at Sais, Bubastis, and elsewhere.
Mariette also discovered the temple of Tanis, and many curious
human-headed sphinxes, which probably belong to the twelfth dynasty,
and represent its kings. He further continued the labours of Lepsius
about the necropolis of Memphis and Saqqara. Here several hundred tombs
were discovered with the many inscriptions and figures which these
contained. One of the most important of these findings--a superb example
of Egyptian art--is the statue called by the Arabs "The Village
Chief," which is now in the museum at Bulak. Mariette followed out his
researches on the site of the sacred city of Abydos. Here he discovered
the temple of Seti I. of the nineteenth dynasty.

[Illustration: 324.jpg TYPES OF EGYPTIAN COLUMNS: 1, 2, 3, GEOMETRIC ',
6-11, BOTANICAL; 4, 5, 12, HATHORIC.]

On the walls are beautiful sculptures which are exquisite examples of
Egyptian art, and a chronological table of the Kings of Abydos. Here
Seti I. and Ramses IL, his son, are represented as offering homage to
their many ancestors seated upon thrones inscribed with their names and
dates.

Mariette discovered eight hundred tombs belonging for the most part
to the Middle Kingdom. At Denderah he discovered the famous Ptolemaic
temple of Hathor, the goddess of love, and his accounts of these
discoveries make up a large volume. Continuing his labours, he excavated
much of the site of ancient Thebes and the temple of Karnak, and, south
of Thebes, the temple of Medinet-Habu. At Edfu Mariette found the temple
of Horus, built during the time of the Ptolemies, whose roof formed the
foundation of an Arab village. After persevering excavations the whole
magnificent plan of the temple stood uncovered, with all its columns,
inscriptions, and carvings nearly intact.*

* In connection with the architecture of the ancient
Egyptian tombs, it is interesting to note that there was a
development of architectural style in the formation of
Egyptian columns not dissimilar in