An inquiry into the origin of the antiquities of America / By John Delafield, Jr. With an appendix, containing notes, and 'A view of the causes of the superiority of the men of the Northern over those of the Southern Hemisphere', by James Lakey.

  • John Delafield
Date:
1839
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An inquiry into the origin of the antiquities of America / By John Delafield, Jr. With an appendix, containing notes, and 'A view of the causes of the superiority of the men of the Northern over those of the Southern Hemisphere', by James Lakey. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    altitudinein sublevatur; sed priori soli, inferior Lunae dictatus est ubi sacra priscorum Chaldaicis signis, quasi literis, indicantur. Cassiodorus, 1. 3, epis. 2, and epis. 51.] These were the sacred characters of Egypt, known only to the priests, which had been introduced by the Cuthite Ethiopians.” * We infer, from the close resemblance between the Indian temples and those remaining in Egypt, that the latter were constructed by a branch of the same family which built the former; and we learn from the passages just quoted from Pliny and Cassiodorus, that such was the fact. These Cuthites, then, obtained the mastery of Egypt, established a noble empire, under the title of — “ Oi no/^svsc,” — “the Shepherd Kings,” and constructed, as they did in Chaldea, large cities, pyramids, obelisks, and other massive buildings, the remains of which still furnish testimony to the magnificence and power of the race. “ The Shepherds are said to have maintained themselves in this situation for five hundred and eleven years. At last the natives of Upper Egypt rose in opposition to them, and defeated them under the conduct of king Halisphragmuthosis. They afterwards beleaguered them in their stronghold, Avaris, which seems to have been a walled province, containing no less than ten thousand square Arourse. Here they maintained themselves for a long space; but at last, under Thummosis, the son of the former king, they were reduced to such straits as to be glad to leave the country.” f “ Wearied out by the length and straitness of the siege, they at last came to terms of composition, and agreed to leave the country, if they might do it unmolested. They were permitted to depart, and accordingly retired, to the amount of two hundred and forty thousand persons. Amosis, upon this, destroyed their fortifications, and laid their city in ruins.” J Early writers notice the journeyings of this banished race in a northeasterly direction as far as Palestine. Here all historical traces are lost of them, and their name is buried in oblivion. To prevent any ambiguity in regard to this historical account of the departure of the shepherd Cuthites from Egypt, the author begs to indulge in a farther quotation * Bryant. Anc. Myth. vol. Ill, p. 244. f Ibidem. Vol. Ill, p. 237. I Bryant. Anc. Myth. vol. Ill, p. 269. i