Foreign topography; or, an encyclopedick account, alphabetically arranged, of the ancient remains in Africa, Asia, and Europe; forming a sequel to the Encyclopedia of antiquities / By the Rev. Thomas Dudley Fosbroke.
- Thomas Dudley Fosbroke
- Date:
- 1828
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Foreign topography; or, an encyclopedick account, alphabetically arranged, of the ancient remains in Africa, Asia, and Europe; forming a sequel to the Encyclopedia of antiquities / By the Rev. Thomas Dudley Fosbroke. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![pressed on it. He thinks that it must have been done with a hot iron, while the leather was damp. Belzoni, p. 173. Glass Beads, &c. They also fabricated a sort of coarse glass, with which they made beads, and other ornaments, lb. Enamelling. Belzoni saw specimens of this art. Ib. Copper, cast and in sheets; Metallic composition. They knew how to cast copper, as well as to form it into sheets, and had a metallic composition not unlike our lead, rather softer, but of greater tenacity- It is very like the lead which we see on paper in the tea chests from China, but much thicker. He found some pieces of it covered on both sides with a thin coat of another metal, which might be taken for silver, but he dide«ot believe it to be so. It certainly is a proof of the scarcity of that metal in Egypt, where,do : hisropinion, it was less known than gold, for it is seldom found, whereas the latter is quite common in the ornaments. Ibid. p. 174. ’ Carved works were very common, and in great perfection, particularly in the proportion of the figures, and though the Egyptians were unacquainted with anatomy'fa mistake, as to a certain extent of knowledge in it. Enc. of Antiq. i. 462], yet in these, as well as in their statues of marble, they preserve that sweet simplicity peculiar to themselves, which is always pleasing to the beholder. In one of the tombs of the kings Belzoni found two wooden figures, nearly seven feet high, of very fine work- manship. They were in a standing posture with one arm extended, as if holding a torch. They had many other carved works, hieroglyphicks, ornaments, &c. 174. f^arnishing. They had the art of varnishing, and baking the varnish in clay with such perfection that Belzoni doubted whether it could be imitated at present. Arti- cles of the best sort of this manufacture were, however, rather scarce, as there are but few to be found whole in the country. Of the inferior sorts, there are great quan- tities. Indeed the few good ones he met with were all in the great tomb of Samethis, and these were of the most beautiful colour. Ibid. p. 174. Painting. The art of painting was but small among the Egyptians, because they had no knowledge of shadowing to elevate their figures; but great credit is due to them for taste in disposing their colours. There is great harmony-even in the red and green, which do not always agree with us, and which they knew how.to mingle so well, as to produce a very splendid effect, particularly by candle-light;''ThTs Belzoni ob- served before he was of opinion that these colours were from the vegetable kingdom, and thence he could produce a pretty strong proof. The present natives of Egypt who ma- nufacture indigo, make it in cakes of the size of a sea-biscuit, in a very rough manner. Not knowing how to extract the colour from the plant, without mixing it with stone, the cake glitters all over, the light being reflected from every particle. Of this imper- fection the ancient Egyptians could not get the better, for whenever there is blue in any of their paintings, which is generally indigo, the same sparkling sand is to be seen as in the modern cakes. Ibid. p. 175. Drawing and Sculpture. Their drawings and sculptures are but simple, and sys- tematically done, notwithstanding which, they knew how to impart a certain gravity to their priests, which animates their figures. They knew little or nothing of per- spective, and all that was done was in profile. The wall, or whatever other place was to be ornamented, was previously prepared by grinding it very smooth. The first lines were done in red, by a scholar or one not so expert, for the master examined the out- lines, and corrected them in black. Specimens of this were to be seen in the tomb of Samethis. When the outline was complete, the sculptor began his work. He raised](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b22012035_0020.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
