Egypt : handbook for travellers : part first, lower Egypt, with the Fayum and the peninsula of Sinai . AGHARA. From Suez emerald, which is frequently mentioned by ancient authors was a greenpaste coloured with copper, which, when ground, yielded the best greenpaint. This raw material was used by the Egyptians for colouring glass,of which many pieces are preserved, and was probably the malachite whichis called by Theophrastus false emerald, or copper green; and which,being much used for soldering gold, was named chrysocolla\ — The in-scriptions always mention mafkat with khesbet, lapis laz
Egypt : handbook for travellers : part first, lower Egypt, with the Fayum and the peninsula of Sinai . AGHARA. From Suez emerald, which is frequently mentioned by ancient authors was a greenpaste coloured with copper, which, when ground, yielded the best greenpaint. This raw material was used by the Egyptians for colouring glass,of which many pieces are preserved, and was probably the malachite whichis called by Theophrastus false emerald, or copper green; and which,being much used for soldering gold, was named chrysocolla\ — The in-scriptions always mention mafkat with khesbet, lapis lazuli (eithergenuine, inferior, or artificial), as the two minerals which are generallyfound together, principally in association with copper ores, malachitebeing carbonate of copper with a certain proportion of water, while lapislazuli sometimes occurs interspersed with malachite, and sometimes insmall nodules by itself. In the Wadi Maghara copper was formerlyworked, and along with it was doubtless found malachite, which waseither used as a precious stone, or manufactured into paint. The district. was called the Mafkat (malachite) region, after the most precious mineralobtained in it. The miners were condemned criminals, particularlypolitical offenders and prisoners of war. The relations also of theprisoners were frequently condemned to the mines and compelled towork in fetters. As, at a later period, the Christians were compelled towork in the porphyry quarries, so in the reign of Ramses II. thorefractory Israelites were employed in the mines. Clambering up the rugged slope of the Mil from the entranceto the mines, and passing several shafts, we reach a number offigures engraved on the rock, discovered by Prof. Palmer, and consist-ing of the hawk, the bird sacred to Horus, five human forms, andsome illegible hieroglyphics. The first figure, now almost obliterated,seems to hold a chisel in its left hand, and may represent a miner; to Sinai MAGHARA. in. Route. 493 the second we
Size: 1438px × 1738px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, bookidegypthand00k, bookyear1885
