Further, as remarked by Dr Birch, Egyptologists have patiently traced word after word, through several thousands of texts and inscriptions, until they have found its correct meaning. It was ascertained at length that almost every word consists of two portions--hieroglyphs to represent the sound, followed by hieroglyphs expressing its general or specific meaning. Provided with these materials the enquiry advanced. The result is that we are gradually recovering a knowledge of the history of Egypt and the religion of its people, from a time long anterior to the birth of Moses down to the latest period of the empire. The hieroglyphs reveal a rich literature, including not only the annals of the empire, but books on ethics, romances, works on mathematics, medicine, morals, legal and other reports; while the great religious work is the Book of the Dead.
[_Authorities and Sources_:--“Egypt’s Place in Universal History.” By Christian C. J. Bunsen. “The Monuments of Upper Egypt.” By Auguste Mariette-Bey. “The Monumental History of Egypt.” Rede Lecture. By S. Birch, LL.D.]
It will be useful to give here a table of Egyptian Dynasties, so that when we come to speak of Israel in Egypt the reader may have some idea of the long antecedent history of the Empire, and the political circumstances of the time. Unfortunately we must be content at present with approximate dates, for the records of the Egyptians are not dated, and the chronology is but very imperfectly known.
+---------------------+-------------+-------------+---------+---------+ | | | |Approx- |Approx- | | | | |imate |imate | | | | |Date, |Date, | | Dynasty. | Capital. | Modern |according|according| | | | Name. |to |to | | | | |Mariette.|Wiede- | | | | | |mann. | +---------------------+-------------+-------------+---------+---------+ | THE OLD EMPIRE. | | | | I. Thinite |This | Girgeh | 5004 | 5650 | | II. Thinite |This | Girgeh | 4751 | 5400 | | III. Memphite |Memphis | Mitrahenny | 4449 | 5100 | | IV. Memphite |Memphis | Mitrahenny | 4235 | 4875 | | V. Memphite |Memphis | Mitrahenny | 3951 | 4600 | | VI. Elephantine |Elephantinê | Geziret- | | | | | | Assouan | 3703 | 4450 | | VII. Memphite |Memphis | Mitrahenny | 3500 | 4250 | | VIII. Memphite |Memphis | Mitrahenny | 3500 | 4250 | | IX. Heracleopolite|Heracleopolis| Ahnas el- | | | | | | Medineh | 3358 | 4000 | | X. Heracleopolite|Heracleopolis| Ahnas el- | | | | | | Medineh | 3249 | 3700 | | XI. Diospolitan |Thebes | Luxor, &c. | 3064 | 3510 | | | | THE MIDDLE EMPIRE. | | | | XII. Diospolitan |Thebes | Luxor, &c. | 2851 | 3450 | | XIII. Diospolitan |Thebes | Luxor, &c. | ... | 3250 | | XIV. Xoite |Xois | Sakha | 2398 | 2800 | | | | | | THE SHEPHERD KINGS. | | | | XV. Hyksos |Tanis (Zoan) | San | 2214 | 2325 | | XVI. { Hyksos |Tanis | San | ... | 2050 | | { Diospolitan |Thebes | Luxor, &c. | ... | ... | | XVII. { Hyksos |Tanis | San | ... | 1800 | | { Diospolitan |Thebes | Luxor, &c. | ... | ... | | | | | | THE NEW EMPIRE. | | | | XVIII. Diospolitan |Thebes | Luxor, &c. | 1700 | 1750 | | XIX. Diospolitan |Thebes | Luxor, &c. | 1400 | 1490 | | XX. Diospolitan |Thebes | Luxor, &c. | 1200 | 1280 | | XXI. Tanite |Tanis | San | 1100 | 1100 | | XXII. Bubastite |Bubastis | Tel Bast | 960 | 975 | | XXIII. Tanite |Tanis | San | 766 | 810 | | XXIV. Saite |Sais | Sa el-Hagar | 753 | 720 | | XXV. Ethiopian |Napata | Mount Barkal| 700 | 715 | | XXVI. Saite |Sais | Sa el-Hagar | 666 | 664 | | XXVII. Persian |Persepolis | ... | 527 | 525 | |XXVIII. Saite |Sais | Sa el-Hagar | ... | 415 | | XXIX. Mendesian |Mendes | Eshmun er- | | | | | | Român | 399 | 408 | | XXX. Sebennyte |Sebennytos | Semenhûd | 378 | 387 | +---------------------+-------------+-------------+---------+---------+