SERIEN

Fifteen minutes of reading enjoyment.

Ai^usig, factual, informative It Began
In Egypt ties you to the past in almost
every department of your life.
 A R O S IC R U C IA N EGYPTIAN MUSEUM
P R O D U C T IO N
it neto
Member: American Association o f Museums
Egyptian Exploration Society
Patrn of Smithsonian Inslitution
F ondalion Egyptologique
Reine Elisabetli
The International Institute for the
Conservation of M useum Objects
IIIEGVPT
prepared by

Consultante:
James C. French, M. A.
D r. John Snyder, Assyriologist
Former Curator, Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum
D r. M ax G uilm ot, Egyptologist
(Collection arranged under Technical
Direction of D r. Georg Steindorff
and D r. Etienne D rioton )
 C o py rig ht, 1953
Uy the Suprem e C ra n d Lodge o f A M O R C , Inc.
A ll R ights Reservcd

BARBERING
I n ancient Egypt, the barber was called th e
haq. Judging from scenes of shaving on the
tomb walls, he led a busy life. The Egyptians
were very particular about their appearance
and had a deep love of cleanliness. This was
not just characteristic among the higher class
for even the servants were obliged to conform
to the habits of their masters who were clean
shaven of face and head. The priests conformed
to a program of cleanliness which included
shaving the entire body every three days and
bathing twice a day and twice during the
night. Even the heads of young children were
shaved by the barber, leaving just a few locks

G-20I-B 1073 3
of hair at the sides, front and back. The women
always wore their own hair, but often it was
cut short much in the style of today. The
razors used were of various sizes and shapes.
The barber carried them in a bag as he went
from place to place plying his trade. Some of
the razors had small hatchetlike blades with a
handle, while others had smaller and knifelike
ones.
The author of an ancient Egyptian hymn
praises the hard work of the barber, describing
him as going from Street to Street seeking cus-
tomers from early morning till evening in
order to eam his food.
Although baldness was practically unheard
of in ancient Egypt, several prescriptions for
prevention of baldness and restoration of the
original color of hair have been found in the
Ebers Medical Papyrus, showing the begin-
nings of our modera barbering arts.
The Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum has sev
eral excellent razors used by the barbers of
ancient Egypt thousands of years ago.
o open cup of bronze which held the fire. The
INCENSE
A u t h e n t i c traces of the first use of incense
are found in the monuments of Ancient Egypt.
From Meroe to Memphis the commonest sub-
ject carved or painted in the interiors of the
Temples is of a Pharaoh worshipping the pre-
siding deity, with oblations suci as sacri fices
of animals, birds, cakes, fruits, flowers, wine,
ointments, gems, and incense.
Incense was presented alone sometimes, but
more often with an offering of wine. Its in
gredients varied in accordance with the re-
cipient. In the instance of an offering to the
sun (adapted to different times of the day),
resin, myrrh, and kuphi were used.
W hen incense was burned in the temples be-
fore the altar, it was made into small balls or
pastilles, and then thrown by hand into the
censer. The censer usually consisted of an
cup was attached to a long handle, on the op-
posite end of which was omamented the head
of a hawk, surrounded by a disk representing
the god fa, or the sun. ln the ceater of the
handle was another cup from which the
pastilles of incense were takcn, with the finger
and thumb, and thrown upon the fire.
Sometimes incense was burned in a cup
without a handle; some of these had covers
pierced with holes allowing the smoke to es
cape, much like those now used or employed
in the churches of Italy.
In the Rosicrucian Egyptian, Oriental M u
seum hangs a large oil painting (the work of
Dr. H. Spencer Lewis, first Imperator of the pres-
cnt Rosicrucian cycle), depicting the Egyptian
art of embalming. The scene shows one of the
embalmers holding a censer from which the
fragrance of incense rises and permeates the
linen wrappings with which the body is being
bound. Aromatic herbs were often placed with PAPYRUS PAPER
in the cavities of the body, created during the T hepapyrus plant, belonging to the sedge
removal of the organs in the process of Family, once grew abundantly in the marshes
mummification. of Lower Egypt; today, it flourishes only in
In ancient Egypt, incense was used as a the Sudan. The papyrus was used for many
means of establishing communion with the purposes by the Egyptians, such as baskets and
gods. The rising vapor and scent of the incense ropes, but its principal valu was for making
was believed to establish a bond which united sheets of material for writing, and thus it be-
man with the gods in the other world. came the forerunner of modern paper.
------- o------- Papyrus from the Sudan has been found to
vary in length from 7 to 10 feet, excluding the
flowering top and root with the mximum
diameter of nearly an inch and one-half. The
stem has a triangular section consisting of two
parts, a thin strong outer rind and an inner
cellular pith which was used as the writing
material.
The method of making sheets from this ma
terial suitable for writing has been described
by Pliny. According to him, the stems or in
ner parts of the stalks of the plant were sliced
into tliin strips and placed side by side upon a
table, with similar slices placed across them at
right angles. They were then moistened with
Nile water, pressed together, and dricd in the
sun. The Nile water, according to Pliny, when
in a muddy state, had the peculiar qualities of
glue. However, modera authorities believe
Pliny to be wrong in his statements. They
prefer the later mention of a paste made from
the finest flour of wheat mixed with boiling
water. The length of the slices depended on
the widlh of the sheet desired, and the papyrus
was extended to any desired length.
The date when papyrus paper was frst made
is not known, but The Rosicrucian Egyptian,
Oriental Museum has several small papyrus
documents which date back to the earliest
dynasties.
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AMULETS
A m u l e t s or objects to which were attributed
powers of magical protection were worn by the
living, or placed in and about the body of the
dead, in the earliest Neolithic period of A n -
cient Egypt.
M any kinds of stone, various types of wood,
ivory, bone, wax, copper, gold and silver, and
a glazed pottery substance called faience, went
into the composition of the amulets. M any of
these materials from which the amulets were
made were believed to have properties which
could often be absorbed by the wearers. The
amulets engraved with the ames of gods, or
words of power, were said to give supematural
qualities to the owner.
The Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum has a
large collection of rare ancient Egyptian amu
lets, many of which bear the ames o Egyp
tian royalty. In the collection are to be found
various types of the Scarab amulets dating
back to the lst and 2nd dynasties. The Scarab
or Sacred Beetle was one of the most important
amulets. Its sacred character was derived from
the habit of the dung beetle, laying its eggs
into a ball of dirt and burying it in the wnrm
desert sand the creature when hatched seemed
to emerge alive out of the sand. To the ancient
Egyptians it may have seemed that the beetle
had the power of raising itself from the dead,
and in this way it carne to be regarded as the
emblem of resurrection and immortality.
Among the amulets the Ankh or Cru.x
Ansata looped cross was the Egyptian symbol
of life, whereas the Thet amulet represented
the girdle buckle of Isis. Made usually of a
ANCIENT EGYPTIAN GLASS
red material symbolic of the blood of Isis, it T h e oldest examples of glasswork, known to
was believed to wash away the sins of the man, originated in Egypt; they were found in
wearer. The Dad amulet was placed around the tombs of the fourth m illennium B. C. The
the m um m y as an emblem of stability and early form of the glass, however, was really a
protection, whereas the A b represented the glazed siliceous ware generally of an opaque
heart symbol of the fountain of life in the color, which was worked into beads, necklace
bodies of gods, of animals and men. Often too pendants, rings, amulets, tiles, bowls, vases,
it typifed the conscience, bringing the wearer animal figures, and many other objeets. The
the protection of Osiris and Ra. first use of a true glassy material by itself does
--------------- o--------------- not occur until the 18th dynasty (1500 B. C.).
A n interesting story of the discovery of glass
is told by Pliny. A ship from Egypt, loaded
with natrn, anchored itself somewhere on the
shore of Phoenicia. Its crew unable to find any THE SISTRUM
stones at hand to support their cooking ware
T he S is t r u m w a s u se d as a
used some lumps of natrn, in order to prepare
their meal. They were surprised when they sacred musical instrument in
noticed that the heat from the flre had fused the Temples of Ancient Egypt
the natrn and the sand into a substance which in the adoration of the goddess
proved to be glass; and so through this acci- Isis. By the Egyptians it was
dent carne the beginning of this ancient art. called seshesh. It was usually
The ruins of a number of glassworks have made of bronze but sometimes
been found in Egypt, the earliest at Thebes of gold or silver. A figure of
used during the reign of Amenhotep I I I and Isis served as its top omament.
three or four others at Tell el-Amama, the W hen shaken, the Sistrum
city of the grent Akhenaton. emitted a rattling sound and
The Rosicrucian Egyptian, Oriental Museum became a symbol of Cosmic
has many examples of the early Egyptian motion, depicting a profound
glassmakers art. The Museums collection con- universal law. It was used prin-
tains a number of ancient receptacles used for cipally by women during re-
holding perfumes and essences also, on dis- ligious performances. It is still
play are ornaments and amulets. used in a similar manner by
the priests of a Christian sect
------- o-------
in Abyssinia, where it is called a sanasel. The
present-day priests believe that the sound drives
away evil spirits, even as the ancient Egyptians
had believed.

Plutarch refers to the Sistrum in the follow-

ing manner: The Sistrum, too, shows that
things that are must be shaken and never cease
from m oion, but be, as it were, aroused and
stirred up when they slumber showing that
when corruption has tied fast and brought to
a standstill, Generation again unlooses and re
stores Nature by means of motion.
Plutarch also explained the symbology of the
Sistrum as follows: And as the Sistrum is
circular in the upper part, the arch contains
the four things that are shaken, because the
part of the universe that is bom and perishes
is surrounded by the lunar sphere, but all
things are yet in motion and changed within
it by means of the four elements, fire, earlh,
water, and air."
Modera natural and occult sciences continu TOYS
to recognize these four elements as the basis
A n c i e n t E g y p t has left more of the ma-
for classification of planets, bodies, herbs. etc
terials dealing with entertainment of children
--------------- o---------------- than has any other civilization of the past.
The walls of the tombs portray many childrens
games and sports, and toys of every description
have been found in the remains of homes as
well as in tombs.

The little girls and boys of thousands of

years ago liad comical toys in the form of dolls.
By ones pulling on a string, these wooden
figures were made to knead dough, or to do a
washing. A wooden monkey was made to drive
a chariot and a horrid crocodile could move its
jaws up and down with a slow crunching
sound. Some of the dolls had real hair and
OO000Q
could move their hands and feet; whereas,
some (evidently for very young babies) were
made as many are today, with bodies having
no legs but with a head and part of the arms.
Some dolls are shown as nursing a baby dol
or carrying it. There are toys in the form of
wooden birds, pigeons on wheels, a cat with
inlaid eyes and a moveable jaw, a calf of
painted wood; al] these show the young Egyp
tians love of animals.
The Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum has a
rare dol made of ivory also, there are spin-
ning tops, marbles, and balls these toys were
used to excite the merry laughter of the little
folks of thousands of years ago.
LEATHERMAKING
T h e art of leathermaking began with Egyp-
tians of the New Stone-Age. They undoubtedly
discovered the method of tanning leather by
accident, while trying to dye the skins of ani-
mals with vegetable matter. These prmitive
people worked the tannin (taken from the
bark, seeds, or leaves of various trees and
shrubs) into the gelatin ibers of the skin,
changing it into a material as soft as cloth
and yet very durable. This was the first form
of chamois leather. The colors of these ancient
leathers are very vivid.
In the museums of the world, ancient granite
carvings often depict the leather-workers of
4,000 years ago, taking skins from the tan-pits
and tubs while others are working on skins
lying on tables.
Early Egyptians used leather for shoes and
sandals, for writing material, for boots, seats
of cliairs, sliields, and containers for carrying
water, wine, and other liquids. Leather was
also used in the ornamental trappings, hang-
ings, the binding of the framework of chariots, THE ALL-SEEING EYE
and in bow cases, dyed in many attractive
T iieE y e as a symbol of Divine Intelligence
colors.
and the effluence of spiritual power has been
In ancient Egypt, the station in Life of a common to almost every age. The ancient
person could be determined by observing the Egyptians made the first use of this symbol in
kind of footwear he wore. Shoes of the nobility the form of an amulet called an Utchat.
were embroidered with and often studded with In their ritualism, the Mysteries of the
jewels. Each descending class indicated its Egyptians, it was called the All-Seeing Eye, or
social position by the materials of its footwear. the Eye of Horus. The ancient accounts relate
The Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum has sev- ihat Horus, son o the god Osiris and the
eral fine representations of the Egyptian mother goddess /sis, sent forth through his
leather industry of od. right eye a terrible radiation. To be able to
pass through this eye, to endure its efficacy,
------- o-------
one must be perfected in the Divine Conscious-
ness, the Understanding of the All.
 We may presume that the generally circular
form of the eye symbolizes the universe the
all, and that the pupil or the point in the
center depicts the solar deity Ra, the life-giving
radiation of the sun. This Cosmic radiation is
referred to in the Book of the DeadL as the Eye
of Horus, or the Eye of Ra. The symbol also
stands for: I am Horus, He who liveth fur
millions of years, whose fame shineth upon
you and bringeth your hearts to me. THE GAME OF DRAU GHTS
The All-Seeing Eye, therefore, has come to
T h e ancient Egyptians were by nature a
represent the all-pervading consciousness of
God, or the Universal mind, and different cul happy race of people, full of humor and wit,
tures have used it as part of their religious or fond of games and pleasure, and yet very
capable of hard work.
philosophical symbolism with similar meaning.
If man is to be guided aright, he must let the The people of all classes loved to play vari-
light of this eye, the universal consciousness, ous games of skill and chance, but no game
ensconce him. An ancient contributor to the was more popular than the game of Draughts.
fook of the Dead wrote, Tliose who preside In playing this game, the players sat on the
over their Altars are the similitude of the Eye ground or on chairs, with a table or draught-
of Ha, and the similitude of the Eye of Horus. board between them. This board was divided
From these age-old words we deduce that those into squares much as in our chess games with
who attend holy rites and preside over their pieces, or men, lined up on either end. Usually
spiritual natures are emulating the light of each player had six pieces, or men, and the set
wisdom that radiates from the All-Seeing Eye. of each player was unlike that of the opposite
player. These pieces were at first merely
Several of these Utchats, or amulets, are
pebbles; later, they took the form of a cone
among the numerous exhibits in the Rosicru
and still later were mounted with animal
cian Egyptian Museum. heads. One set of pieces would be black and
the other red or vvhite, and each player raising
it with finger and thumb advanced his piece
toward that of his opponent, either in the direct
or diagonal line of the squares but he could
not take the piece backwards.
Invite You ...
THE ROSICRUCIANS

to share their useful knowledge, which

The draughtboard seemed as necessary for
the dead as for the living. The tombs contain
makes life more enjoyable and free of
many fine draughtboards and sets of pieces much of the doubt and confusion that
made of ebony and inlaid with ivory. M any of beset the average man of today.
the squares of the boards were made of light-
blue porcelain. Standing as we do upon the shoulders
That the game of Draughts is of great of the great civilizations which have pre
antiquity is proved by this statement in the
ceded ours, it behooves us to know more
Egyptian Book of the Dead-,
Here begin the praises and glorifyings of about this foundation upon which we rest.
coming out from and of going into the glorious
Write today for the free booklet, T h e
underworld which is in tho beautiful Amentet
of coming out by day in all the forms of M ster y of Life, which explains who and
Draughts and sitting in the W all, and of com what the Rosicrucians are and moreover
ing forth as a living soul.
how they can help you with your own life.
------- o-------
Address Scribe V. N. L.

The Rosicrucians (AM ORC)

San Jos, California 95191, U. S. A.
SPLENDOU
*~\Vl/ioucjfit in
an d ^ m i

Full-sized reproduction of
the fourth and inner sar-
cophagus (mummy case) of
the famous King Tutankha-
men. This is the only re
production in the world of
the costly original, which is
to be seen in the Cairo Mu
seum. The original, made
of solid gold and inlaid with
tare gems, has an intrinsic
valu estmated in excess of
$250,000.00. It is a master-
piece of the ancient gold-
smiths art, not to be ex-
celled by the craftsmen of
today. This sarcophagus was
encased in three others, each
in turn larger, the largest
looking somewhat like a
residence garage.
R O S IC R U C IA N E G Y P T IA N
MUSEUM E X H ID IT
San Jos, C a lifo rn ia