4. Fourth Dynasty. The fourth dynasty was the one under which Egypt became famous. The information we get of this dynasty is from the monuments which the kings of this period erected. Sene fru appears to have loved warfare. His body has never been found, although some believe his grave to be marked by the pyramid of Meydoum.
(1) Cheops: The Pyramids. Next (B. C. 3733) came Xufu or Cheops, who is chiefly cele brated for the immense pyramid called 'Height' which he built at Gizeh, the height of which is 45o feet and the breadth at the base 746 feet. The pyramids which are next in point of size are Chephren and Mycerinus. They were all built as graves. \Vhen a new king ascended the throne he began at once to build a pyramid. The site was chosen and a slanting shaft was bored out of solid rock ; at the end of this shaft a chamber was hewn out large enough to contain the coffin in which was placed the king's body.
On the flat site a comparatively small building was erected, the outer walls of which were steep steps. An idea may be obtained of the amount of ' labor necessary for the building of the pyramid of Cheops when we consider that the causeway along which the stone was brought took ten years to build, the work being performed by a company of one hundred thousand men, changed every three months. Thus four millions of men were em ployed on this work alone while it required seven millions more to build the pyramid itself. These pyramids, which date from the earliest period of Egyptian history, are to this hour the wonder of the world for size, for boldness, for exactness and for skillful contrivance. The four sides of the great pyramid built in the very earliest period of Egyptian civilization were adjusted to the cardi nal points with the utmost precision. The day of the equinox can be taken by observing the sun set across the face of the pyramid, and the neigh boring Arabs adjust their astronomical dates by its shadow. Cheops was known as a great tyrant. The Egyptian nation hated him very bitterly on account of the labor he imposed upon them.
(2) The Sphinx. Chephren, the successor of Cheops, built a smaller pyramid and the small temple behind the Sphinx. The Sphinx is in re
ality an immense lion with a man's head, repre senting the God Harrnachis. The outstretched paws make a narrow passage leading to a temple which was built in front of the lion; and as the name of Chephren has been found in inscriptions it is probable that this king caused this great sphinx to hewn out of the solid rock. The total height of the monument is 65 feet, its length too feet. Originally the face was colored red, and covered with polished stone, but this polished sur face has now disappeared. The features are sol emn, awe-inspiring and majestic. The nose has fallen away and the beard is in the British Mu seum.
(3) Menkau Ra. Menkau Ra, or Mycerinus, like his two predecessors, built for himself a pyra mid. His reign is supposed to have extended over sixty-three years. History believes him to have been a pious and good king. According to tra dition he was a devout worshiper of the god Osiris. His pyramid, which is the third in Gizeh, is in the best state of preservation. During the researches of Colonel Vyse he found the stone sar cophagus of the king, also the wooden cover of the inside coffin, which was made of cedar.
The body of the king had been carried to an upper room in the pyramid, and had been literally torn in pieces, most probably at the time the pyra mid was broken open in search of treasure. My ccrinus was succeeded by Shcps-es-kaf, and thus closes the important fourth dynasty. The united reigns of the fifth and sixth dynasties occupied the next four hundred years, and what is called the Old Empire came to a close B. C. 3000.
Here a gap occurs of about five hundred years, of which only the names of some of the kings are known, 5. TteeIfthDynasty. (1) Amenemha. The first king of the twelfth dynasty was called Amen His reign was one of great peace and pros perity, and all his people, front the highest to the lowest, received blessings due them. A copy of a book he wrote for his son, Usertsen I (who was associated with him in the kingdom) is full of in structive information. This book is now in the British Museum.