MARIETTE, AUGUSTE EDOUARD, b. at Boulogne-sur-Mer, 1821; became professor of grammar and design, and while engaged iu these duties was drawn to the study- of arelueology. Attracting attention by an article published in 1847 on the history of his native town, he was made assistant in the Egyptian museum of the Louvre, where he became so intelligent a disciple of the lore of Champollion in Egyptian hieroglyphics that he was sent to Egypt to gather Coptic manuscripts. While there he searched for the true site of Memphis, and by his familiarity with ancient authors, not only found the remains, but identified the temples, monuments, and totnbs, by their descriptions. Flis discoveries were gratefully acknowledged' by the French government, and increased means for investigation were placed in his hands by the duke de Luynes. His princi pal excavations for Memphis were made 4 in. from the spot where the arclueologists had previously searched, and resulted M uncovering an avenue of sphinxes, the temple of Serapis mentioned by Strabo, one of the most splendid structures of granite and ala baster of' the ancient time, in which were found the sarcophagi of the bulls of Apis from the 19th dynitsty to the time of the Romans. The labors of 1500 men under his hand brought to light 2,000 sphinxes and between 4,000 and 5,000 statues, and inscriptions and curiosities without number. Some of the statues were evidently of Grecian art. The explorations have served to confirm the fact of the greatness of the city of Memphis, its wealth and luxury. His excavations around the great sphinx of Gizeh brought to light many new facts and curiosities, which have been added to the collections of Egyp tian curiosities in the Louvre. On his return to Paris in 1854 he was made conservator
of the Egyptian museum. In 1858 lie was again in Egypt following up his former searches with a large force of workmen, removing the sands that covered the temples of Elfou, Karnak, 3Iedinet-Abou, etc. The viceroy of Egypt, then made him conservator of the monuments of Egypt, with title of bey, and charged Min with the formation of a collection of his precious discoveries at Boulak. In 1873 the institute of France awarded him the biennial prize of 20,000 francs. He is considered the most eminent of French Egyptologues. The following are some of his works: Mere d'Apis. 1856, 8vo, a, light on the religion of the Egyptians; Choix de ffonuments et de dessins, decouverts ou execute :pendant le deblayernent du, Seraphim de _Memphis, 18,56, 4to; the Seraphim de Meniphis, in folio, with plates, Apercu de l'histoire d'Egypt, 1864, 8vo; Nouvelle table d' Abydos, with plates, 1865, Svo; Fouelles executes en Egypt, en Nullie, et au Soudan, d'apres les ordres viceroi, folio, with maps and plates; 1867; Notice des principaux monuments du musee de Boulak,1870, 8vo; Les Papyrus egyptiens du musee de Boulak, folio, 1871; and Album da masa d e Boulak, folio, illustrated by 40 superb photographic plates, representing 600 objects of Egyptian art, published is 1873. Upon his death the khedive took charge of the embalming of his body, and its deposit in an ancient sarco phagus.