NEWLY DISCOVERED TOMBS.

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The moment I entered the first of these tombs-that exhibited in the accompanying engraving-I was struck not only with the

resemblance, but the exact similarity it bore to the Egyptian catacombs, especially to those of Sackara and Alexandria. Like them, it had a low, square doorway, opening into a chamber, about fifteen feet square, containing three horizontal sarcophagi, or places for bodies, one on each side; the doorway or entrance filled up the fourth side; and the whole was carved out of the solid rock, which, like that of Egypt, is soft and easily excavated. In another place we found a large circular aperture in the ground, which had around it the entrances to eight tombs. In a third place was an immense deep excavation in the rocks, which we approached by a winding descent. This is nearly as large an excavation as that on Mount Pentillicus, and may, like it, have been originally a quarry for the old city; but in the sides of it are the obvious remains of several tiers of sarcophagi. With few exceptions, the doors of all the tombs look toward the rock of Marshuk. Their similarity to the Egyptian, Grecian, and Irish, I shall have occasion to notice hereafter. I had, however, but little time to examine them in detail. They are, doubtless, of great extent, and just in the spot that we would expect to find the burial-place of a city-the side of a neighbouring hill. Porcupines in great numbers have taken possession of many of these excavations, throwing up large piles of rubbish about their mouths, which, as well as their being choked with weeds and brambles, together with the lowness of the apertures, served at first to conceal them from our

view. No traveller that I am aware of has described these chambers, though they are well worthy of observation, not only as giving an explanation of the mode of burial practised by the Tyrians, but as helping to fix the site of original Tyre; and of considerable moment in showing the intimate connexion of its inhabitants with the Egyptians. The people here seemed to know nothing about them; but their vicinity to this mosque, the appearance of the rocks, and their being on the side of the road leading to Sidon, will point out their site to future explorers.

In order to explain more fully the topography of the different cities possessed by the Phoenicians near this spot, and denominated Tyre, a brief historical sketch of that people may be found useful, as the antiquity of Tyre, the capital of Phoenicia, has more than once been called in question.

Sidon, its mother, and afterwards its contemporary city, is spoken of in Genesis, (xliii. 13. B. C. 1689.) Although not mentioned by name, it seems to me that Tyre is implied through the medium of its manufactures, (by a figure of prosopopœia, if I may be allowed to use the expression,) as early as when the Israelites wandered in the wilderness; for we will find that the roots of the words used in Exodus to express the blue, purple, azure, and scarlet, the gifts that the Hebrews brought according to God's commandment, to decorate the tabernacle, show us that they were the produce of Tyre, a city from the earliest account of it inin timate commercial intercourse with Egypt; and these were, in all probability, part of the wares of which the Israelites spoiled the Egyptians.

The intercourse between Egypt and Tyre was no doubt great, as we are told it should be sorely pained at its downfall; and although it may be said that the Hebrews, being in bondage, were not able to get these things, it was of such the Egyptians were spoiled. Her connexion with the Egyptians was also very great in the time of Isaiah, when he says, "the seed of Sihor is her revenue." (Isa. xxiii. 35.) This seed was the corn from the Nile, which was called Si-hor from shachar, (to become black,) which it does, to a certain extent, during the inundation, when charged with the fertilizing mud.

Justin informs us that the Sidonians, being besieged by the king of Ascalon, went in ships and built Tyre. Thus it was the daughter of Sidon ;" and to this Isaiah may have referred when

he says, the merchants of Sidon who pass over the sea replenished it. This must have occurred about two centuries and a half before the building of Solomon's temple, if the letter of Hiram to the king of Israel, as related by Josephus, may be depended on, (Antiq. ch. ii. sec. 9.) But it is remarkable, that in the text of the Jewish historian, a passage occurs to which no allusion is made in either the book of Kings or Chronicles:-it is the concluding paragraph of Hiram's answer to Solomon-" But do thou take care to procure us corn for this timber, which we stand in need of, because we inhabit in an island ;" and the same circumstance is repeated in ch. v. sec. 3, of the same work. Now, it is well established, that Hiram was king of continental, not insular Tyre, and therefore I agree with Professor Whiston, that this is a "conjectural paraphrase" of Josephus.

Strabo tells us that, after Sidon, Tyre was the greatest and most ancient city of the Phoenicians; he also remarks, that Sidon was more celebrated by the poets, and that Homer has not once mentioned Tyre. The fact of its not being mentioned by the great poet who is supposed to have been contemporaneous with Joshua, or the Judges, and to have flourished 1200 years before Christ, has been often repeated by those who dispute the antiquity of Tyre. But this is a mere negative proof; and there were no doubt many other cities of Phoenicia of great note in his day that he does not so much as name. Besides, being but a Sidonian colony, distant only a few miles, having the same arts, the same trade, and the same language, he would naturally include it with the mother city. And Sir Isaac Newton, speaking of David's message to Hiram, "for thou knowest that there is not among us any that can skill to hew timber like the Sidonians;" says, that "the new inhabitants of Tyre had not lost the name of Sidonians, nor had the old inhabitants, if there were any considerable number of them, gained the reputation of the new ones.". "The Sidonians being still possessed of the trade of the Mediterranean, as far westward as Greece and Lybia; and the trade of the Red Sea being richer, the Tyrians traded on the Red Sea in conjunction with Solomon and the kings of Judah till after the Trojan war; and so also did the merchants of Aradus, Arvad, or Arpad; for in the Persian Gulf (Strabo i. 16) were two islands called Tyre and Aradus, which had temples like the Phoenician; and therefore the Tyrians and Aradians

364

THE HISTORY OF TYRE.

sailed thither, and beyond, to the coasts of India, while the Sidonians frequented the Mediterranean; and hence it is that Homer celebrates Sidon, and makes no mention of Tyre. But at length, (2 Chron. xxi. 8, 10, and 2 Kings, viii. 20, 22,) in the reign of Jehoram, king of Judah, Edom revolted from the dominion of Judah, and made itself a king; and the trade of Judah and Tyre upon the Red Sea being thereby interrupted, the Tyrians built ships for merchandise upon the Mediterranean, and began there to make long voyages to places not yet frequented by the Sidonians; some of them going to the coasts of Afric, beyond the Syrtes, and building Adrymetum, Carthage, Leptis, Utica, and Capsa; and others going to the coast of Spain, and building Carteia, Gades, and Tartessus, and others going further, to the Fortunate Isles, and to Britain, and Thule.”—Sir I. Newton's Chronology of Ancient Kingdoms, p. 107.

This great chronologist dates the erection of this colony during the reign of David, (B. C. 1048,) who having conquered and dispersed the Edomites, some of them fled to the Mediterranean coast, fortified Azoth, and took Sidon; and the Sidonians who fled built Tyre, and made Abibalus king. "These Edomites carry to all places their arts and sciences, amongst which were their navigation, astronomy, and letters; for in Idumea they had constellations and letters before the days of Job, who mentions them; and there Moses learnt to write the law in a book." Yet one would hardly expect a city to have arisen to the eminence, wealth, and splendour that it did in the days of David, if only commenced during his reign. And this is further shown by its being spoken of in Joshua, as the "strong city Tzor," lying between great Sidon and Achzib, the present town of Zib.

Thus it was included in the fifth lot, that was portioned to Asher; the most northern part of the land, bounded by Issachar on the S. E., Manasseh on the S., and Naphtali on the E. From this we learn that the Jews had never complete possession of the whole promised land. The promise was made to Abraham; Joshua surveyed and measured out the land; but it remains for the Great Restorer of Israel to put them in possession of the inheritance promised in Sichem.

Quintus Curtius writes, that "it had been built by Angenor, and long held the trident, not only of the neighbouring sea, but of all the seas on which its fleets appeared. If we credit tradition,

DISTINCTION OF THE TWO CITIES.

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the Tyrians were the first people that taught or acquired alphabetical writing;" and speaking of their numerous colonies, he adds, "I believe that, unrestrained in their naval enterprises, and exploring countries unknown to the rest of mankind, the Tyrians selected these remote seats for their youths, when the population had multiplied to excess; or (for this allegation has been transmitted to us) because their native country was subject to earthquakes."-Quintus Curtius Rufus, B. iv. cap. iv.

We must now bear in mind that there were two cities of this name, both of which are mentioned in profane as well as sacred history; and in reading the prophecies we must carefully distinguish one from the other. Sometimes Palæ Tyrus, or the original city built by the Sidonians, and situated on the continent, is the one alluded to, particularly where it is represented as besieged with horses, and chariots, and forts, and engines of war. This was the city taken by the Chaldeans; in the prophecies concerning which Insular Tyre is never included, although it seems to have been co-existent with the other, at least at the time of its invasion; but under the form of a port, haven, or marina, in like manner as the Piræus was connected with ancient Athens, or as harbours are with several modern cities. In one or two instances it would appear that both cities were included in the denunciation; but Insular Tyre is particularly specified as an island situated in the midst of the sea. This latter is that which occupied the site of the present Peninsular Tyre, the former being some distance inland.

The authority of Josephus on points of chronology is so dubious, that he cannot be looked to for an accurate opinion, especially as he mixes up the dates and histories of the two cities. According to him, Tyre was built 1265, B. c.

Herodotus, who flourished 413 B. C., states, that he was informed by the priests that the temple of Hercules* was in

The discussion as to the origin of the Tyrian Hercules, who was, no doubt, the first who bore that name, would be out of place in a narrative such as this; but I cannot help remarking on the singularity of the circumstance, that Ashtaroth, Astarte, or the Syrian Venus, whose worship is supposed to have been in use at Tyre, is the only person to whom the title of "Queen of Heaven" is applied in the whole of the Scriptures.-See Jeremiah xliv. 17; Baruch iv. 43; Herodotus, Clio, cxcix.; also Drummond's Origines, vol. iii. p. 228. It is curious, that the scallop shell, assumed as the badge of the palmer and the ancient pilgrim, was the emblem of this heathen goddess.