Mariette, Auguste Ferdinand Francois

Mariette, Auguste Ferdinand Francois a French archaeologist, was born at Boulogne-sur-Mer, February 11, 1821. While yet a very young man he was intrusted with the task of arranging the papers of his deceased cousin, Nestor l'Hote, the companion of Champollion in Egypt from 1827 to 1829. Thenceforth Auguste Mariette became inspired with an eager interest in Egyptian archaeology, and devoted his attention to the study of hieroglyphic and Coptic literature. In 1849 he received a post in the Egyptian department of the Louvre, and was shortly afterwards sent to Egypt for the purpose of seeking and purchasing Coptic MSS. in the monasteries of that country. Soon after his arrival at Cairo he made the great discovery of the long-lost Serapeum, or burial- place of the sacred bulls. This, together with other undertakings, is graphically described in his own narrative, Le Serapeum de Memphis (Paris, 1857). He had not long returned to France when he was offered and accepted the appointment cf conservator of monuments to the Egyptian government. In this position he undertook a long series of important excavations in various parts of Egypt. The magnificent temples of Denderah and Edfu were completely disinterred, and hundreds of thousands of valuable inscriptions were brought to light. The Sphinx was laid bare; the mysterious building known as the Temple of the Sphinx was discovered; extensive works were proceeded with at Karnak, Deir el- Bahari, Medinet Habu, andt Abydos; but we cannot catalogue his archaeological achievements. The Bulak Museum, and the many magnificent volumes in which he has recorded the results of his labors, are, after all, the noblest monuments to his memory. His Denderah (1873-75, 5 volumes): — his Monuments Divers (1872): — his Abydos (1870): — his magnificent Karnak (1875): — Deir el-Bahari (1877): Liste Geographique des Pylones de Karnak (1875), etc., bear witness to his extraordinary industry, and would alone be enough work and honor for any one man. He died at Cairo, January 19, 1881. (B.P.)