Anthony,

Not really. The Greek is quite specific about the 1600 talents' having been spent for the radishes, etc. It does not allow a translation such as "in addition to . . . ."


Lucas (1999) states that ‘silver was comparatively rare until the about the Eighteenth Dynasty, when it began to be a little more plentiful, and it was not until much later that it became fairly common.” AE Materials and Industries at 246. Silver was known from the earliest period – bracelets of Hetepheres are a good example – but the metal was scarce, as “neither native silver nor silver ores proper occur in Egypt, although all Egyptian gold contains silver.” (Id. At 245). Silver is, however, attested as a medium of exchange in the OK at least once: Sakkara, Mastaba of Nianch-Chnum and Chnum-hotep, Entry hall, North wall. "[bmHb] [b1(+)b] [brb] D[bbAb],w ša,t 6 x+1 Ellen (Stoff) als Äquivalent für 6 Schat (Wertmesser)." (1 ell of material; being the equivalent of 6 measures of silver).


This does not change my opinion of the likelihood that there was a pyramid-- or pyramid wall – of the type described. I note, by the way, that Sélincourt suggests that Herodotus may be “jesting” here (note 71), perhaps seeing something bathetic (as indeed, I do) about the inscription on such a monument’s dealing with the equivalent of a green-grocer’s bill.

Lee




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/06/2007 10:36AM by Lee.