[ Narrative of the Operations and Recent Discoveries Within the Pyramids, Temples, Tombs and Excavations in Egypt and Nubia and of a Journey to the Coast of the Red Sea, in search of the ancient Berenice; and another to the Oasis of Jupiter Ammon / Giovanni Battista Belzoni ]
Researches and operations in Egypt, Nubia, &c. / Giovanni Battista Belzoni
Travel of Giovanni Battista Belzoni
Ermopoli - Egypt (Temple of Gournou)
Title
Resonance of the metal alloy of a vessel (original source)
Short description
Giovanni Battista Belzoni describes the sound of the metal alloy of a vase he bought at a farmer's house in Gournou.
Text on source
His dwelling was a grotto cut in the rock like the rest, and black as any chimney. He made us sit down on a straw mat, which is a luxurious thing in Gournou, and after a little ceremony, put into my hands a brazen vessel, one of the finest and most perfect pieces of Egyptian antiquity I have ever seen of the kind. It was covered with hieroglyphic engravings, very finely executed. It was about eighteen inches high and ten in diameter. The composition is extremely fine, and it sounds not unlike the Corinthian brass. I was most agreeably surprised, and could scarcely believe that I had such a treasure in my hands. I conceive it to be a sacred vessel used by the Egyptians. It has a handle something like our common baskets. We were examining it with astonishment, when the old man took it from our hands, and presented us with another exactly similar to it. The sight of a pair of antiques like these, their admirable preservation, and the opportunity we had of purchasing them, delighted us so much, that the bargain with the old man was made in a few words
English translation
Folios/Pages
pp. 160-161
Date
1817 circa
Observations on the events description
The dots on the map indicate the places where sound and music events were described. They don't represent travel stages.
Participants
No other participants in this event description.
How to quote
Murarotto E., "Resonance of the metal alloy of a vessel (original source)" (Event description), Echos. Sound Ecosystems in Travelogues. Published 2025 01 04.doi: 10.25430/echos.travels.21
This work is licensed under CC-BY-SA 4.0 
