1898.] 



on the Development of the Tomh in Egypt. 



775 



Observe how in the next tomb, that of Bahotep at Medum, this 

 cross passage has become incorporated in the primary construction, 

 and a cruciform chamber of stone is the result. The statues of 

 Eahotep and Nefert were placed in the two recesses thus formed, one 

 on either side. Two coats of brickwork were superadded, so as to 

 entirely close the chamber ; a false door was made in the outer coat, 

 and a court for offerings built before it, in which lay a large quantity 

 of little cups and dishes of pottery. Meanwhile, a second false door 

 in the same mastaba — that for the wife Nefert — remained in the 

 undeveloped form of a simple niche, because there was no need for 

 it to hold her statue, which was in her husband's chamber. So far. 



Fig. 6.— Plan of tomb of 

 Nefer-maat. 



Fig. 7.— Plan of tomb of 

 Rahotep. 



the statues were safeguarded, but the family could see no more than 

 a stranger could. 



The next point of change was in the wish for the family to see 

 the sculptures, and enter the chamber when they came with offerings ; 

 while yet the statue was to be better secured. This is seen done in 

 the tomb of Seker-kha-bau (see Fig. 9). Here the end of the cross 

 chamber is walled off to hold the statues, thus forming a separate 

 closed cell for them ; and this cell is commonly known to the modern 

 natives as a serd-ah. The chamber itself retains the panelled con- 

 struction typical of the mastaba face, showing that its true nature 

 as a part of the primary mastaba was not forgotten, although it was 



3 E 2 



