44 - CHELTENHAM COLLEGE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, 
“SOME ANCIENT BURIAL CUSTOMS,” 
BY W. H. D. ROUSE, ESQ. 
@ot long since, a man was buried in Devonshire 
along with a candle, a penny, and a bottle of 
wine. The candle was to give him light, and 
the wine to sustain him on_ his journey, the 
penny to pay his fare across the river of death. 
In this very town of Cheltenham, a pipe of 
: - tobacco and pouch are sometimes putin a man’s 
coffin. Are these simply practical jokes, or is there any sense 
underlying them? To answer this question we must take a glance at 
a great many different peoples, places, and times. 
Ancent Egypt.—Everybody knows how careful the Egyptians 
were to mummify their dead. But how much more elaborate was the 
funeral than anything we see now! When the body had been 
embalmed, with all sorts of uncouth rites, it was put to soak for 20 
days in a bath of natron. Meanwhile there was a busy scene. 
Sculptors were making large images, and statuettes of the deceased by 
the dozen, sitting, standing, lying, and in every conceivable attitude. 
Goldsmiths were beating out gold rings and collars. The Watts of 
the day was making wigs galore of every kind, high and low, curled 
and uncurled, black and blue. Carpenters were knocking together 
chairs and tables, stools and beds, coffers to keep the mummy’s clothes 
in; wheelwrights were making chariots for him; boats were not 
forgotten, in case he wished to go a-sailing ; he had store of all manner 
of weapons ; and games, such as draughts, for his leisure hours. There 
Were the implements of his trade,—palette, pen and ink for the 
scribe ; and a library of poetry, travels, and religious works, 
When all was ready and the mummy had soaked long enough, the 
_ funeral procession was formed, which was to lead the dead to “reunite 
himself with the earth.” A long procession carried plenteous stores of 
food and drink, jars and ornaments of gold, live calves for sacrifice at 
the tomb, arnis and images ; hawks for the ghost to hunt with, and 
chariots and horses to carry him forth. Then came the mourners in 
a melancholy string, with a priest sprinkling water, and the coffin on 
a boat-shaped sledge. Arrived at the river they embark in grand 
barges, which make for the sacred road on the farther side. Then the 
