Bdzorns Researches and Operations in Egypt, Nulla, &c. 213 



" When tTie figures v/ers completed and made smooth by the 

 sculptor, they received a coat of whitewash all over. This white 

 ii? so beautiful and clear, that our best and whitest paper ap- 

 peared yellowish when compared with it. The painter came 

 next, and finished the figure. It would seem as if they were 

 unacquainted with any colour to imitate the naked parts, since 

 red is adopted as a staudinj^ colour for all that meant flesh. 

 There are some exceptions indeed ; for in certain instances, 

 when thev intended to represent a fair lady, by way of distin- 

 guishing her complexion from that of the men, they put on a 

 yellow colour to represent her flesh. Yet it cannot i)e supposed 

 that they did not know how to reduce their red paints to a flesh 

 colour ; fqr on some occasions, where the red flesh is supposed 

 to be seen through a thin veil, the tints are nearly of the natural 

 colour; if we suppose the Egyptians to have been of the same 

 hue as their successors, the present Copts, some of whom are 

 nearly as fair as the Europeans. Their garments were generally 

 white, and their ornaments formed the most difficult part, whe;^ 

 the artists had to employ red in the distribution of the four co- 

 lours, in which they were very successful. When the figures were 

 finished, they appear to have laid on a coat of varnish ; though 

 it may be questioned, whether the varnish were thus applied, or 

 incorporated with the colour. The fact is, that nowhere else 

 except in this tomb is the varnish to be observed, as no place in 

 Egypt can boast of such preservation, nor can the true custom^ 

 of the Egyptians be seen any where else with greater accuracy. 



" With the assistance of Mr. Ricci, I have made drawings of 

 all the figures, hieroglyphics, emblems, ornaments, &c. that are 

 to be seen in this tomb ; and by great perseverance 1 have taken 

 impressions of every thing in wax: to accomplish the work 

 lias been a laborious task, that occupied me more than twelve 

 inontlis. 



" The drawings show the respective places of the figures, so 

 that if a building were erected exactly on the same plan, and of 

 the same size, the figures might be placed in their situations pre- 

 cisely as in the original, and thus produce in Europe a tomb in 

 every point equal to that in Thebes, which I hope to execute if 

 possible. 



" Immediately within the entrance into the first passage, on 

 the left hand, are two figures as large as life, one of which ap- 

 jjcars to be llie hero entering into the tomb. He is received by 

 a dcitv with a hawk's head, on which are the glol)e and serpent. 

 Both figures arc surrounded by hieroglyphics ; and further on, 

 near the ground, is a crocodile very neatly sculptured. The 

 walls on both sides of this passage are covered with hieroglyphics, 

 which arc separated by lines lioni the top to the bottom, at the 



distance 



