214 Notices respecting New Books. 



distance of five or six inches from one another. Within these 

 lines the hieroglyphics form their sentences ; and it is plaiidy to 

 be seen, that the Egyptians read from the top to the bottom, 

 and then recommenced at the top. The ceihng of this first pas- 

 sage is painted with the figure of the eagles (as shown in Plate 2) . 

 Beyond the first passage is a staircase with a niche on each side, 

 adorned with curious figures with human bodies and the heads 

 of various animals, &c. At each side of the door at the bottom of 

 the stairs is a female figure kneeling, with her hands over a globe. 

 Above each of these figures is the fox, which, according to the 

 Egyptian custom, is always placed to watch the doors of sepul- 

 chres. On the front space over the door are the names of the hero 

 and his son, or his father, at each side of which is a figure with its 

 wings spread over the names to protect them (as shown in PlateS). 

 The names are distinguished by being inclosed in two oval niches. 

 In that of Nichao is a sitting figure, known to be a male by the 

 beard. He has on his head the usual coin measure, and the two 

 feathers ; on his knees the sickle and the flail : over his head is 

 a crescent with the horns upward : above which is what is pre- 

 sumed to be a faggot of various pieces of wood bound together, 

 and by its side a group twisted in a serpentine form. Behind 

 the figure are what are thought by some to be two knives, by 

 others feathers ; but as the feathers are of a different form, I for 

 iTiv part think they are sacrificing knives, wh.ich may have served 

 as emblems of the priesthood, for we know that the heroes or 

 kings of Egvpt were initiated into the sacred rites of the gods. 

 Below the figure is a frame of two lines drawn parallel to each 

 other, and connected by similar lines, beneath which is the em- 

 blem of moving water. 



'^ In the next oval on the right is a sitting female figure with 

 a band round the head fastening a feather, and on her knees.she 

 holds the keys of the Nile. Above the head is the globe, and 

 beneath the figure the form of a tower, as it is supposed to re- 

 present strength. The faces of both figures are painted blue, 

 which is their colour of the face of the great God of the creation. 

 On each of the oval frames there is the globe and feathers, and 

 beneath it two hieroglvphics not unlike two overflowing basins, as 

 they are mider the two protecting figures at each side of the oval 

 frame. 



" Next is the second passage, on the right liand side of which 

 are some funeral processions, ap])arently in the action of taking 

 the sarcophagus down into the tomb, the usual boat, which car- 

 ries the male and female figures upon it, and in the centre the 

 boat with the head of the ram drawn by a ])arty of men. 



*' The wall on the left is likewise covered with similar pro- 

 cessions. Among them is the scar abacus, or beetle, elevated in 



the 



