DISCDVr.HV 



luxury of rock-cut t( mbs. Hcyoncl tlicin, nearer to 

 the cultivation and almost in a line with our camp, 

 lies a modem Muslim cemetery. The graves arc 

 mostly conical mounds of sand, surmounted by a 



riG. I.— POET RliUlTlNG AND TWIRLING DKIM IN A .MODERN 

 EGYPTIAK CEMETERY. 



palm branch or branches, stuck upright into the 

 ground. In nearly all cases in this particular cemetery 

 such an erection forms the only monument to the 

 dead, the only indication of their last resting-place. A 

 few more graves show a more elaborate covering, made 

 of mud, and slightly resembling in form some of the 

 houses of the living. Usually an earthen pot con- 

 taining a plant of ?abar (aloes) is placed en the side 

 of or at the base of the mound. These plants are 

 looked after with the greatest care, as both they and 

 the palm branches stuck into the graves are believed 

 to bestow blessings on the dead. 



This cemetery is a wind- and sand-swept place. 

 The palm branches quickly wither and assume the 

 same colour as the surrounding desert. Seen from our 

 camp, the shadows which they cast on the mounds are 

 so dark that they give the impression of black-clad 

 figures kneeling in perpetual grief, keeping watch by 

 each grave. Similar cemeteries are to be found at 

 inter\'als all along the lower desert. 



Adjacent to the cemetery on its western side is the 

 white-domed tomb of Hasan 'Ali. It stands sur- 

 rounded by low walls of] mud, within which enclosure 



are a well and several graves ; trees and flowers are 

 also planted here and are carefully tended. 



Many a time I witnessed and, indeed, took part in 

 the ceremony, which is described below, in this 

 ccmeterj'. 



E(-Tala', " the coming forth " or " the going up," is 

 the name given to the periodical visits paid to the 

 cemeteries by the relations and friends of the dead, 

 the women expressing their grief by loud wailings. The 

 name e(-Tala' is probably due to the fact that the 

 people always speak of " going up " to, and " descend- 

 ing " from, the desert. 



The weekly Tula' takes place either on Thursdays 

 or Fridays. On one or other of these days the souls 

 of the dead are believed to return to their graves, when 

 they expect their relatives to meet them there. In 

 the Fayum and some other parts of Egypt, this 

 visitation is believed to occur on Thursdays ; in other 

 jiarts, including Asyut Province, Friday is the chosen 

 day. 



Early every Friday morning processions of women, 

 often accompanied by their male relations, could be 

 seen wending their way from Mir and the neighbouring 

 villages towards this desert gra\-eyard. Some would 

 be walking, some, especially the men, riding on 

 donkeys. Before 7 o'clock the wailing could be heard 

 plainly in our camp. It had a pathetic and not 

 unmusical soimd. A number of fikihs generally joined 

 in the processions, or were to be found waiting in the 

 cemetery. Their business is to recite various passages 

 from the Koran by the gravesides, being hired by the 

 mourners for this purpose. Some of the women would 

 bring with them large baskets full of bread-rings, with 

 which they rewarded the fikihs for their services. 

 The bread used for this purpose is nearly alwaj's made 

 in this shape, though sweets of all kinds, cakes, etc., 

 are also brought for distribution, especially by the 

 richer people. The fikihs' recitations are believed to 

 be of great benefit to the dead. There were usually 

 a certain number of the very poorest people present, 

 as well as children, who had come in the hope of 

 receiving a share of the gifts. One of these suppliants 

 might say : " Iddini ya silt luiseneh " (" Give me, oh 

 lady, haseneh "). The word hasench means " charity," 

 and is a general term for the bread, etc., given away 

 on these occasions, the special name for the bread- 

 rings being kahk. 



On presenting bread to the fikihs or to the poor, 

 the giver will say : " Kliud kahk 'ala ruh cl-juUan " 

 (" Take a cake on behalf of the soul of so-and-so "), 

 mentioning the name of the dead relation (Fig. 3). It 

 is a moving sight to see the faces of the women con- 

 torted with grief, the tears streaming down their 

 cheeks, as they crouch over the graves, swajung back- 



