70 THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS. CHAP. XIII. 



Hawk and Jackal-headed Deities. 



These three figures of hawk and jackal-headed 

 Deities are common in the tombs of Thebes, but I 

 do not know their office. Two large figures of the 

 hawk-headed Deity, with similar hieroglyphic le- 

 gends, are conducting, together with the jackal- 

 headed and other Deities, Remeses III. into the 

 presence of the God of the temple, at Medeenet 

 Haboo. These kneeling figures seem to be beating 

 themselves in the manner the Egyptians are said 

 by Herodotus to have done (in honour of Osiris), 

 and as Athenagoras tells us was the custom at all 

 the great festivals celebrated in the temples. They 

 are sometimes represented in the same attitude 

 before the God Atmoo ; and from their hierogly- 

 phic legend, we may suppose them to be the Spirits 

 who pervaded the Earth. 



The Four Genii or Gods of Amenti. 



These four Genii of the lower regions perform 

 a conspicuous part in the ceremonies of the dead. 

 They are present before Osiris while presiding in 

 judgment, and every individual who passed into a 

 future state was protected by their influence. 



When a body was embalmed, the intestines were 

 taken out and divided into several portions, each 

 being dedicated to one of these Deities ; and they 

 were either deposited in vases*, which bore their re- 



* These vases have been improperly styled canopi. 



