^\^M 



352 THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS. CHAP. XV. 



ducted it to the altar. Herodotus fails to inform 

 us respecting the nature of this seal * ; but Plutarch, 

 on the authority of Castor, says it bore the figure of 

 a man on his knees, with his hands tied behind him, 



and a sword pointed at his 

 throat." 



This figuratively symbo. 

 1 2 lie crroup I have met with 



No. 475. Seal of the priests, signifying 

 that the victim might be slaughtered. morC thaU OUCC, lU tllC hic- 



roglyphics of sculptures relating to the sacrifice 

 of victims. The characters which refer to or ex- 

 plain similar ceremonies in the temples are gene- 

 rally phonetic, as in the commencement of the ac- 

 companying hieroglyphics, where the word "5«^,"(?) 

 signifying to " slay," accords with the demonstra- 

 tive sign following it, and recalls the Hebrew 

 word Dnti^, " to kill," which it so closely resembles. 

 But no oxen represented in the sculptures as vic- 

 tims about to be slaughtered have yet been found 

 bearing this device, though they frequently occur 

 decked with flowers for the occasion. 



The usual mode of slaying a victim was by cut- 

 ting the throat t, as was the commandment of 

 Moses to the Israelites, probably from one ear to the 

 other ; which is the custom of the Moslems at the 

 present day. The officiating priest generally placed 

 his hand upon its headt, as he drew the knife 

 across its throat, and if an ox or a goat he held it by 

 the horns, the feet having been ])reviously tied toge- 

 ther, as it lay upon the ground. Birds were either 



* Of the seals of the Egyptians, vide infiu, chap. xvi. p, .395. 



+ Vide woodcuts 275, 27G. 



X Conf. Lcvit. i. 4. and iii. 8. &c. 



