CHAP. XVI. OFFERINGS FOR THE DEAD. 



391 



On these occasions they dined together, and 

 enjoyed the same festivities as when invited to a 

 repast, the guests being in like manner anointed 

 and decked with flowers, and presented with other 

 tokens of welcome usual at an Egyptian party; 

 and it was principally at this vexpo^siTrvov that I sup- 

 pose the introduction of the mummy to have taken 

 place. 



Small tables made of reeds or sticks bound to- 

 gether, and interlaced with palm leaves, were 

 sometimes placed in the tombs, bearing offerings 

 of cakes, ducks, or other things, according to the 

 wealth or inclination of the donors; one of which 

 was found at Thebes by Mr. Burton, and is now 

 in the British Museum. On the lower compart- 

 ment, or shelf i are 

 cakes ; the cen- 

 tral shelf has a 

 duck, cut open at 

 the breast and 

 spread out, "but 

 not divided asun- 

 der " * (in a man- 

 ner frequently 

 adopted at this 

 day in Egypt 

 for grilhng fowls and chickens); and at the top 

 is a similar bird, trussed in the usual mode when 

 brought to an Egyptian table. Similar ofterings 

 ** for the dead" were strictly forbidden by the law 

 of Moses t ; and it was doubtless the Egyptian cus- 



No. 497. A table found in a tomb by Mr. Burton, on 

 which are a duck trussed, and another cut open, with 

 cakes. British Museum. 



* Conf. Levitic. i. 17. 



■f Vide Deul. xxvi. 14-. 



c c 4 



