402 THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS. CHAP. XVI. 



manners and customs of the Egyptians ; and parties, 

 boat scenes, fishing, fowling, and other ordinary 

 occupations of the people, are portrayed there, as 

 in the sepulchres of Thebes. 



The tombs of the kings at Thebes are prin- 

 cipally of Pharaohs of the 18th and 19th Dy- 

 nasties ; the oldest in the eastern valley, where 

 they are nearly all situated, being of Remeses I., 

 thegrandfather of the conqueror of the same name. 

 That of the third Amunoph is in the western 

 valley, with two others of an old and uncertain 

 era. They have likewise been mentioned in my 

 " Topography of Thebes * ; " where their plans, and 

 the subjects of their sculptures, are described as 

 of the sepulchres of private individuals. 



MOURNING FOR THE DEAD. 



"When any one diedt, all the females of his 

 family, covering their heads and faces with mud, 

 and leaving the body in the house, ran through 

 the streets, with their bosoms exposed, striking 

 themselves t, and uttering loud lamentations." § 

 Their friends and relations joined them as they 

 went, uniting in the same demonstrations of grief ; 

 and when the deceased was a person of consider- 

 ation, many strangers accompanied them, out 



* Topogr. of Thebes, p. 100. H acq. 



f llerotlotus (ii. 85.) says " a person of rank ; " but the same himent- 

 ation was made by the family, whatever his station in life might be; 

 the only diif'crence lx.'ing that tiic funeral was not attended by strangers, 

 out of respect to the deceased, when unknown or of low condition. 



\ They were forbidden to cnt themselves, as were the Jews. Lev. xix. 

 28.; Dent. xiv. 1. Vide supra. Vol. I. ("id Scries) p. ;}80. This was a 

 Syrian custom at the worship of Baal. I Kings, xviii. 28. 

 " 9 Vide Woodcut, No. 7. Vol.1, p. 256. 



