41S 



THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS. CHAP. XVI. 



intendant, who regulated the march of the pro- 

 cession. A high functionary of the priestly order 

 walked close to the boat, in which the chief mourn- 

 ers, the nearest female relatives of the deceased, 

 stood or sat at either end of the sarcophagus ; and 

 sometimes his widow, holding a child in her arms, 

 united her lamentations with prayers for her tender 

 offspring, who added its tribute of sorrow to that 

 of its afflicted mother. 



The sarcopliagus was decked with flowers ; and 

 on the sides were painted alternately the emblems 

 of Stability* and Security (?) two by two (as on 

 the sacred arks or shrines t) upon separate panels, t 

 one of which was sometimes taken out to expose to 

 view the head of the mummy within. 



^MMIMM 



i nwd 



The mummy's head, seen at an open panel of the coffin. 



Thebes. 



These two emblems are frequently put into the 

 hands of the mummies, as may be seen in the 



♦ This pcrhiips roprescntK tlie four bases of laiiiblichus. It appears 

 to be called tut. Vide supra, p. 2(iG. and Vol. I. (2d Series) p. 253. 341. 



f Vide the ark of Neph on the exterior of these two volumes ; and 

 Contents, p. xxiii. 



X Vide also Plates 83. and 85. 



