58 ELLIOT SMITH, Distribution of Mummification. 



smoke-dried it." " The dried body was tied in a mat, put 

 in a roughly made hut." " Coffins were often made out 

 of old canoes." " Poorer folk were rubbed with oil and 

 red camwood powder, bound round with cloth and tied 

 up in a mat." 



One of the most remarkable instances of the survival 

 of burial practices strangely reminiscent of those of 

 ancient Egypt has been described by Mr. Amaury Talbot 

 (99). Among the Ibibio people living in the extreme 

 south-west corner of Nigeria, bordering on the Gulf of 

 Guinea, he found that both the Ibibios and a neigh- 

 bouring tribe, the Ibos, had burial rites which " recall 

 those of ancient Egypt." For instance, "among Ibos 

 embalming is still practised." Two methods of mummifi- 

 cation, in which the evisceration of the corpse takes 

 place, are practised. 



For the grave "a wide-mouthed pit" was dug and 

 "from the bottom of this an underground passage, some- 

 times thirty feet long, led into a square chamber with no 

 other outlet. In this the dead body was laid, and, after 

 the bearers had returned to the light of day, stones were 

 set over the pit mouth and earth strewn over all." Further, 

 in the case of the Ibibios, "in some prominent spot near 

 the town arbour-like erections are raised as memorials, 

 and furnished with the favourite property of the dead 

 man. At the back or side of these is placed what we 

 always called a little 'Ka' house, with window or door 

 into the central chamber, provided, as in ancient Egypt, 

 for the abode of the dead man's Ka or double. Figures 

 of the Chief, with favourite wives and slaves, may also be 

 seen — counterparts of the Ushabtiu." 



From the photographs illustrating Mr. Talbot's article 

 many other remarkable points of resemblance to ancient 

 Egyptian practices are to be noted. 





