248 The Honey-Makers 



Next in importance to the kingly office was oftentimes 

 the office of the keeper of the treasury, and his title 

 also contains the form of the royal and industrious bee. 



thus : 



Tr 



That the bee figured in the religious beliefs of the 

 ancient Egyptians would seem to be indicated by its 



presence in the symbol ^^ Mff denoting one of the 

 priestly orders, and also in that denoting one of this 



order of priests, ^gl' 



The word " substance " ^fJ^'Tn hkewise contains 

 the figure of the bee, while of the signs meaning " ser- 

 pent " yT \i^ m one is the bee. 



The sign for the arrow I'^/jcT also contains the bee, 



the reason for which would seem to be sufficiently obvi- 

 ous, even though it does occur in Egyptian hieroglyphics. 

 Here, as in Hindu, and many other literatures, the bee is 



found associated with death 



shown by its presence in the symbol of the bier ; while 

 honey itself is expressed thus : X*B^ 



Maspero lets us into some of the secrets of Egyptian 

 honey by telling us that, of the pigments used in picture- 



