604 EGYPTIAN ANTIQUITIES. 



of royalty. Perhaps she died before the accession of her husband to 

 the throne, and he was therefore only the heir apparent. 



The tombs of King Hor and Princess Noub Hotep, as well as the 

 details of their funeral furniture, show clearly that these two persons 

 had been buried at the same epoch. Must we hold that the princess 

 was either the wife or the daughter of the sovereign near whom she 

 reposed ? 



At the same time that these researches were being made I prepared 

 a very detailed account of their results. This description will be con- 

 tained in a special volume, in which all the objects, texts, plans, and 

 the details of architecture will be figured. M. Gr. Legrain and M. G-. 

 Jequier, members of the Prench Oriental Institute of Cairo, aided me in 

 their composition, the Egyptologists of the Service of the Antiquities 

 being busy either in the museum at Gizeh or in other researches in 

 progress in various parts of Egypt. 



After these discoveries I continued the exploration of the soil included 

 in the surrounding wall of the southern pyramid. The shapeless remains 

 of the mortuary chapel which formerly stood to the east of the monument 

 were brought to light; but the entrance of the subterranean structure 

 still remains hidden. In the south, as well as in the north, it will be 

 necessary in future researches to proceed by means of mined galleries. 

 But while the northern pyramid reposes on solid stones, that of the 

 south is constructed of crumbling clay. The galleries ought to be 

 wainscoted, a task which, without skilled workmen, will require much 

 care. East of the pyramid extends a large square filled with tombs of 

 the principal functionaries of the king, who is buried in the pyramid. 

 The exploration of this necropolis will form a part of the next research 

 campaign. 



Fayoum (1893-94). — The Roman necropolis of the Fayoum, so often 

 explored, still retains an appreciable number of interesting documents; 

 about fifteen mummies decorated with portraits, an incense box in 

 gilded wood — a unique object and in a perfect state of preservation — 

 several sarcophagi, and some inscriptions of the Eoman epoch were 

 found. 



Me'ir (1892, 1893, and 1894). — The necropolis of Me'ir was as yet almost 

 untouched. I signalized my arrival in the Service of Antiquities by 

 having researches made on it, and the three campaigns which followed 

 have been fertile in results. In September, 1892, the tombs of the 

 twelfth dynasty yielded us some curious wooden statuettes and one 

 in bronze of a person named Nakht. This last is a unique piece, being 

 duly dated. Twenty-eight wooden boats, some of which still have their 

 sails, accompanied the statuettes. 



In 1893 the discoveries continued, the objects found also belonging 

 to the twelfth dynasty. 



In 1 894 a tomb of the sixth dynasty was opened. It contained a series 

 of most original statuettes, representing the servants of the deceased 

 engaged in the ordinary duties of life. There are women kneading 



