FLOOE.] 
EGYPTIAN GALLEEIES. 
93 
tablets, have been brought, as far as practicable, into the same 
order as the larger monuments. These tablets record the 
names and titles of the deceased, who are rejDresented upon 
them performing acts of homage to various divinities. Though 
of great value to the student of the language and history 
of Egypt, they do not possess such interest as to detain the 
general visitor. Their probable age, and the names of the 
persons to whom they were erected, will be seen on their labels. 
The Egyptian collection has been formed partly from the 
donation, by King George III., of the antiquities obtained 
at the capitulation of Alexandria ; and partly by acquisitions 
from the Earl of Bel more, Mr. Salt (including the discoveries of 
Belzoni), and M. Anastasi. It has been further enriched by 
presents from General Howard Yyse, the Duke of Northum- 
berland, the Marquis of Northampton, and others. 
The localities from which the sculptures have been prin- 
cipally derived are as follows : — The earlier sepulchral monu- 
ments are chiefly from Memphis, the capital of the most 
important of the more ancient dynasties, and the ruins of 
which are on the left bank of the Nile, opposite Cairo. 
Other early remains are derived from the great burial-place 
of Abydos. The main portion of the collection, including 
most of the monuments belonging to the kings of the 18th, 
19 th, and 20th dynasties, was obtained from the ancient 
city of Thebes, which became the capital of Egypt under 
those monarchs. This city was built on both banks of the 
Nile, and included the four modern localities, Karnak and 
Luxor on the right bank, Gourneh and Medinet-Haboo on the 
left. The antiquities from Alexandria and Cairo are of more 
uncertain origin, as some of them had been only transferred 
to those cities in comparatively recent times. 
Most of these monuments, of whatever period, are inscribed 
with hieroglyphics, a form of writing almost peculiar to the 
Egyptians. These characters are all representations of visible 
objects, and are generally executed with great care and finish. 
They are employed in various ways, sometimes symbolically, to 
indicate the object represented, or the quality for which an 
object is remarkable : at other times alphabetically, to express 
the sound of the initial letter of the Egyptian name. 
