[ 7 3 
To accompliffi this End, they had a Set of Men 
in their Nation whofe peculiar Bufinefs it was to 
embalm the Dead ; which was performed three fe- 
veral Ways: The firft was for the common People, 
and confifted only of faking the vifceratea Body af¬ 
ter a particular Manner, having firft cleanfed it 
from all Impurities, drying it either by a natural or 
artificial Heat, and finally placing it in a plain Sy¬ 
camore Coffin. It is to be noted, that the Coffins 
they ufcd on thefe Occafions were never made of 
any other Wood, that being efteemed moft durable 
and leaft fubjedt to Decay; but it was a Species of 
Sycamore differing from any we have growing in 
Europe. 
The next Method, which was for thofe of a 
higher Rank, was embalming them with a kind of 
refinous or bitumenous Subftance, properly mixed 
with cheap and ordinary Drugs. Some fay that 
on this Occafion they ufed much of the Afphaltus, 
a pitchy Subftance which is found fwimming on the 
Surface of the dead Sea in Judea. Thefe were put 
in a better kind of Sycamore Coffins, painted with 
various Colours ; and fame of them ornamented 
with a Number of curious Hieroglyphics, on which 
their Superftition prompted them to have great 
Reliance, imagining that they helped to preferve 
the Body from Corruption. The Mummy here 
preferved is of this kind. 
The laft and moft expenfive Method by which 
the Egyptians preferved the dead Bodies of their 
Friends from Decay, was referved for thofe of a 
very eminent Station. They too were depofited 
in Coffins of Sycamore Wood, but ornamented 
with Gold, and Hieroglyphics of the moft noble 
Kind. 
A 4 
The 
