. A history of art in ancient Egypt . nd. (Mariette, Tombes de FAncienEmpire, p. 17.) The vases must have been full of water when they were placed inthe tomb; the stone geese may be compared to the papier-m&che loaves of themodern stage. * All Egyptian collections contain coffers of painted wood, often decorated in VOL. L U 146 A History of Art in Ancient Egypt. dynasty, and the sixth chapter of the Book of the Dead, which isengraved upon them, seems to be one of the most ancient. Egypt-tologists are now inchned to beheve that the essential parts of thisritual date back as far as the Memphite
. A history of art in ancient Egypt . nd. (Mariette, Tombes de FAncienEmpire, p. 17.) The vases must have been full of water when they were placed inthe tomb; the stone geese may be compared to the papier-m&che loaves of themodern stage. * All Egyptian collections contain coffers of painted wood, often decorated in VOL. L U 146 A History of Art in Ancient Egypt. dynasty, and the sixth chapter of the Book of the Dead, which isengraved upon them, seems to be one of the most ancient. Egypt-tologists are now inchned to beheve that the essential parts of thisritual date back as far as the Memphite period. These statuettes are of different sizes and materials. As a rulethey do not exceed from eight to twelve inches, but there are afew which are three feet or more in height. Some are inwood, some in limestone, and some in granite, but as a rulethey are made of that kind of terra cotta which, when coveredwith green or blue enamel, has been called Egyptian are like a mummy in appearance ; their hands are crossed. Fig. 94.—Labourers heaping up ears of corn, from a tomb at Gizeh. {Description de VEgyptf.) upon the breast and hold instruments of agriculture such as hoesand picks, and a sack meant for grain hangs from their meaning of all this is to be sought in the Egyptian notionsof a future life ; it is also explained by the picture in chapterXC. of the Ritual, which shows us the dead tilling, sowing andharvesting In the fields of the other world. The texts of the Ritualand of certain inscriptions call these little figures oushebti oranswerers from the verb ousJieb, to answer. It is therefore easy the most brilliant fashion, which served to hold these statues when they were placedin the tomb. The size and the richness of their ornament depended upon thewealth of the deceased for whom they were made. Sepulchral Architecture 147 to divine the part attributed to them by the popular answered to the name traced upon the tomb and acte
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