The Century illustrated monthly magazine . secration of all the women who have dweltas priestesses therein since the days of his fathers. This preliminary statement is succeeded bythe first item in the programme, The carry-ing of the king upon his throne; but theblock which should show this scene is procession of the queen probably fol-lowed the procession of the king. Then came block to block, each priest carrying a bird inone hand and a fish in the other. A short in-scription specifies in every instance to whatdeity that bird or fish is sacred. On otherblocks are depicted rows of
The Century illustrated monthly magazine . secration of all the women who have dweltas priestesses therein since the days of his fathers. This preliminary statement is succeeded bythe first item in the programme, The carry-ing of the king upon his throne; but theblock which should show this scene is procession of the queen probably fol-lowed the procession of the king. Then came block to block, each priest carrying a bird inone hand and a fish in the other. A short in-scription specifies in every instance to whatdeity that bird or fish is sacred. On otherblocks are depicted rows of shrines, and inevery shrine the statue of a god, his name andtitles being given in full. All the local gods ofEgypt would seem to have been present inefligy, each attended by a deputation of priestsfrom his own sanctuary. The consecration of the handmaidens ofAmen being apparently the main feature ofthe festival, it is not surprising that we find animportant part performed by women. Slenderand graceful, in close-clinging robes, some car-. BROKEN COLOSSIS OF RAMESES VI,, IN RED GRANITE. endless files of shaven priests represented inhorizontal rows, often five rows deep in asingle block — the Sam, or high-priest, inhis panther-skin garment; the sacred scribewith pen and palette; the Fai Senneter, orincense bearer; the Ab, or libation-pourer;the Neter-atef, or divine father; and so on,through all grades of the priesthood. Somebear aloft sacred standards surmounted bythe emblems of various gods; others carryflails, staves, libation jars, and offerings for theshrine of Amen. These offerings are of variouskinds, as live geese, cranes, and fishes. Thereare long processions of priests continued from 1 /. e., October 8 of our reckoning. 2 The priestesses of Amen were designated as wivesof the god. rying water-jars, said to be fashioned of elec-trum, others bearing sheaves of flowers, othersgrasping the ankh, or emblem of life, theypace in single file, as in a kind of Panathenaicproce
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Keywords: ., bookauthornicolayj, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookyear1890
