of burying different objects with the dead, which had belonged to them during life; as arms with the soldier, and the various implements of their peculiar trade with the bodies of artisans. Thus Æneas selected suitable objects for the sepulchre of Misenus.* But another reason also suggests itself for this custom-the supposed return of the soul to the same body after the lapse of a certain period of years, which I shall have occasion to notice in treating of transmigration.+

In some instances all the paintings of the tomb were finished, and even the small figures representing the future occupant were introduced, those only being left unsculptured which being of a large size required more accuracy in the features in order to give his real portrait; and sometimes even the large figures were completed before the tomb was sold, the only parts left unfinished being the hieroglyphic legends containing his name and that of his wife. Indeed the fact of their selling old mummy cases, and tombs belonging to other persons, shows that they were not always over scrupulous about the likeness of an individual, provided the hieroglyphics were altered and contained his real name: at least when a motive of economy reconciled the mind of a purchaser to a second-hand tenement for the body of his friend.

* Virg. Æn. vi. 232.:

"At pius Æneas ingenti mole sepulcrum

Imponit, suaque arma viro, remumque, tubamque.”

The tomb was always prepared for the reception of a husband and his wife; and whoever died first was buried at once there, or was kept embalmed in the house until the decease of the other, as I have already had occasion to observe. The manner in which husband and wife are always portrayed, with their arms round each other's waist or neck, is a pleasing illustration of the affectionate feelings of the Egyptians; and the attachment of a family is shown by the presence of the different relations, who are introduced in the performance of some tender office to the deceased. Each is said to "love," or to "be loved by him ;" and when children died they were buried in the same tomb with their parents.

Any person desirous of purchasing a tomb for himself, or for a deceased friend, applied to those who were known to have them for sale, and the parties proceeded to view them and make a selection. The bargain, no doubt, took the usual time occupied on such occasions in the East; but notwithstanding all the efforts of the purchaser, the advantage was greatly on the side of the seller, who profited by the wants of the former, as well as by immense profit on a small outlay; and no competition could be expected among the priests, who enjoyed this privileged monopoly. When the bargain had been agreed to, a deed was carefully drawn up to secure to the purchaser the property he had bought; and some idea may be formed of the precautions taken by the Egyptians to prevent any future question upon the subject, by the number

of witnesses required for the smallest contracts.* And, judging from the minute repetition of expressions, and the precision with which the acceptance of the price was acknowledged, we may conclude that they were as ready to take advantage of the least flaw in a deed as any people of the present day.

Besides the upper rooms of the tomb, which were ornamented with the paintings already mentioned, were one or more pits, varying from 20 to 70 feet in depth; at the bottom or sides † of which were recesses, like small chambers, for depositing the coffins. The pit was closed with masonry after the burial had been performed, and sometimes reopened to receive other members of the family. The upper apartments were richly ornamented with painted sculptures, being rather a monument in honour of the deceased than the actual sepulchre ; and they served for the reception of his friends, who frequently met there, and accompanied the priests when performing the services for the dead. Each tomb, and sometimes each apartment, had a wooden door, either of a single or double valve, turning on pins, and secured by bolts or bars, with a lock; which last was protected by a seal of clay, upon which the impress of a signet was stamped when the party retired, as Herodotus describes at the treasury of Rhampsinitus. Remains of the

* Vide Vol. II. p. 53. 56.

† Conf. "Whose tombs are in the side of the pit ;" and the common expression in the Bible, "They that go down to the pit," meaning those that die. Ezek. xxxii. 29. &c.

clay have even been found adhering to some of the stone jambs of the doorways in the tombs of Thebes; and the numerous stamps buried near them were probably used on those occasions.

It may be a question whether these stamps were really seals, by which the impressions were made upon the clay; because the characters upon them are in relief, and because their edges are sometimes raised unequally around their faces, both arguing that they had been impressed with another seal. We even find them of a square form, with a stamp on all the sides, and made of the same materials; which is a clay mixed with fine ashes, and afterwards burnt, the exterior being of a finer quality than the inside. It may also be said that the red ochrous colour, with which they are sometimes stained, was imparted to them from the seal that stamped the impression; though, on the other hand, as the colour frequently extends halfway up the whole length, it is evident that they were dipped into this red mixture for some purpose. Again, if they were mere impressions, and not used as seals, it is difficult to understand the reason

2

a

No. 498.

b

Seals found near the tombs at Thebes.

1. 2. An instance of one with a raised edge round the stamped part.

3. Another stained with red ochre from a to b.

4. Style of the inscriptions on some of them.

5. A brick stamped in a similar manner.

of their being so stamped, and buried near the tombs: unless, indeed, they were passports from the family, or the priest who had the superintendence of the tomb, to permit strangers to visit it. They generally bear the name of the person of the adjacent tomb, with that of his wife; and sometimes the same characters occur on different ones, which vary also in size. They are mostly of a conical shape, about a foot in length; the circular face bearing the inscription being about three inches in diameter*; and they appear to be made for holding in the hand, and for giving rather than receiving an impression. The characters were probably first put upon them, when unburnt, from a mould. This they afterwards imparted to the clay seals; and the red liquid, into which they were dipped, was intended to prevent their adhering.

Similar seals were used for securing the doors of temples, houses, and granaries.

Tombs were built of brick and stone, or hewn in the rock, according to the position of the Necropolis. Whenever the mountains were sufficiently near, the latter was preferred; and these were generally the most elegant in their design and the variety of their sculptures, not only at Thebes, but in other parts of Egypt. Few, indeed, belonging to wealthy individuals were built of masonry, except those at the Pyramids in the vicinity of Memphis.

The sepulchres of the poorer classes had no up

Several are met with in the British Museum and other European collections.