to justify; but I have found no instance of the Goddess to whom she is opposed having the hieroglyphic signifying "the North," Or THE GENIUS OF THE LOWER COUNTRY. This Goddess has also the character of guardian and protectress of the Monarchs, and is placed in opposition to Eilethyia, as the Genius of the Fig. 1. The Genius of the Lower Country, opposed to figs. 2. and 3., or the Goddess Lower Country.* She is represented under the form of an asp, frequently with wings, having the crown of Lower Egypt, which is also worn by her when figured as a Goddess. She is treated as one of the contemplar Divinities at Thebes and other towns of the Upper Provinces, with the same * Vide suprà, Vol. I. (2d Series) p. 412.; and Plate 79. honours as the last-mentioned Deity. She also occurs under the form of a vulture, alternately with the vulture of Eilethyia, on the ceilings of No. 460. 2 1 Fig. 1. opposed to figs. 2. and 3., or the Goddess Eilethyia. attends Isis while nursing Horus, together with the Goddess Eilethyia. Χημι, Egypt, as might be reasonably expected, was among the Deities worshipped in the country. She is represented with the emblem of purity on her head, and another apparently signifying "cultivated land," which also enters into the names of the Goddess Kahi, and the Deity of Tentyris. In one hand she holds a spear with a bow and arrows, and in the other a battleaxe and the sign of life, illustrative of the military power of the country. In this she resembles one of the forms of Neith or Minerva. I had imagined this Goddess to be the Genius of the "Eastern Bank," opposed to another of similar character, whom I have called the "Western Bank of the Nile;" but the hieroglyphic legends appear to authorize the conclusion of her representing Egypt itself. A strong argument in support of this is also derived from her being put in opposition to the foreign nations with whom the Egyptians were at war. Though the force of the character forming her name has not yet been ascertained, the signification given it by the learned Champollion seems to be confirmed by the fact of our finding it applied to gold when in a pure state. It is therefore considered to be the emblem of purity, rather than power, as formerly supposed; and the Goddess has the title of "the pure Land," which doubtless applied to Egypt.* It is the sceptre usually seen in the hands of the Gods, erroneously said to be surmounted by the head of the Upupa; a misconception into which Horapollo has also been led, as is evident from his considering that "bird a fit ornament for the sceptres of the Gods t," because it is the type of "gratitude." But the head is that of a quadruped, not of a bird; though easily mistaken for the Upupa when carelessly sculptured, or of a small size. Its being emblematic of purity makes it an appropriate characteristic of the divine nature, and it is very properly associated with the feather of Truth. The name of Egypt was Khêmi, which, as I have already stated, bore a strong analogy to the word Khame‡, "black ;" and both are sometimes written in the same manner by the hieroglyphic of a croco * Vide Plate 53. Part 3. Or Chame. I write these words Vide suprà, Vol. I. (2d Series) p. 263. + Horapollo, Hierog. i. 56. indifferently with Kh, and Ch. dile's tail*, which signified "black," or at least had the force of Kh, the initial of the word. 3 2 1 The crocodile's tail in the name of Egypt, "Khemi." Egypt was also called the "land of the tree" (of The two last occur in the inscription of the Rosetta stone, as on other monuments, but the former are more usual on sculptures of an early period. It is singular that no one of these groups is applied to, or enters among, the hieroglyphics of this Goddess. There is, however, a God who seems to represent Egypt, or Khêmi, on whose head the crocodile's tail is placed; but he is of late date, and only found in monuments of a Ptolemaic or Roman epoch. He performs the office of steersman of the boat of Atmoo, in the place of Horus. That Egypt was called Khêmi in the earliest times is evident from the sculptures: but the name Egypt is not found in the hieroglyphics; nor do we find that of Aëria, by which some pretend it was known at a very remote period.t * Horapollo (Hierog. i. 70.) says a crocodile's tail signifies 'darkness;'" in Coptic K&KE, KEC, KHUETC, Xpeuc, Хемс, от бомби. † Aul. Gell. xiv. 6. Vide suprà, Vol. I. (2d Series) p. 262. The analogy between Khem, Ham, and hem, or hamoo, "fever," or "heat," is remarkable. THE WEST?, OR THE WESTERN BANK OF THE NILE?. (Pl. 53. part 2.) This Goddess may either be the West bank of the river, or the West generally, opposed to the Goddess who represents the East, whose name is preceded by the same signs, and generally 66 moun followed by the hieroglyphic signifying tain." This was evidently borrowed from the circumstance of the valley of the Nile being bordered on one side by the Libyan, on the other by the Arabian hills; as the mode of representing a "foreign land," by a mountain, originated in the distinction of the level plain of the Egyptian valley, and the hilly country of Syria or other foreign lands. I have also met with the Goddesses of the East and West, each bearing on her head her peculiar emblem raised upon a perch. In these the table of offerings denotes the former; and the hawk on a perch, with the ostrich feather before it, is indicative of the West. 1 No. 461. 2 Fig. 1. The West. 2. The East. The Goddess before us is styled "the West, Queen of Heaven, Directress of the Gods;" and she |
