United States or Mauritius ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !


The system of tomb furniture and decoration, of ka statues, of ushabtis or figures to work for the deceased, and the models placed in foundation deposits, all show how a model was supposed to have the efficacy of an actual reality. The reconversion of the crocodile to wax, on being taken up by the magician, reminds us of the serpent becoming again a rod when taken up by Aaron.

Ushabtis, stone or wood engraved 1550-1450, pottery 1450 to very coarse 1250, wood very coarse by 1250; glazed fine 1300, decline to small rough lumps 800. Beads, minute coloured glaze and stone to 1450, thin discs 1450-1350, coloured pastes red and blue 1450 to 1300, yellow glass mainly 1300- 1200, poor glaze after 1200.

For single coins fix a price, say half a franc, and offers of large numbers may come in, from which the best can be chosen and the rest refused. Glass vases, blown, inches high squared at 4d. or 6d. each. Coloured glass double or triple. Ushabtis, poor 1s.-4s., fair 5s.-10s., fine blue or engraved 1 pound- 10 pounds.

Ushabtis with back pier and beard; fine 650 to poor at 350. Ptolemies, 332-30 B.C. Pottery clumsy and small. Many Rhodian jars with Greek stamped handles. Glazes, dark violet and yellow-green. Glass revived for inlay figures in shrines: minute mosaic begins. Glazed beads scarce, no scarabs. Large copper coins, silver tetradrachms, base in later time, and concave on reverse.

Pottery, red face black edge to 1500; buff, red and black lines to 1400; blue bands 1400-1200. Hard polished drab, about 1400-1350. Glass beads, &c., abundant 1400-1300. Glaze deep blue 1500, brilliant blue 1400, poor blue 1300, green 1200: deep blue ushabtis 1100, pale and rough 1000.

The actual killing and burial of the slaves had in all cases except that of the king been long "commuted," so to speak, into a burial with the dead person of ushabtis, or "Answerers," little figures like those described above, made more usually of stone, and inscribed with the name of the deceased.