A History of Art in Ancient Egypt, Vol. 2 (of 2)Perrot, Georges
History
A History of Art in Ancient Egypt, Vol. 2 (of 2)
Perrot, Georges
Art -- Egypt -- History; Egypt -- Antiquities
From the same memphite tombs many limestone statues have been
recovered, representing, not the defunct himself, but those who mourn
his decease and the crowd of retainers attached to his person. All
these are expected to carry on their labours for his benefit and to be
ready to satisfy his wants through all eternity. Here we find one
seated upon the ground, his hand upon his head in sign of grief (Fig.
189).[198] There a young man, completely naked, advancing with a sack
upon his left shoulder which falls down to the centre of his back. He
carries a bouquet of flowers in his right hand (Fig. 190).[199] A man
seated upon the ground holds a vase between his knees, into which he
has plunged his right hand (Fig. 191).[200] Another bends over a
wide-mouthed jar of mortar in which he is mixing flour and water (Fig.
192). A young woman, in a similar attitude, is occupied over the same
task (Fig. 193). Other women are rolling the paste thus obtained on a
plank, or rather upon a stone slab, before which they kneel upon the
ground. The muscular exertion necessary for the operation is rendered
with great skill (Figs. 193 and 194).[201] Women are still to be
encountered at Elephantiné and in Nubia, wearing the same head-dress
and carrying out the same operation in the same attitude and with
exactly similar utensils. We reproduce two sketches by M. Bourgoin,
which show the details of this head-covering, which, among the women
of the lower orders, supplied the piece of the wig; it consists of a
piece of stuff held upon the head by a ribbon knotted at the back of
the neck (Figs. 196 and 197).
[198] _Notice du Musée de Boulak_, No. 768.
[199] _Notice_, No. 771. This is the person represented in
profile in Fig. 47, Vol. I.
[200] _Notice_, No. 766.
[201] The four last quoted figures belong to the series noticed
in the Boulak Catalogue under numbers 757 to 764. The statue
reproduced in Fig. 197 has been already shown in profile in Fig.
48, Vol. I.
[Illustration: FIG. 191.--Limestone statue, Boulak. Drawn by
Bourgoin.]
[Illustration: FIG. 192.--Limestone statue, Boulak. Drawn by
Bourgoin.]
[Illustration: FIG. 193.--Woman kneading dough, Boulak. Drawn by
Bourgoin.]
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