The other main type of Egyptian cornice is what is known as the _Khaker_, from the equivalent of the sign as a hieroglyph in inscriptions. This only means “to cover” or “to ornament,” and therefore refers to the position of the decoration and not to its origin. The clue to the real nature of this decoration is given in a tomb of the IVth dynasty (Ptah-hotep, L.D. II. 101. b.), where we see the _khaker_ ornament not as a mere painting, but represented as standing up solid around the tops of the cabins of boats. It cannot therefore be anything very heavy or solid, such as spear-heads, as has been proposed. It probably results in some way from the construction of the cabins. They must have had roofs of very light material. Papyrus was generally used for building boats, and therefore for cabins also, most likely. This gives us the clue to interpret it. Suppose a screen of papyrus stems; the roofing stems tied on to the uprights; and the loose wiry leaves at the head tied together, to keep them from straggling over and looking untidy. Here we have all the details of the _khaker_ ornament simply resulting from structural necessity. The leaves are gathered together at the lower tying; there the end view of the concentric coats of the papyrus stems of the roof are seen as concentric circles; above which the leaves bulge out and are tied together near the top. Though this structural decoration is seen on the top of boat cabins as early as the IVth dynasty, yet we have not found it as decoration on a flat surface until the XIIth. Then it is very common; but its meaning became confused in the XVIIIth dynasty, and in Ptolemaic times it is seen in absurd positions, as on a base, and on architraves above an empty space, where no stems below it were possible. [Illustration: 185.—Prisse 88.] We have just mentioned one use of reeds or papyrus in the torus roll on the edge of buildings; but on interior decoration we meet again with the same motive. The borders of Egyptian scenes from the earliest times are framed with a variety of bindings; and so suitable did such bordering seem that it was continued with but little variation throughout all the history. The oldest forms are— [Illustration: 186.—L.D. II. 43.] plain binding, [Illustration: 187.—L.D. II. 44.] a diagonal binding, [Illustration: 188.—L.D. II. 44.] or [Illustration: 189.—L.D. II. 54.] and crossed binding. [Illustration: 190.—L.D. II. 148.] [Illustration: 191.—L.D. II. 132.] The latter became modified into— by the XIth dynasty, showing that its meaning was already becoming forgotten. But a modification of the tower ends of this pattern in the XIIth dynasty is difficult to understand; unless we can look on it as an irregular winding of the ends of the cord around the reed bundle in place of the regular crossing which is shown above it. [Illustration: 192.—L.D. II. 115.] The modification of colours and arrangement in the plain binding is interminable. In the XVIIIth dynasty we find