But not only did the Egyptian Chancellor have charge of everything connected with the Treasury, he seems also to have had a considerable share of the responsibility of appointing various State officials. We have already referred to the story of Joseph’s appointment to the Vezîrate, in which case the Seal or Signet of office was given by the king personally. With other officials, however, it seems to have been the custom for the Chancellor to deliver the Seal, and this ceremonial in a bureaucratic country such as Egypt then was, must have entailed a vast amount of time. Possessing the authority to appoint high officers, and also the means of controlling the State Treasury, it is no wonder that these old Chancellors attained to a great degree of power, and there seems reason to believe that more than one dynasty had its origin in a Chancellor’s family. So many and various were the duties of the Keeper of the (Royal) Seal, that it is hardly matter for surprise if we find that he employed a large staff of assistants to help him. Among these the [Egyptian **] “Deputy of the Keeper of the (Royal) Seal,”[65] appears to have been the most important. When his chief was absent from the capital on one of the official tours of inspection through the country, this _adenu_ or “deputy” was left in charge of the central office, and the duty naturally devolved upon him of looking after the permanent staff of the Treasury Department. This staff consisted of:— (1) A [Egyptian **] “Chief Overseer of the Courtyard of the Keeper of the (Royal) Seal,”[66] an official who was, I believe, deputed to personally supervise everything that went in or out of the _Bêt el mal_ or Treasury. There was also (2) A [Egyptian **] or “Overseer of the Courtyard of the Keeper of the (Royal) Seal.”[67] (3) A [Egyptian **] or “Overseer of the Courtyard of the Office of the Keeper of the (Royal) Seal.”[68] (4) Several [Egyptian **] “Assistants.”[69] (5) A [Egyptian **] “Chief Scribe,”[70] and several (6) [Egyptian **] “Scribes,”[71] who had their own