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INSCRIPTIONS

The Newsletter of the Friends of the Egypt Centre, Swansea

Issue 39 November 2014 In this issue: Next Lecture 1 A peep into the tomb of King Tut 2 by Anne Houlton

The Continuing Adventures of Ianto the Tidy, the only Welsh Pharaoh... 2 by Anon

About our contributors: Dulcie Engel 2 Editorial 3 41st BAFM Conference 3 by Sheila Nowell

Memories of Claire 4

Dylan Thomas and Ancient Egypt 5 by Dulcie Engel

Claire Edwards

Next Lecture The Friends of the Egypt Centre send their sincere condolences to the family of Wednesday 3 December 2014 at 7 p.m., Fulton House Claire Edwards, long-time Volunteer at Kasia Szpakowska the centre and former Chair of the Friends, who died on 14 September. See Armed and Dangerous: Page 4 for tributes to this remarkable lady who touched the lives of many staff, An iconography of protective volunteers, friends and visitors. Middle and New Kingdom demons.

A peep into the The Continuing Adventures of Ianto tomb of King Tut the Tidy, the only Welsh Pharaoh... Tutankhamun’s tomb was left intact The excavation team have been hard at work revealing the final resting place of this tidiest of Pharaohs. After and not plundered until 1922 largely excavating through several strata of because, when the Valley of the coal and coal dust they chanced upon a Kings flooded, its entrance became door emblazoned with cartouches and silted up with sand and residue from an exhortation. It read the river. A recent television "Congratulations you have found the final resting place of Ianto, Ianto the programme stated this as a fact. Tidy... please leave a message after the When Howard Carter in 1922 opened beep as I am currently in a state of up the tomb wall he was filled full of ma’at and cannot be disturbed. Tidy." awe and amazement; and he famously Following excessive and correct said to his sponsor, the Earl of recording of every aspect of the tomb Caernarvon, that he saw “wonderful entrance, the team broke through the things.” He wrote: “At first I could door to be confronted by a strange see nothing as the hot air was guardian statue which featured an inscription which read: escaping from the chamber causing the candle to flicker, but presently "Ew name's not on the list, ew's not as my eyes grew accustomed to the coming in." light, details of the room emerged Hopefully by the next issue further news will be available. slowly from the mist, strange by Anon animals, statues and gold— everywhere the glint of gold.” About our contributors: Dulcie Engel The main inner chamber was [Inscriptions welcomes contributions right across the spectrum from humorous to crammed full of objects needed for erudite. We thank Dulcie Engel for her fascinating article on Ancient Egypt’s influence on Dylan Thomas, see pages 5-8. Here Dulcie introduces herself – Ed] use in the afterlife, as well as the sarcophagus. Wooden furniture and I was born in London in 1959, and studied languages (French & German) at Bristol University, then linguistics at MA and PhD level at Reading University, statues overlaid with gold, shabti specialising in the usage of French past tenses. figures, gold jewellery with lapis For most of my career I have been a teacher of some sort: mainly teaching lazuli, items made from alabaster, a French language and linguistics at university level, but also teaching English as a chariot, a bed and a wooden sennet Foreign Language to adult learners. board game were all included. The I have worked as a volunteer at the Egypt Centre since April 2014. I currently sheer number of items, their size come in 2 mornings a week and work as a gallery assistant in both ‘houses’. and opulence were indeed impressive. As a child, I was fascinated by Ancient Egyptian artefacts. I have very early memories of seeing mummies in the British Museum, and the Bolton museum Unfortunately, the sponsor of the (where my grandparents lived). In 1972, my mother took me to the Tutankhamun expedition, the Earl of Caernarvon, exhibition in London, I remember the queues and the gold mask quite vividly. In did not die from ‘the Pharoah’s curse’ turn, I went with my husband and children to the 2007 Tutankhamun exhibition at the O2. My daughter was passionate about Egyptology since doing a project at but more prosaically from an primary school; over the years I made quite a few visits to the Egypt Centre with infected mosquito bite. my children and my nephews. My daughter completed the Swansea Egyptology As Tutankhamun died in his teens, in MA in 2009, and her enthusiasm was wonderful. She gave me a fabulous commented tour of the Egyptological galleries at the Louvre. I have also made a recent years scientific tests on his point of visiting collections at the Ashmolean in Oxford, Harrogate Museum, skeleton have concluded that the Bristol museum, Brighton museum, and the Museum of Classical Art in Mougins. I physical injuries to his head and ribs have plans to visit the Petrie museum soon, and would love to go to Turin, Berlin, were most likely to be caused by him MOMA and of course Cairo! either falling from a horse, or from As a linguist, I am particularly interested in the writing systems of Ancient a chariot during a race. Egypt, and my childhood fascination with mummies persists, as illustrated in this article. I also love the intricacy of the amulets and jewellery. by Anne Houlton by Dulcie Engel

st Swansea's Industrial past. This was Editorial 41 BAFM very funny, interspersed as it was with Welcome to Issue 39 of Swansea City v Cardiff jokes, not to Inscriptions, the first in the Conference mention sheep jokes! After lunch 2014-2015 Academic Year. speakers were Garethe El Tawab of In two years from bid to the actual Swansea Museum, Jenni Spencer The Editor and his wife were conference the 41st Annual Davies of the Glynn Vivian Gallery deeply saddened to hear of the Conference and AGM of the British death of Claire Edwards, which and Steph Mastoris of the National Association of Friends of Museums Waterfront Museum, followed by our occurred while we were away on took place at the Marriott Hotel holiday. We remember Claire very own Syd Howells who spoke Swansea on 26th-28th September. fondly as a very charming and about the use of child volunteers. Syd The conference theme was "Keeping capable lady, passionate about was of course the best and had the all things Egyptian and Heritage Alive". most "groupies" around him brimming with energy for getting We arrived on the Friday about afterwards. We then left to take Syd things done. She will be sorely midday to set up in the foyer with back to the Egypt Centre in a blaze of missed by all connected with the literature and pop ups about the reflected glory. Egypt Centre. Egypt Centre and it was already a The evening started with a reception We will also shortly be saying hive of activity. I had expected to given by the Lord Mayor, Councillor goodbye to another inspirational accompany the tour to the Egypt Ceinwen Thomas, at the Brangwyn Chairman, but this time for a Centre but found I was also doing the Hall, followed by a quick peek at the happier reason. Ken Griffin, Richard Burton Archives and newly refurbished Brangwyn Panels who his currently in the hot Singleton Abbey. Being a tour guide and then a tour of the council seat, will be spending much of is now off my list for ever! Later the chamber, which was very impressive. the coming year abroad involved Deputy Leader of the City and County in various exciting digs, and has Then off to the gala dinner at the of Swansea, Councillor Christine Marriott. The after dinner speaker was decided he has to relinquish the Richards, welcomed delegates at a chairmanship. We extend our Dr Alwyn Humphreys who at the end reception hosted by Swansea sincere thanks to Ken for his of his talk conducted everyone in Museum, and Garethe El Tawab, the work as Chairman and wish him singing Calon Lan and We'll keep a every success in his excavations. curator, gave a tour. There followed a welcome in the hillsides. No tours for buffet at the Marriott. me on the Sunday morning! Another issue of Inscriptions is planned for the New Year, so we After registration on the Saturday, the I hope we succeeded in our aim of will be grateful for more Chair of BAFM welcomed everyone promoting the work of the Egypt contributions, whether chatty or and introduced the first speaker, Dr Centre especially with child scholarly! You can send it in David Fleming, Vice president of the volunteers and increasing the profile. hard copy or electronic form. Museums Association, who spoke on It was hard work, many meetings, Please address it to the Egypt how museums can preserve the past some fraught, but the feedback I Centre and mark it for my and the present for future generations have had was that it was a great attention. in view of the current cuts in public success and one of the best Mike Mac Donagh expenditure. After coffee Huw Bowen conferences ever. Many first time spoke on safeguarding the future of visitors to Swansea were so impressed that they said they would return for longer. by Sheila Nowell

Syd and Sheila enjoy a well-earned A hive of activity at the BAFM conference cup of coffee

Memories of Claire Claire Edwards was a Volunteer at the Egypt Centre from 2001 to I can’t remember the exact date that Claire applied to volunteer 2014. The reason she gave for volunteering was: ‘Retirement but it was sometime in 2001. I can remember her application begins to pall and I am anxious to get my brain working again! form and thought ‘perfect’. How right I was. I can remember our Having worked for the Wales Tourist Board I enjoy meeting first meeting, in the shared area, I think Claire wore a beautiful people and helping with gaining information.’ scarf and was incredibly smart (as always). She had had an Claire was an exceptional education leader; children loved impressive and varied career which included over 30 years’ listening to her explaining the wonders of ancient Egypt and she teaching experience which I thought might come in handy. I was was always ready to take a new volunteer under her wing. thinking ‘Tuesday Claire’.. Claire will always be remembered for her ‘Harry Potter’ themed We had a great time chatting about what she had done and costume activity! This was so popular and the children were how she could help us and I remembered thinking what a kind totally enthralled by Claire’s claim to be a teacher at Hogwarts! person she was. She immediately became ‘posh Claire’. I don’t Claire would ask the children to close their eyes as she took them know why because I don’t think we had any other non-posh on a magical carpet ride travelling across continents and back in Claires at Egypt Centre. And I’m not sure if she ever knew I called time to ancient Egypt. Claire wasn’t impressed when we moved her posh Claire! the large framed print of a tomb painting that she used for this I used to love sitting having chats about life, love, the universe activity! etc. and I can remember she was so very supportive when I had Claire loved to tell others about the Egypt Centre and was always another ‘life’ crisis! I can remember telling her about where I’d sending visitors from the Tourist been the previous weekends and what Information Centre where she worked. I’d got up to (not everything) ...oh, the Claire was awarded a volunteer award look of horror on her face. But I think for advertising the museum. she loved my stories. She used to have Claire became Chair for the Friends of a great laugh at my fashion sense and the Egypt Centre and actively raised my tattoos! funds for her beloved museum, Her skills with children and adults of all organising very popular garden parties ages and abilities were priceless. She as well as being a founder of the always had time for everyone and had Griffiths Memorial Lectures. Claire loved great advice. socialising and made friends for life with I missed everyone a lot when I left Egypt other volunteers, even going on holiday Centre, I still do, and I was saddened to with them to Egypt and Germany too! hear of Claire’s passing. I’m sure that she Wendy Goodridge will be greatly missed but I’m also sure she is looking down on us having a Assistant Curator great time. Thanks for the memories Claire. xxx Stuart Williams Volunteer Manager @ Egypt

Claire was a very thoughtful person. In Centre, 2000–2008 2006 Prince Charles and Camilla came to visit the Egypt Centre and other parts of the University. Egypt I first encountered Claire when I joined the Friends of the Egypt Centre staff and volunteers, including Claire, were involved in Centre. At that time she was Chair of the Friends and an ever- entertaining the royal couple and the University organised a lunch present figure at all lectures and events. It was clear that here for the academic members of staff who had been involved. was a formidable woman with a passion for Egyptology, When Claire found out that this did not involve Egypt Centre staff performance and people. Claire was unafraid of anything and I she decided to do something about it. recognised in her a similar anarchic spirit, ready to do battle with After the visitors had left the Centre and gone onto their lunch, all that life threw in her way. Wendy and I were making the shop area ready for our ‘normal’ Later when I was fortunate enough to become Volunteer visitors. We received an urgent message from upstairs and both of Manager at the Egypt Centre, Claire was an invaluable presence, us, Claire said, were required urgently. So, we dashed upstairs always willing to help out, and I was sad when she decided to wondering what disaster had occurred. The upstairs gallery retire from volunteering with us. In typical style Claire was making seemed fine so we went to check on the bar area next to the a comeback à la Frank Sinatra when she sadly took her bow. Taliesin. Claire had organised a surprise strawberries and sparkling A lovely woman who will be much missed by us all. wine lunch for us all. There was no disaster. ‘All the world’s a stage’ – W. Shakespeare. Carolyn Graves-Brown Syd Howells Curator Volunteer Manager

Dylan Thomas and Ancient Egypt 2014 is the centenary of the birth of underworld. Seth was cast into the Lying with Set or the bull, or both the world-famous poet and prose writer desert, where he ruled as the god of Side by side of the Nile’s white cloth… Dylan Thomas, at 5 Cwmdonkin Drive, chaos and evil. [Papyrus Chester Beatty I Makes him desire Seb’s fair daughter Uplands, Swansea on 27th October 1914. somewhat differs —Ed] Earth and sky, with her sacred cow Swansea was his home for the first 20 As deities, Osiris was associated with Who gave her horns on the flat-haired years1, the place that inspired his writing death, resurrection and fertility. Isis was brow throughout his short life, and the place seen as a protectress and mother figure. She sits on a disced and symboled where his early poems were written. Their son Horus was the embodiment of throne… Among the many celebrations and divine kingship, and it is his four sons He thought of Isis and her lotus staff… events to mark this anniversary was an that protect the organs placed in canopic Apis must come to the cow… 6 exhibition of his early notebooks at the jars during mummification. Or the cow to Apis… 2 Dylan Thomas Centre in Swansea. The Dylan’s familiarity with the legend As one commentator put it, ‘Thomas, very first poem in the first notebook can be seen from a cursory selection of who must have read a book on Egypt, from 1930 is entitled ‘Osiris, come to lines from the poem7: was fascinated with pyramids and Isis’3, written at the age of fifteen, and mummies’10. However, there is rather dated April 27th. The poem ‘uses … more to Dylan’s interest in Egyptian Egyptian mythology to make some Osiris was the son of Seb and Nut mythology. Kleinman (1963) suggests he shaky pronouncements about love’4. A glacial god, a strongly muscled boy… was very familiar with Egyptian myths Watery-handsome like a spotted stoat Before we examine the text, a short 8 and customs and the Book of the Dead, No parhelion in the Egypt skies and is one of many commentators who explanation of the mythological refer- But symbol of the sun’s fierce throat… ences is necessary. Geb (Seb here5) the note the importance of the themes of Osiris, Osiris, father of Horus…. love, death and rebirth in Dylan’s poetry. earth god and Nut the sky goddess were born again in the belly of Apis9… the parents of two sons, Osiris and Seth That this is already clear in an early Opening his eye and dreaming of Isis th (Set here), and two daughters, Isis and poem written before his 16 birthday is Nephthys. Osiris and Isis were also the of some significance. 6 parents of Horus; Isis was also There are numerous sources for this legend It is most likely that he found the worshipped as mother of the sacred Apis and the traits of the gods. A useful reference books on Ancient Egypt in his father’s is Shaw and Nicolson (1995). bull. She took over many of the 7 study: ‘He himself recorded how…he attributes of the cow goddess Hathor, Maud (1967) has edited the notebooks for would sit in his father’s dim book-lined publication. and is usually depicted wearing the solar 8 ‘den’ and read indiscriminately, until his disc and cow horns associated with A parhelion is a phenomenon also known as eyes hung out. D.J.’s11 shelves contained Hathor. Later, Hathor was married to a phantom sun, or sun dog: a pair of bright ‘nearly everything that a respectable spots either side of the sun. Dylan seems to 12 Horus. be very fond of this word as it occurs in other highbrow library should contain’.’ And To very briefly summarise one texts (see Goodby 2013: 131). The Goodby (2013: 255) reminds us of the version of the legend, Seth killed his phenomenon is noted as occurring in Egypt popularity among the modernist writers brother the king, Osiris, and seized the in Phillips (1800: 87). Furthermore, of The Golden Bough by J. G. Frazer, throne. Isis magically resurrected Osiris according to an online dictionary: ‘There are first published in 1890. Its discussion of and conceived Horus. Horus avenged his records among the writings of the Ancient different belief systems from a cultural Egyptians that discuss two suns in the sky, perspective was highly influential on father’s death and became king of the and one that discusses the sun setting in the living, while Osiris became king of the writers Thomas admired, such as W.B. east, or moving backward’ Yeats, T.S. Eliot and James Joyce13. This (askdefinebeta.com). However, Carolyn book could easily have had a place on 1 th Graves-Brown (Egypt Centre) has found no He died in New York on 9 November record of such Egyptian writings. The authors D.J.’s bookshelves. 1953, aged 39. of the definition may have confused Egyptian 2 As well as being an avid reader, Loaned by the University of Buffalo, to ideas of the Duat with what today we would young Dylan was a keen cinema-goer, whom they were sold (by Dylan) in 1941. call a sun dog. The Duat, according to the and the following anecdote shows They were on display in Swansea from 31/05 Egyptians was the underworld through which another memorable induction into to 4/09/2014. the sun god Ra travels on a boat, from sunset 3 Coincidentally, Bob Dylan (who famously (west) to sunrise (east). The sun rising in the Ancient Egypt. In 1950, at his last changed his surname in homage to Welsh morning is his rebirth by Nut. This might reunion with his old Swansea friends all Dylan) wrote a song called ‘Isis’ which have been misinterpreted by the authors as an features on the 1976 ‘Desire’ album. It Egyptian belief in two suns or the sun setting includes the lyrics I married Isis on the fifth in the east or moving backwards. day of May…we came to the pyramids all The Akkadian Victory Stele of Naram-Sin 10 embedded in ice…I broke into the tomb but (c.2230 BC) clearly depicts two suns, or Tindall (1962: 73). See also Goodby the casket was empty… perhaps stars, in the sky, possibly (2013: 131): ‘there are a number of Egyptian 4 Ferris (1977: 56) representing gods. Thanks to Carolyn and classical references’. 11 5 Both Seb and Keb are known variations of Graves-Brown for bringing this to my Dylan’s father, D.J. Thomas, English Geb attention. master at Swansea Grammar School. 12 (http://www.ancientegyptonline.co.uk/geb.ht 9 As pointed out earlier, Apis was a bull, not Lycett (2003: 36). ml). a cow! 13 See Rossman (1974: 420-423).

together14, the men ‘decided to re-enact a interest in the west in all things ancient The armour could refer to the layers of film about Egyptian tombs that had Egyptian. A wave of ‘Tut mania’ swept bandages, the shroud, the wooden coffin terrified them as children at the Uplands the west. The interest manifested itself or the stone sarcophagus, all protecting fleapit. Dylan played the Egyptologist not just in mummy films, but also in the body. 19 while Vernon was the tomb robber, and decoration, fashion and building . In his second published collection, Dan was the mummified pharaoh, posing Indeed many cinemas and other public Twenty-five Poems (1936), three more in an old zinc bath that they turned buildings were designed to look like 15 poems make use of Egyptian funerary upright and used as a tomb’ . Egyptian temples, both in the UK and imagery, and illustrate some degree of Furthermore, we know Dylan the USA. A Swansea example of familiarity with the mummification frequently visited Swansea Museum. In Egyptian architectural influence is the process22. Art Deco Oystermouth Library, built in his broadcast ‘Reminiscences of In ‘Should lanterns shine’, the sense 16 1935, shortly after Dylan left Swansea Childhood’ , he describes walking of decay is palpable. The pigments could for London. through the centre of Swansea ‘past the refer to the cosmetics painted on the blackened monuments of civic pride and All these cultural influences must face, or the painted death mask. And a the museum, which should have been in have worked their way into Dylan’s beard was a symbol of kingship: a museum’. Apparently, as a reporter on writing, and their continued presence is pharaohs, both male and female, usually the South Wales Daily Post (1931-32), seen in other work. Indeed, the early had false beards. Another association he used to sleep off the excesses of too notebooks were the source of much of raised is that of the public mummy much beer at lunchtime in a quiet corner the material in his published works, 17 unwrappings attended by bearded of the museum . He would have been particularly the first two collections of Victorian scholars, which were often very familiar with one of the star poetry. considered in a sexualised way as a attractions, the Egyptian mummy of the Vernon Watkins (2013: 25) says of stripping of the body. Although the priest Hor (c. 250-200BC), which came his first published collection, 18 Poems beard could also belong to Old Father 18 to the museum in 1888 . (1934): ‘They were intricate poems, Time23: Following the discovery of packed with sexual imagery. They were … Tutankhamun’s tomb by Howard Carter explorations of the universe always The features in their private dark in November 1922 (when Dylan was 8 related back to the poet’s own body, to Are formed of flesh, but let the false day years old), there was an increased his forbears, to time and dissolution, to come birth and its mystery.’ And from her lips the faded pigments

14 The collection includes ‘My world is fall, Daniel Jones the composer, Alfred Janes pyramid’, where the pyramid comes to the artist, and Vernon Watkins the poet. The mummy cloths expose an ancient 15 represent protection from the outside breast… Janes (2014: 170). There were many films world, its function being to keep the made in the 1920s, with titles such as ‘Tut- So fast I move defying time, the quiet dead safe for their rebirth in the gentleman Tut and his Terrible Tomb’ (1923); ‘The 20 Shadow of Egypt (1924); ‘Mummy Love’ afterlife : Whose beard wags in Egyptian wind… (1926). See My world is pyramid. The padded According to Tindall (1962: 140- http://www.ancientegyptfilmsite.nl. Thanks mummer 141): ‘With the boys of ‘Should lanterns to Caroline Franklin for alerting me to this Weeps on the desert ochre and the salt website. shine’ and ‘My world is pyramid’, we Incising summer. visit Egypt to inspect mummies, which 16 Written in 1942, first broadcast on the My Egypt’s armour buckling in its sheet serve the poet now as images of BBC in 1943. Text available in various I scrape through resin to starry bone collections of his stories and broadcasts. printing…the poems are mummies of And a blood parhelion. 17 Elaine Kidwell, a one-time librarian at themselves. They are embalmed; yet Swansea Museum, also remembered Dylan Mummification took place in the publishing them is a kind of as a “beautifully mannered” man. She told us desert on the west bank of the Nile and resurrection.’ how, in the late 1930s, after the pubs closed was carried out by bandagers/embalmers The Egyptian imagery is continued in for the afternoon, he liked to call in at the supervised by priests. Natron salt was ‘Altarwise by moonlight’, with museum. He had an understanding with used as a preservative and drying agent, references to pharaohs, camels24, library staff, who’d let him go down to the and the body was coated with resin21. basement, where he’d promptly fall asleep in a comfy chair in the Gents. At closing time it this colouring was due to the use of bitumen, was Elaine's job to wake Dylan up and usher 19 In her review of the ‘Discovering hence the word ‘mummiya’, (bitumen in him out of the building to make sure he Tutankhamum’ exhibition at the Ashmolean Arabic), then borrowed into many languages wasn't locked in overnight’ (bbc.co.uk/blogs/ Museum in Oxford (24/07 -2/11/14), to describe the process and the body. (Shaw wales/profiling Dylan Thomas…) Thanks to Kennedy (2014) writes: ‘images of the king & Nicholson 1995: 192). 22 Adrian Metcalfe of the Lighthouse Theatre or objects from the tomb appeared on Dylan may well have read the classic company, and Matthew Hughes, curator of jewellery, furnishing fabric, cigarette cards, account of mummification by the Greek the Dylan Thomas Birthplace, for helping me penknives, biscuit tins and evening gowns’. historian Herodotus (c. 490-420 BC) in track this down. However this would be in 20 See Tindall (1962: 73-75). Kleinman Book 2 of The Histories. 23 the early, not the late 1930s. (1963: 103-118) also discusses the use of Thanks again to Carolyn Graves-Brown for 18 Donated by Swansea-born Field Marshall Egyptian imagery as part of his wider study reminding me of mummy unwrappings and Lord Francis Grenfell, acquired with the help of Dylan’s religious poetry. Old Father Time! 24 of Egyptologist Wallace Budge (Sabine 21 The resin added to the already darkened Camels were only introduced to Egypt in 1996). colour of the skin, and the Arabs believed the Roman period [although known earlier-Ed]

shrouds, resurrection, deserts, bandages, possibly winged scarabs, or more likely, mummies, and richly decorated masks, linen, gold, masks, sand and triangles ba-birds26. The ba represented one’s such as that of Tutankhamun, made of (pyramids?)25: personality, and after death, the ba-bird gold inlaid with coloured glass and semi- (from sonnet IV) flew between the tomb and the precious stones. Dylan may be using underworld. The flying grail could also ‘spectacled’ as a synonym for … refer to the ba-bird. ‘decorated’. The claws could then refer Shade without shape? the shape of The animal in line 2 could be the to the gold finger guards placed on Pharoah’s echo?… 28 crocodile god Sobek, or Ammut the mummies of the very rich . Or indeed, My camel’s eye will needle through the devourer (head of a crocodile, foreparts this could be a play on words, with the shroud… of a lion, and rear of a hippopotamus), adjectives deliberately switched (from sonnet IX) who consumed the hearts of evil people (spectacled eyes, enamelled claws). The 29 in the weighing of the heart scene. Oils ‘wedjet eye’ or Eye of Horus does look … 30 This was the resurrection in the desert, and ointments were used to scent and spectacled . Alternatively, the eyes and Death from a bandage, rants the mask of soften the dried corpse before claws belong to the gods and monsters of scholars bandaging, and the hollowed man is the underworld: Gold on such features, and the linen clearly the eviscerated body of the O make me a mask and a wall to shut spirit corpse after the internal organs were from your spies Weds my long gentleman to dusts and removed. The saddler of the rushes could Of the sharp, enamelled eyes and the furies; refer to the crocodile in his natural spectacled claws… With priest and pharaoh bed my gentle habitat. Rushes are important in the story Ironically perhaps, a death mask was wound, of Osiris and Isis, as Isis hid her baby made of Dylan by the sculptor David World in the sand, on the triangle son Horus in the rushes to conceal him Slivka in the Manhattan funeral home landscape, from Seth. The papyrus reed (similar to a where he was laid out in November With stones of odyssey for ash and rush) was the symbol of Lower Egypt. 1953. Slivka cast five bronzes from the garland The houses could refer to the House mask, one of which can be seen at the And rivers of the dead around my neck. of Beauty (the tent where Dylan Thomas Centre in Swansea (Fox Of sonnet IX, Goodby (2013: 269) mummification took place), or the House 2010). writes of the poet’s entombment: ‘the of Death (the tomb). Watkins frequently referred to Dylan embalming technique is highly In 1939, The Map of Love was as a person hidden behind a mask: ‘A textualised, and he is consigned to the published, a collection of ‘seven stories, writer’s mask can be fatal to him, and it ‘dusts and furies’ of an Egyptian all fanciful and some surrealist, and is certain that the image demanded of ‘triangle landscape’, as sterile as those in sixteen poems’27. In the story ‘The Dylan Thomas was accelerated by his ‘My world is pyramid’.’ Mouse and The Woman’, we find echoes popularity…His method was not to In the stanza below from the poem ‘I, of ‘Osiris, come to Isis’ , ‘My world is retreat from the mask, but to advance in my intricate image’, the scales may pyramid’ and ‘Should lanterns shine’: beyond it, and in that exaggeration refer to the weighing of the heart scene, remain completely himself’ (Watkins ‘Consider now the old effigy of time, his a judgement of a person’s goodness to 2013: 24). This poem shows some self- long beard whitened by an Egyptian determine whether s/he would go into awareness of the dichotomy in Dylan’s sun…Parhelion and sun shine in the the afterlife: character. same sky with the broken moon. Dizzy … with the chasing of moon by sun,…I run The poem ‘I make this in a warring Man was the scales, the death birds on upstairs to read again of the love of absence’ (originally entitled ‘Poem to enamel, some man for a woman’ Caitlin’), merits these comments from Tail, Nile, and snout, a saddler of the Vernon Watkins, based on his The same collection contains two rushes, discussions with Dylan: ‘Dylan told me further poems with Egyptian funerary Time in the hourless houses that he had gone down into the tombs of imagery. ‘O make me a mask’ begins Shaking the sea-hatched skull, Egypt and must come up in eight with references to the death mask and And, as for oils and ointments on the the wall of the tomb. As for enamelled flying grail, eyes, we find artificial glass eyes on 28 All-hollowed man wept for his white For an image of Tutankhamun’s gold apparel… finger covers, see: http://www.wanderingeducators.com/best/tra The scales might also link to the 26 ‘In order for the bodies of the deceased to veling/tutankhamun-golden-king-and-great- animal imagery of the second line. The survive in the afterlife, they had to be re- pharaohs.html death birds on enamel probably refer to united with the ba every night, and Spell 89 29 Horus lost his left eye in his battle with amulets placed within the bandages, of the Book of the Dead recommended that a Seth, and it was restored by Hathor. The eye golden ba-bird should be placed on the chest came to symbolise healing and protection. An of the mummy in order to facilitate this amulet of the eye was placed on the mummy, 25 ‘One can…find him generating…new reunion’ (Shaw & Nicholson 1995: 47). over the incision made on the left hand side associations’ by displacing words from their The death bird could also be Horus of the two of the body, in order to remove the organs. usual contexts (the Egyptian group of horizons (The rising and setting sun), 30 Thanks again to Carolyn Graves-Brown for ‘pyramid’, ’mummy’, ‘crocodile’ and symbolised as a hawk-winged sun disc her insights here. She also points out that the ‘desert’ is one example)’ (Goodby 2013: (Carolyn Graves-Brown). Egyptian mask was made not to hide, but to 134). 27 Ferris (1977: 177) become more godlike.

lines…Of course the wonder he had In conclusion, Dylan had more than a M. Kennedy (2014) ‘The king and I. experienced in reading about the opening passing fascination with Ancient Egypt. Tutankhamun craze remembered’, The of Tutankhamun’s tomb is in the verse, He grew up in a period of intense public Guardian 24/7/2014 and so, too, is the ninth sonnet of interest in all things Egyptian, and H. Kleinman (1963) The Religious Sonnets Of Dylan Thomas: A Study in Imagery and ‘Altarwise by moonlight’…’(Watkins particularly with those aspects related to Meaning (University of California Press) 2013: 62). This comment by a close funerary rites. He was extremely well A. Lycett (2003) Dylan Thomas. A new life friend and contemporary poet vindicates read and had certainly seen a mummy up (Phoenix) 34 my earlier comment on the widespread close in the museum . He returned to R. Maud (ed)(1967/68) Poet in the Making. cultural influence of ‘Tut mania’31. Ancient Egypt time and time again, at The Notebooks of Dylan Thomas (Dent) ‘I make this in a warring absence’ least from 1930 to 1939, as part of the R. Phillips (1800) Memoirs Relative to Egypt. also has many echoes of ‘My world is rich battery of imagery at his disposal: Written in that country during the campaigns 35 of General Bonaparte, in the years 1798 and pyramid’, with the anatomist clearly Christian , Classical, Celtic, literary and natural. The themes of Ancient Egyptian 1799, by the learned and scientific men who referring to the embalmer. The unusual accompanied the French expedition (Institut choice of ‘emerald’ to describe the legend and ceremony find universal D’Egypte) bandages could be a reference to echoes in those all so human concerns Rossman, C. (1974) ‘Review of The Literary Caitlin’s Irish roots, and also picks up with birth, death, love, life and resurrect- Impact of the Golden Bough by J.B. Vickery’ the theme of precious stones in the last ion which are at the heart of his poetry. in James Joyce Quarterly 11,4: 420-423. line quoted here32. Goodby (2013:213) is The last words go to his great friend J. Sabine (1996) The Egyptian Mummy in rather more scathing of the imagery: and fellow Swansea poet, Vernon Wat- Swansea Museum (Swansea Museum Inform- ‘…burial and rebirth—as in ‘Altarwise’, kins: ‘We were both Welsh, both Christ- ation Leaflet, City & County of Swansea) I. Shaw & P. Nicholson (1995/97) British part IX—are expressed in Thomas’s best ian poets; we both loved the sea and lived Museum Dictionary of Ancient Egypt (British cod-Egyptian mode’: by it. We both believed that it was good Museum Press) … for living poets to learn from dead and A. Sonin (2013) ‘Heritage: Hard drinking ancient models rather than from their poet Dylan Thomas and the ‘house of horror’ Weighed in rock shroud is my proud contemporaries’ (Watkins 2003: xii)36. years in Camden Town Ham and High pyramid Clearly Dylan drew on ancient 11/05/2013 Where, wound in emerald linen and W. Tindall (1962) A Reader’s Guide to sharp wind, history as well as ancient poetry. Dylan Thomas (Syracuse University Press) The hero’s hand lies scraped of every Dulcie Engel D. Thomas: legend (1934) 18 Poems (Sunday Referee & Comes love’s anatomist with sun-gloved Egypt Centre, University of Swansea Parton Bookshop) hand References (1936) Twenty-five poems (Dent) Who picks the live heart on a diamond… P. Ferris (1977/78) Dylan Thomas (Penguin) (1939) The Map of Love (Dent) M. Fox (2010) ‘David Slivka, a sculptor and (1955) A Prospect of the Sea. And other And on a lighter note, in the story ‘A Stories and Prose Writings edited by 33 painter, dies at 95’ The New York Times prospect of the sea’ a young boy is 4/04/2010 Daniel Jones (Dent) seduced, partly by an alluring and J. Goodby, (2013) The Poetry of Dylan V. Watkins: fantastical Egyptian reference: Thomas. Under the Spelling Wall Liverpool (2003) Poems for Dylan (Gomer) University Press (2013) Vernon Watkins on Dylan ‘I come from Amman valley,’ said the Thomas and other poets and poetry boy. Herodotus (1954/2003) The Histories translated by A. de Sélincourt, revised with selected and edited by G. Watkins & J. ‘I have a sister in Egypt,’ she said, ‘who Introduction & Notes by J. Marincola Towns (Parthian) lives in a pyramid…’ She drew him (Penguin) closer. Websites consulted H. Janes (2014) The Three Lives of Dylan www.ancientegyptfilmsite.nl ‘They’re calling me in for tea,’ he said. Thomas (Robson Press) www.ancientegyptonline.co.uk She lifted her frock to her waist. 34 www.askdefinebeta.com He probably knew the Egypt galleries in www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/wales/posts/Profiling- the British Museum too: ‘Thomas first visited Dylan-Thomas-a-beautifully-mannered-man London in 1932 and, apparently, whilst at the 31 www.bobdylan.com Dylan’s interest in these recent discoveries British Museum began waxing lyrical over a www. dylanthomas.com is also noted by Goodby (2013: 233 n.45) piece of “abstract sculpture” only to be told it www.hamhigh.co.uk/news/ 32 Although, depending on the depths of was a meteorite’ (Sonin 2013). A few years www.poemhunter.com Dylan’s knowledge, it could refer to the later, Dylan lived in Fitzrovia, near the http://victory-stele-of-naramsin.wikia.com/ green skin of Osiris, linked to rebirth British Museum and the Petrie Museum of wiki/Victory_Stele_of_Naram-Sin_Wiki (Carolyn Graves-Brown), or as Tindall Egyptian Archaeology. www.wanderingeducators.com/best/traveling (1962: 149), suggests, the emerald tablet of 35 The story of Isis and Horus has parallels /tutankhamun-golden-king-and-great- Thoth, god of wisdom. Kleinman (1963: 105) with that of baby Moses in the rushes, and pharaohs.htm analyses the diamond and heart line as representations of the mother and child in Author’s note preservation of the heart (thanks to Caroline paintings and statues foreshadow depictions The author would like to thank Caroline Franklin here). of the Virgin Mary and infant Jesus. And the Franklin (English Department, Swansea 33 This is the title story in a posthumously Ancient Greeks were greatly influenced by University) and Carolyn Graves-Brown published collection(1955), but it was first Ancient Egyptian mythology, adopting many (Egypt Centre Swansea) for their detailed published in 1937, in Life and Letters. The of their gods (so Thoth becomes Hermes for comments, and Marian Whitehead (Norwich) collection also includes ‘The Mouse and the example). for her general feedback on earlier drafts of 36 Woman’(first published in 1936 in From Watkins’s typed account of his first this paper. Any remaining errors and Transition). meeting with Dylan in 1935. omissions are my own.