t^ i3v 19 ^ D ODD D D D I] & 5 LIED no PL, I. Beni Hasan li (FRONTlSPItCfc;. THE SYMBOL OF THE NOME. Actual size. M. II', BUirhden, FROM THE SOUTH WALL OF TOMB NO 3. ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF EGYPT Edited by F. Ll. GRIFFITH, M.A, F.S.A. FIFTH MEMOIR BENI HASAN PART III. BY F. Ll. GRIFFITH WITH TEN COLOURED PLATES SPECIAL PUBLICATION OF THE EGYPT EXPLORATION FUND LONDON: SOLD AT The offices OF THE EGYl^T EXPLORATION FUND, 37, Great Russell Stueet, W.C, AND AT 15, Blagden Street, Uoston, Mass., U.S.A.; AND BY KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH, TRUBNER & CO., Pateknosteu House, Charing Cross Roao, W.C 1!. QUARITCH, 15, Piccadilly, W. ASHER & Co., 13, Bedford Stuket, Covent Garden, W.C. 189G EGYPT EXPLOEATION FUND. lPrci3lC>cnt. SIR JOHN FOWLER, ]!akt., K.C.M.G. DiCC=lptC8lCiCnt8. Sir RMaunde Thompson, K.C.B.,D.C.L.,LL.D. The Hon. Chas. L. Hutchinson (U.S.A.). Major - General Sir Francis Gkenfell, Sir J. William Dawson, D.C.L., LL.D., l-'.R.S. G.C.M.G., K.C.B. (Canada). TiiK Rev. Prof. A. H. Sayoe, M.A., LL.D. Prof. G. iNIaspero, D.C.L. (Fiance). Esq., L.H.D., LL.D. Charles Dudley Warner, Prof. An. Erman, Pli.D. (Germany). (U.S.A.). Josiaii Mullens, Esq. (Australia). The Rev. W. C. Winslow, D.D., D.C.L. {Hon. Treas. and Ron. Sec, U.S.A.). M. Charles Hentsch (Switzerland). Ibon. treasurers. II. A Grueber, Esq., F.S.A. The Rev. W. C. Winslow, D.D., D.C.L. (Boston, U.S.A.) Ci.ARENcic H. Clark, Esq. (Pcnn. U.S.A.). yiRcmbcrss of Commtttcc. T. H. Baylis, Esq., M.A., Q.C., V.l). I Mr.s. McCldue. SoMERS Clarke, Escj., F.S.A. The Rev. W. MacGheoor, M.A. J. S. Cotton, Esq., M.A. A. S. Murray, Esq., LL.D., F.S.A. W. E. Ckum, Esq., M.A. D. Parrisii, Esq. (U.S.A.). M. J. DE Moroan {Direeteur General des Anti- Francis Wm. Percival, Esq., F.S.A. quitis de VEgijide). F. G. Hilton Price, Esq., F.S.A. Sib John Evans, K.C.B., D.C.L., LL.D. Mes. Tirard. Arthur John Evans, Es(i., M.A., F.S.A. The Rev. IT. G. Tomkins, M.A. W. Fowler, Esq. The Rt. Rev. The Lord Bishop of Tuuro. F. Ll. Griffith, Esq., M.A., F.S.A. Prof. E. B. Tylor, D.C.L. Mrs. F. Lu Griffith. Hermann Weber, Esq., M.D. T. Farmer Hall, Esq. Major-General Sir Charles Wilson, K.C.B., John IIorniman, Esq., M.P. K.C.M.G., F.R.S. BENI HASAN PART III. INTEODUCTION. In tliis tliird volume on tlic tombs of Beui (that of Khnemhetep) are neatly drawn with Hasan is commenced the publication in fac- a considerable amount of detail, and in places simile of certain important details from the their execution rises almost to the highest scenes and inscriptions, which are shown in level of Egyptian art. outline only, and on a greatly reduced scale, For our present purpose, however, the south in Beni Hasan, I, and II. The wall-pictures wall of the tomb of Ameny affords by far the in tombs of the Middle Kingdom are usually best material. For the study of detail it is an so roughly executed that but little more is to almost ideal example, the scale of the designs be learnt from large-scale drawings than from being very large, while the workmanship is reductions to one-twentieth, such as form the minute. It is, morever, in a very fair state of bnlk of our first publication. But there are preservation. The same cannot be said of exceptional cases, in which great cai'e and Tomb 3, in which tlie colours and even the attention to minute details of depiction were designs are obscured by dirt ; the oil applied expended by the artist on a particular portion to the walls by previous copyists to bring out of a tomb otherwise roughly executed, or in the faded colours has remained on the surface which the artistic workmanship over one whole and caused the dust to adhere in a thin monument rose far above the level of the art coating, which cannot be cleaned off without displayed on those around it. Beni Hasan further injury to the paintings. affords an example of the first class of ex- In studying Egyptian wall-painting the ception in the great south wall of the tomb of question immediately arises how far the faith- Ameny. On this almost every line is sharply fulness and realism of the artists is to be defined, while in other parts of the tomb ill- depended upon. Their bad work was often drawn figures carelessly smeared with a few very bad ; but their best work also was done colours serve indeed a decorative purpose when principally with a view to decorative effect, seen at a proper height and from a proper and thus we see, for example, that the fins of distance, but will not bear close examination. the fishes are often misplaced, the colours of Again, the whole of the paintings in Tomb 3 a bird may be taken from one species and BEN! HASAN. the form from another, wiiile everything is who have examined them with more or less considerably conventionalized. And although care, but the archaeological accuracy which the colouring often forms a valuable guide as considers variation of form and material in to the matei'ial of objects represented, vet in tlie objects and implements depicted has not some cases it is varied only to distinguish entered largely into their work. The volumes different parts of a sign or to break up too of Wilkinson, Rosellini, ChampoUion, Prisse, uniform a surface. and Lepsius—to name only the older workers The Egyptian artist must often have worked —are valuable for suggestions in these matters, in comparative darkness, or with weak artificial but can rarely be fully relied upon in the light, and it is marvellous that he could obtain details. One of the most profitable lines of such results as he did. The copyist of to-day research to be pursued in Egyptology must labours under the same disadvantage, with be based on the making and collecting of full- other disadvantages superadded. The designs sized facsimile drawings of the representations are obscured by injuries of every description of weapons, utensils, ornaments, &c., depicted in the way of effacement and stains. Tt would on the finest monuments of different periods in also seem that some of the mineral colours Egyptian history. have changed to a certain extent : and if any With regard to the writing, it is natural that vegetable colours were used they have dis- the details of the picture-signs should have appeared entirely. These considerations may been slurred by students as much as those of perhaps explain how it is that the colouring the scenes. The pictorial nature of the signs scheme often appears so primitive and un- has been treated by ChampoUion, Birch, and natural. Under the circumstances it is not others, and the forms of a very large number surprising if modern copyists obtain different are now well understood yet careful facsimiles ; results from the same subject. Mr. Blackden of good examples of even the commonest and aimed at ascertaining the original design in a most obvious are valuable as conclusive evidence somewhat diagrammatic style : Mr. Carter and of their meaning as pictures. The tombs of Mr. Brown copy faithfully what they see, and Beni Hasan belong to a good period. It was render it in its present condition. not until the XXth Dynasty that convention- Tlie subjects illustrated in the selections for ality reigned supreme : imtil that time the tliis volume divide themselves into two classes. artist drew, whether roughly or carefully, Those in the first class bear upon the history from his knowledge of objects around him, of Egyptian writing, being selected examples and infused something of contemporary life of the pictures which composed the hieroglyphic into his picture-signs as well as into his system. The second class consists of details scenes. He is often unintelligible to us, but from the scenes illustrative of the state of the study of these ten plates has thrown light culture in the valley of the Nile at the time on many abstruse points, and continued ex- these tombs were made. The scenes have amination should eventually provide a key to afforded material to a succession of students. all the puzzles. A number of special types have been e.veciitcl for the printinij of tin liierogli/plis in this volume, from drawings Idndlij made for the purpose by Miss Payut. I. H I E E O G L Y P H S. PLATES [.—VI. The first six plates contain a selection of In each of the three rows of inscription com- hieroglypliic signs copied by Mr. Blackden in posing this list the name of the offering is 1891 and by Mr. Carter in 1895 ; of these the written out at the top of the column, and a greater number are from the finely painted picture of the object offered is placed at the south wall of the tomb of Ameny.^ Figs. 2, 23, foot as a determinative. But these pictures and '.V2 are from other parts of the tomb same ; are more precise than determinatives are wont Figs. 6, 10, 14, 30, 35, 52, 60, C8, 87, 91, 00 to be in ordinary writing, and while many are from the tomb of Khnemhetep, Tomb 3, of them are regular hieroglyphs, they must and Fig.