3 0620 00631 T H E M E T R O P O L I T A N M U S E U M 0 1 A R I

T H E H O M E LIFE OF I H E A N C I E N T E G Y PTI A \ S

A P I C T I RI BOOK

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

T H E HOME LIFE

OF THE

ANCIENT EGYPTIANS

BY N O R A E. S C O T T

Is there anything whereof it may

be said, See, this is new? it hath

been already of old time, which

was before us.

ECCLESIASTES 1:10

NEW Y O R K • M C M X L V

Copyright by The Metropolitan Museum of Art

June, 1945

ON THE COVER: A girl anointing Indies at a banquet. From a wall painting. About 1400 B.C.

II tl* tit T I T

1. A gardener drawing water from a pool. Restoration of a wall paititing. About 1250 B.C.

INTRODUCTION

The Egyptians are one of the most attractive peoples of antiquity, both in character and in manner of life. It was their industry which, in prehistoric times, had reclaimed their fertile land from the swamps which edged the Nile. Endless industry kept the fields green, and in return they produced food and Hax in abun­dance. The surrounding deserts provided stone and metal. The Egyptian was proud of his country, and the foreign conquests of the more warlike rulers did not really interest him. He was happy to stay at home with his family, passing his leisure hours in his well-appointed house and shady garden and enjoying an occa­sional day's hunting in the desert or fishing or fowling on the river.

Conditions of life along the Nile have changed extraordinarily little since the days of the earliest Pharaohs. The long, secluded val­

ley dominated by the river and the desert has exerted the same powerful influence on all who have dwelt in it. The Egyptian of dynas­tic times was very like his modern descendant —in his practical common sense combined with superstition, his innate conservatism and distrust of novelty, but above all in his cheer­ful disposition and love of fun.

Things have always been done in the tradi­tional way in Egypt, and this is true to such an extent' that we can often interpret ancient pictures by present-day customs. Changes and developments did, of course, occur, but they add comparatively little to an understanding of Egyptian life; we have therefore for the most part disregarded them here.

The objects illustrated are from the Muse­um's collections and are typical of the pos­sessions of the well-to-do.

2. An official with liis wife and daughter and a maidservant. About 1300 B.C. H.

THE FAMILY

The Egyptian family was a closely knit unit in ancient times, as it is today. It was customary to picture a man's wife and children on his stela (gravestone), and often his parents and grandparents are mentioned if they are not actually represented. The mother is shown more frequently than the father, as descent was traced through the female line.

As a rule a man had only one wife, who went about freely and suffered from none of the restrictions imposed upon women of the modern Near East. The sage Ptah-hotpe en­joined: "If thou art a man of note, found for thyself a household, and love thy wife. Feed her and clothe her and give her ointment for her limbs. Gladden her heart so long as she liveth. . . . Hold her back from getting the mastery."

No marriage contracts have been preserved, but in the later periods, at least, financial set­tlements were drawn up at the time of the wedding. Because of the desire to keep prop­erty in the family, sister-and-brother marriages were not unusual.

The Egyptians were extremely fond and

proud of their children. Each child was named at birth, frequently in honor of a god or the king. Often names refer to qualities; some re­call flowers, trees, or animals; some express the parents' joy over their child. Little Egyp­tians had toys much like our own to play with (fig. 30) and pets to keep them company. Chil­dren were often allowed to accompany their parents to grown-up parties; we see them quietly seated at family dinners, no less ex­cited than their elders at public ceremonies, and "helping" their fathers with their equip­ment on fishing and fowling expeditions.

When it was possible boys were sent to the classes of some local scribe to learn how to read and write—necessary accomplishments for an official career; and, as we see from the exer­cises which they were given to copy, they were also taught good manners, respect for their parents, honesty, humility, and self-control. As they grew older boys often prepared to inherit their fathers' offices; just as often a clever boy who was the son of poor parents was able 10 rise to a high position, for there was no prejudice in ancient Egypt against the self-made man.

THE HOUSE

Egyptian houses were of two types, the town house and the country house. The town house, occupying a small plot but several stories high, was to be found not only in cities but even in villages, where a comparatively large number of dwellings might be crowded together on the only piece of ground available for building.

The development of both houses and towns was strongly influenced by the climate and geography of Egypt. Towns had to be near the river—the highway and the source of water— and yet not encroach upon the narrow strip of fertile land which edged it. The scarcity of rain allowed the use of unfired mud brick as the almost universal material for buildings other than temples (which were intended to last forever). As a result, most of the ancient houses have long ago crumbled away. We can guess that in the great cities the fashionable districts were close to the palace and con­veniently near the important temples. It is likely that the houses were built in pairs back to back. Often they must have opened directly on the street; sometimes there was room, in front or at the sides, for two or three shrubs.

It is difficult to reconstruct these town houses. They are very rarely shown in paint­ings, and when they are, we cannot be certain that we are interpreting the ancient conven­tions correctly. The only picture (not illus­trated) which gives us any real information about the interior shows three stories and an open roof, connected by a staircase. The living rooms of the master and his family seem to be upstairs and at the back of the house, away from the dust and noise of the street. The servants' quarters are in front and on the street level. Some kitchen activities are carried on here and others on the roof, where the at­tendant odors and heat are kept out of the way. The windows, as was always the case, are placed high in the walls and covered with latticework. (Because of the heat and glare outside it was not desirable to have windows which admitted much sunshine; sometimes the only light came through the door.)

A widespread, one-storied dwelling with open courts, surrounded by gardens was, how­ever, the Egyptian ideal, and wealthy officials liked to live in such bungalows when spending their leisure time on their country estates. A typical country house had its main living room in the center, higher than the surround­ing rooms and ventilated by clerestory win­dows; often there were additional ventilators in the roof to catch the north wind. The sleep­ing quarters were behind the living room, and in front of it was a loggia. An open porch above the loggia overlooked the garden.

Figure 3 shows a country estate as it ap­peared from the road. The whole property is contained by a wall. The master's entrance is at the left; it leads to the main house, which is of mud brick like the wall, but painted to resemble masonry. Unlike most country dwell­ings, this house is two-storied; the height of the ground floor has been exaggerated in order that we may see its windows above the wall. We are probably looking at the side, for the artist has given no indication of the front door —but neither has he bothered to show us the portico and loggias which we should have ex­pected to find. The servants' quarters, a white­washed building with a low dome, lies at the right and is reached by an entrance in the wall. Between it and the house are two silos.

The garden, except for a single tamarisk tree, is not shown here. It consisted of a pool with symmetrically arranged trees and bushes around it. The owner was proud of his estate and has left us a catalogue of "his fine trees in his western garden," mentioning over 450 trees and vines. In order to appreciate the size of this estate we must remember that trees were seldom allowed on the valuable agricul­tural land. They grew at the edge of the desert, but as near the cultivation as possible because they had to be watered constantly (fig. 1). Therefore they were all of varieties which would repay the trouble it had cost to grow them, and were chosen for their value as tim­ber, for their fruit, or for their shade.

3. A two-storied country house with its outbuildings. Two gates in the surrounding wall open on a road. Facsimile of a wall painting. About r20o B.C.

1. A detail of the porch shown in figure 5. Columns representing lotus buds and papyrus support the large crossbeams of the roof. On these are laid smaller poles covered with mud plaster. The crossbeams are painted with yellow stars on a blue ground. Waterspouts carry off the occasional rain and prevent it from injuring the color on the walls and columns.

5. An ancient model of the porch of a country house, the garden which lies in front of it, and the wall which surrounds the whole estate. The garden consists of a pool (lined with copper

so that it could really hold water) edged with sycamore fig trees. There are two doors and a window in the ivall behind the columns. About 2000 B.C W. 77 in.

HOUSEKEEPING

The Egyptian lady was faced with the same duties and problems as any modern housewife —keeping her house clean and her linen laun­dered, marketing and preparing food and drink, and managing her servants.

Kitchen equipment did not differ funda­mentally from our own. Cooking vessels were of many sizes and shapes, usually of pottery, sometimes of metal; they were placed directly on the fire or in clay ovens. The fuel employed for cooking was wood and charcoal, and some­times dried manure, as in modern Egypt; if the fire was allowed to go out it had to be re­kindled with a bow drill. Lamps were most frequently saucers holding a wick and oil.

Egyptian houses were provided with neither cupboards nor chests of drawers, and so con­tainers for household equipment were a neces­sity. All large establishments had special store­rooms in which rows of labeled jars, each sealed with the owner's seal, were arranged. (The housewife had no way of locking her containers, but the seal at least told her when

6. A brewer straining mash. About 2500 B.c. H. 1 j in.

the contents had been tampered with.) Linen, each piece carefully marked in the

corner with the owner's name, was kept in baskets or wooden chests. In the hot, dusty climate of Egypt a plentiful supply was neces­sary. Herodotus tells us that Egyptian linen was "constantly fresh washed, and they pay particular attention to this." It was sent to be laundered in the river or a canal, usually by professional washermen.

The staple foods were meat, poultry and fish, bread and cakes of different sorts, animal and vegetable fats, and fruits and vegetables, cooked, dried, and fresh. Honey and dates were used for sweetening. Beer, wine, and milk were the common beverages. Beer and bread were usually prepared at the same time, as the same dough was used for both. Wine was made at the vineyard.

Large estates were practically self-support­ing, but the small householder had to go to market for supplies. Payment was made in kind as the Egyptians did not use minted money. One painting shows a woman who has set up a refreshment stand on the shore and is trading with sailors from a boat. Her price for two cakes seems to be a sack of grain.

Many native Egyptians earned their living by working for their wealthier neighbors; but one result of foreign conquests was the em­ployment of slave labor. A papyrus of the reign of Ramesses II describes the purchase of a Syrian slave girl for 13 ounces of silver, evi­dently the standard of values at that time. This was paid, not in bullion, but in its equiv­alent of six copper or bronze pots and some linen. A papyrus of 120 years later gives us what was apparently the top price for a bull— 410 ounces of copper, paid in copper, linen, grain, a necklace, and a cow. Piles of linen and extra pots must have been kept on hand to use as a medium of exchange. This system was the cause of very complicated bookkeep­ing and of frequent law-suits of the sort in which modern Egyptian villagers are apt to become involved.

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7. Cooking and plucking fowl. Above, food is hanging up to dry. 2400-2300 B.C. H. 14 in.

8. Baking and brewing in the kitchen of a large estate. An ancient model. About 2000 B.C.

9. Storage containers: a basket and a chest for linen, jars for oil and wine, and a basket (with woven decoration) in which the loaves, fruit cake, and saucers of dates and raisins beside it were found. The sealing on the oil jar bears the name of Queen Hat-shepsut. On the shoulder

is a description of the contents and the date, ryoo-1300 B.C. H. of oil jar 25 in.

10. Kitchen utensils: behind are a jug, a wickerwork tray on a stand, a bowl used as a lamp. a brazier, a bronze cooking pot, a jar in which is a bronze sucker with a strainer at its lower end, and a brewer's vat: in front are a straw whisk, a wickerwork sieve, and three parts of a

foe drill (the bow is missing). 2400 B.C.—A.D. 600. H. of vat 12 in.

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II . Servants carrying furniture. Facsimile of a wall painting. About 1380 B.C.

FURNITURE

The climate of Egypt did not encourage the Egyptians to clutter their rooms with furni­ture, but beds, chairs, and stools were to be found in well-equipped houses. Light stands of cane were more usual than wooden tables, and, as mentioned above, chests and baskets took the place of cupboards and drawers. Mats of woven rushes covered the floors.

Very little native wood could be used for carpentry; this consisted chiefly of acacia and sycamore fig, which provided only short planks. However, large timbers of coniferous woods were being imported from Syria by the beginning of the IV Dynasty.

Metal tools, which became available at the end of the prehistoric period, made fine cab­inet work possible. Among the constructions used by the Egyptians were the mortise and tenon joint, the miter joint, dovetailing, and veneer; one example of plywood is known.

The Egyptians liked to sleep in a sloping position, and until the XVIII Dynasty most beds were higher at the head than at the foot; a footboard prevented the sleeper from slip­ping clown (cf. fig. 30). "Springs" were usually of interlaced cord, which has a certain amount of give; folded sheets took the place of mat­

tresses. The Egyptians were proud of their beds, which they considered a mark of refine­ment. Sinuhe, an adventurer who wrote his autobiography about 1950 B.C. speaks of his pleasure at sleeping on a bed again after many years in foreign lands.

Nevertheless, beds were always compara­tively rare, and a "headrest," a prop of about the same height as the shoulder, was the great­est necessity for a good night's sleep; this is still the case among primitive African peoples. Egyptians who possessed beds used a headrest as well; sometimes soft cushions stuffed with feathers were put behind the back, but these have rarely been preserved.

Fashions in chairs changed from time to time, the height of legs, back, and arms vary­ing with the period. The example shown in figure 12 was made at a time when legs of chairs were so short that the users had to sit in a contracted position; this seemed natural to a people who were fond of crouching on the ground. Chairs of a height which we should think more comfortable are represented above and in figure 2. Stools, too, were made in dif­ferent heights and were both rigid and fold­ing. Footstools are shown in figure 2.

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14. A pitcher and basin (h. 4 in), a towel, and a vase. 2400-1800 B.C. Ancient flowers and leaves.

TABLEWARE

As the Egyptians had only primitive methods of lighting their houses, they started the day early and went to bed soon after sunset. Din­ner, except for the workers in the fields, was probably in the middle of the day, and a light supper was eaten shortly before retiring.

The guests at an Egyptian meal did not sit down around one table. Important personages were given individual stands with their own supplies of food and drink. The less important laid their dishes on the floor beside them.

No cutlery was used at meals. The vessels in which food and drink were served were of a wide variety, but the different shapes had definite uses. For instance, the little maid in figure 20 carries two jugs of the sort which held the strong essences added to food and drink as it was being served. The lady she is helping holds a "dinner plate," and the girl on the cover carries a footed dish such as was commonly used to hold the cones of ointment worn'on the head on festive occasions.

Pottery vessels were the most usual; they were often of elegant shapes and sometimes were decorated with painted designs. Copper

and bronze dishes were abundant since they were also used as a form of currency. Bright blue and green faience, glass of countless hues, and dazzling alabaster contrasted with gold and silver at the banquets of the wealthy. At meal times servants took around pitchers and basins to wash the hands of the guests and "Turkish" towels to dry them.

Quantities of flowers were always to be lound in Egyptian homes. Bowls and vases had special contrivances to keep the heavy blos­soms of the lotus in place. Guests were pre­sented with formal bouquets, and garlands were placed around their shoulders; some­times these were made of brightly colored faience instead of real flowers. As he looked at the magnificence around him many a poor relation must have thought of the advice of Ptab-botpe: "If you are one that sits near the table of a man who is greater than you, take, when he gives, that which is set before you. Look not at what lies before him, but look at what lies before you Cast down your counte­nance until he greets you, and speak only when he has greeted you. Laugh when he laughs."

15. Tableware: bronze vessels of various shapes. 1580-745 B.C Diam. of basin 18 in.

If). Tableware: vessels ol pottery and faience, and (left) four small bottles of glass. The faience bottle (right: li. 10 in.) bears the names of Akh-en-Aten and his queen. 1580-1090 B.C

17. Tableware of ladies of the court of Thut-mose III. These vessels arc of gold and silver and of glass and alabaster mounted in gold. About 1450 B.C H. of canister 7 in.

18. Tableware of alabaster. The jug at the left, shaped like a brewer's vat, bears the name of Pepy lis mother, and the goblet at the right (h. 5I/0 in.) that of Akh-en-Aten. 3000-1300 B.C.

19. Tableware: part of the silver and gold plate of Rarnesses II. The strainers (center and right front) were used for wine as it was being sensed. Diam. of bowl 8 in. About /250 B.C

20. Ladies at a party being sewed with food and drink. The little maid (drawn in an unusual position) advises them to "make holiday." Facsimile of a wall painting. About 1450 B.C.

TOILET AND DRESS

Since very few made-up garments have been preserved and because the evidence of the ancient paintings and sculptures is not re­liable, our knowledge of Egyptian costume is incomplete. Artists drew the clothes of their subjects as they made the most attractive pic­tures, not as they really looked. Moreover, cer­tain costumes were represented long after they had ceased to be fashionable for everyday use (just as our statesmen used to be shown in Roman togas); therefore we cannot be certain when styles changed. But as a rule we can say that new fashions originated in court circles and were gradually adopted by lesser officials and then by artisans, so that eventually the aristocracy felt it necessary to adopt other styles. The general tendency was towards greater and greater elaboration.

All the actual garments we know are linen. The Egyptians wore woolen cloaks when nec :

essary for warmth, but wool was never placed in the tombs, probably because of its attrac­tion for larvae. Silk and cotton were unknown.

We cannot discuss the fluctuations of style or the variations caused by difference of occu­pation. The typical masculine garment was the skirt, consisting of a straight piece of cloth twisted around the body and tied at the waist. The length, fullness, and methods of adjusting varied from time to time. Shirts, although not depicted until the New Kingdom, were worn at all periods; often, however, the upper part of the body was left bare. In the New King­dom both shins and skirts became long and full.

Women of the Old Kingdom wore straight, tight slips held up by bands over the shoul­ders. Some dresses were colored, but white was more usual; occasionally a white dress had a patterned border. Often the suspenders were of beadwork to match the parure of collar, brace­lets, and anklets which completed the costume.

In the Middle Kingdom women were still depicted in slips just like those they had worn 1000 years earlier, except that patterned mate­rials are frequently shown. It is likely, how­

ever, that the more voluminous robes usually associated with the New Kingdom were al­ready in vogue. But it was not until nearly 1400 B.C that artists first showed the elaborate­ly draped garments of diaphanous linen which continued to be the fashion thereafter. White clothing for both men and women was now the rule; this was often set off by colored sashes and brilliant jewelry.

Footwear was limited to sandals of plaited rushes or of leather; however, both men and women, even those of the upper classes, often preferred to go barefoot.

Before the Egyptians were ready to appear for the day a great deal of care had been spent on their toilet. The better houses had shallow baths in which the owner stood while water was poured over him; soda was the cleansing agent. T o counteract the drying effect of the soda, and of the sun and dust, perfumed oils were rubbed into the skin. The eyelids were painted with kohl, which is antiseptic as well as decorative. Ladies colored their lips and cheeks with rouge, and stained their nails with henna. These cosmetics were kept in jars and boxes which were among the most highly prized products of the Egyptian craftsman.

Men were usually clean-shaven; both men and women used bronze razors and tweezers, which came in sets with hair curlers and grit­stone hones. Wigs were often worn, by both men and women, but some ladies preferred to pad out their own hair with false braids; these were kept in baskets with sweet-smelling woods. Kerchiefs were occasionally worn 10 protect these elaborate coiffures from the dust. Combs and hairpins were used in dressing the hair. While her maid was arranging her locks the Egyptian lady admired herself in a mirror of polished bronze—or, if she were unusually fortunate, of silver.

There were no dressing tables, and toilet articles were put away in special chests. The proper place for these was under the bed, but often a lady is shown with one beside her chair, ready for a last minute touching-tip.

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21. A girl carrying offerings of food. About 2000 B.C H. 44 in.

22. A shawl, a head kerchief, a shirt, and two pairs of sandals, one a baby's. The kerchief, worn over a wig or the natural hair, is semicircular and has a rolled edge. It fastens with ties at the back <>l the head. The shirt, which belonged to a child, ties at the neck and is fringed along

the bottom. 1500-330 B.C.

23. An official of the New Kingdom and his wife. The man wears a kilted skirt, wrapped around him and tied in front. The upper part of his body is bare. The lady's dress is one long piece of material, -wrapped and tied and falling in soft folds or pleats. Both have the

jnll -wigs of tlie period and bare feet. 1300-1200 B.C H. (> in.

24. 'A woman having her hair dressed while she nurses a child. About ipoo B.C. H. 3 in.

25. Jars for cosmetic oils and a slate dish. The latter is divided into compartments by a clever use of the fankh sign. The jar in the form of a monkey clasping a baby monkey (h. 7 in.) bears the name of King Mer-en-Rec, and the jar with the cover that of Pepy I. 3200-2300 B.C

26. A mirror, false hair, a xvig, combs, pins, curlers, razors, tweezers, and a hone. 2OOO-745 B.C.

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2/. Toilet articles of the daughter of S'en-Wosret II, with a facsimile of a contemporary painting. The jewelry of this princess, of which a girdle and matching anklets are shown

here, is the outstanding example of the art of the Egyptian goldsmith. 1900-1850 B C

28. Jars for cosmetics. All are of blue marble. 2000-1800 B.C H. of jar in form of ducks 8 in.

29. Containers for cosmetics with a photograph of a painting. 1450-1350 B.C. H. of jar 0 in.

30. Children's toys, and a feeding cup and cow-shaped rattle. 2100-700 B.C L. of bed 12 in.

GAMES AND TOYS There were many attractive ways in which

the busy Egyptian official could pass his spare time at home. Sometimes professional magi­cians, wrestlers, or story-tellers were brought in to amuse him. Sometimes he laughed at the uncouth movements of a dwarf (fig. 29) or a pygmy from the south, the Egyptian equiva­lents of the mediaeval jester. More often he sat down to a quiet game of senet with one of his family. This game, a descendant of which is still played throughout the Near East, re­quired a combination of luck and skill. Each player had a set of men which he moved up and down the squares of the board according to the cast of knuckle bones or throw sticks, used much like dice. Figure 31 shows two senet players, and a board is shown in figure 12. Most of these boards were marked on the other side for the game of "robbers." "Hounds and jackals" and knuckle bones with which to play it are shown in figure 32. Several of the holes on this board seem to have forfeits or advantages attached to them, so that the game

evidently resembled the modern parchesi. Young people, too, were well supplied with

amusements. Groups of boys and girls are often pictured playing together at the running and jumping games which Egyptian children still enjoy; and some of their toys, such as the "paddle" doll and the leather ball stuffed with straw shown above, can be duplicated todav. The bed is a model of a grown-up, folding traveling bed, and the little boy's battle-axe was undoubtedly copied from his father's. The inscription on the ivory paintbox tells us that it was given by Akh-en-Aten to "his own dear daughter, the Princess Meket-Aten"; like the ivory dancing pygmy and the ivory hound it is beautifully made. These two figures are mechanical. The pygmy is the leader of a troupe who spin around at the pull of a string; the hound opens his mouth when the rod which extends from his lower jaw is pressed. But probably these were no more precious to their small owners than the little basket of "treasures" and the well-worn doll.

31. Two men playing the game of senet. The man on the left says, "Play comrade"; his opponent, "Here's the play, comrade." About 2500 B.C H. 10 in. This relief is con­

tinued in figure 33.

32. The game of "hounds and jackals." About 1800 B.C L. of board 6 in.

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33. Music in the Old Kingdom: a harper, a flute player, a clarinet player, and singers.

MUSIC AND DANCING Music has always played an important part in the lives of the Egyptians. In ancient times the rich official had his own company of musicians and dancers, who made his leisure hours more pleasant by their accomplishments. The less wealthy could hire independent troupes for special occasions.

We can only guess how this music sounded, as there was no system of notation, the mel­odies being handed down from generation to generation just as they are today. In the Old Kingdom it must have been of a quiet nature, judging by the instruments used to produce it and the sedate way in which the musicians, most of them men, are pictured. Figure 33 shows an Old Kingdom "orchestra." Each in­strument accompanies a different singer, who makes the gestures characteristic of the East.

During the XVIII Dynasty, when Syria came under the influence of Egypt, the Egyp­tians were brought into contact with an ex­citing sort of music and the instruments with which it was played. Orchestras of girls now appear frequently; many of them must have been brought back from Asia as captives. They were highly skilled, and among their accom­plishments was the ability to sing and dance as they played. Egyptian musicians must al­most always have been professional, consider­ing the amount of training involved, and the fact that music was not regarded as an entirely

reputable occupation. Dancing, like music, was the affair of pro­

fessionals. It was not an expression of the emo­tion of the dancer, but a means of inducing emotion in the onlooker. For this reason the feats of acrobatic skill of which Egyptian dancers were capable were almost always re­stricted to religious ceremonies, in which they were used to enliven the complicated ritual. A dance of restrained, graceful movement, like that of the three central girls in figure 34, was thought appropriate at private entertainments, when the audience perhaps needed to be soothed rather than excited.

Sometimes a musician's song is inscribed above his picture on the walls of a tomb; de­vout Egyptians believed that this secured its existence in the next world. Contradictorily, the most popular—"The Song of the Harper" —expresses a philosophy far removed from the doctrine which was the reason for preserving it: "Spend the day merrily! Put unguent and fine oil together to thy nostrils, and garlands and lotus flowers on the body of thy beloved. . . . Set singing and music before thy face. Cast all evil behind thee, and bethink thee of joy, until that day cometh when one reacheth port in the land that loveth silence. Spend the day merrily and weary not thereof! Lo, none can take his goods with him. Lo, none that hath departed can come again."

34. Music and dancing in the New Kingdom: girls playing the harp, lute, oboes, and lyre; a small apprentice is in the center. Facsimile of a wall painting. About 1415 B.C H. 15 in.

35. A lyre (about 1580 B.C) and a harp (1500-1200 B.C.). L. of harp 32 in. Strings restored.

CHRONOLOGY

Prehistoric Period Before 3200 B.C.

Early Dynastic Period (I - II Dynasties) 3200 - 2780 B.C.

Old Kingdom ( I I I - V I Dynasties) 2780-2270 B.C.

First Intermediate Period ( V I I - X Dynasties) 2270-2150 B.C.

Middle Kingdom ( X I - X I I Dynasties) 2150-1788 B.C.

2nd Intermediate Period (XI I I -XVI I Dynasties) 1788-1580 B.C.

including Hyksos Period

New Kingdom (XVII I -XXI Dynasties) 1580-945 B.C. Empire (XVIII - XX Dynasties, 1580-1090 B.C.)

Late Dynastic Period (XXII - XXX Dynasties) 945 - 332 B.C. Sake Period (XXV - XXVI Dynasties, 712-525 B.C.)

Ptolemaic Period 332 - 30 B.C.

Roman Period 30 B.C. - A.D. 395 beginning of Coptic (Christian) culture

Byzantine Period A.D. 395 - 640

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