king's reign1 (Bay 3, Nos. 179, 180). The stele of Tati-ankef (Bay 5, No. 181), the son of Tenȧuit, is of peculiar interest, for it was found in Malta (see page 220).

The reign of Amenemḥāt IV was short, and monuments of his reign are few. His name is found on the rocks in the copper mines in Sinai, and on

a rock at Kummah in Nubia, but details of his reign are wanting. An interesting glazed steatite plaque, bearing his name and that of Prince Ameni, will be found in Wallcase 150 in the Fourth Egyptian Room, No. 1.

The last ruler of this dynasty was Sebek-neferut- Ra, the Skemiophris of Manetho, and sister of Amenemhāt IV; her reign was short, short, and her monuments are few. The most important is the glazed cylinder-seal inscribed with four of her royal names, exhibited in Table-case D, Fourth Egyptian Room, No. 134.

In connexion with the XIIth dynasty must be mentioned King Her, who may have been a son of Amenemhat III, or of Usertsen III (see his scarab, No. 37,652), and an Usertsen with the prenomen of Seneferȧb-Ra, who is sometimes called Usertsen IV.

Shrine dedicated to Osiris by Pa-
suten-sa, scribe, who flourished
in the reign of Amenemhat III,
B.C. 2300.
[Northern Egyptian Gallery,
Bay 1, No. 174]

The rule of the XIIth dynasty was long and prosperous; and art, and sculpture, and literature flourished. The art of the period is developed directly out of that of the Ancient Empire, but one of the most prominent characteristics is an increased tendency towards realism which is especially seen in the designs and workmanship of small

The name of the king is not given, but Amenemhat III must be referred to.

objects. The Scarabs of the XIIth dynasty are particularly interesting and beautiful, and a splendid set of examples is exhibited in the Fourth Egyptian Room. The sepulchral stelae of the period are also very interesting, and many of them exhibit clearly the transition stages between the "false

XIIth dynasty.

Sepulchral stele of Tatiankef, the son of Tenauit. Found in Malta. [Northern Egyptian Gallery, Bay 5, No. 181.] door" of the mastaba tomb of the Ancient Empire and the stele, or tablet, which stood by itself in the tomb. The British Museum Collection is rich in XIIth dynasty stelae, comprising examples of every important variety. The inscriptions upon them usually open with the formula sutenta-hetep which is followed by a prayer to one or

more gods for sepulchral offerings and for "glory in heaven, "strength upon earth, and triumph in the Other World." Opinions differ as to the meaning of the formula suten tā hetep. Some think that it is a prayer to "the king to give an offering"; and others that it is a prayer for "an offering like that of a king"; and many different renderings have been proposed by Egyptologists. It is of course possible that, under the IVth dynasty, the formula may have been a prayer that an offering might be given by the king, for the king was regarded as the equal of Anubis and Osiris and other gods of the dead; but it is manifestly impossible that every man throughout Egypt could expect the king to send him an offering at his death, and we are therefore driven to conclude that the original meaning of the formula was forgotten at a very early period, and that it was only prefixed to funerary texts at the dictates of custom or tradition. If it had any meaning at all in the later dynasties, it would probably be that of a petition to one or more gods for the gift of an offering like unto that made for a king after his death. Sepulchral stelae are also valuable because they give the titles of the offices held by deceased persons, and because they often supply biographies of men who played important parts in the history of their country.

Among stelae and other monuments of historical value of this period may be mentioned: Stele from the tomb of Khnemu-hetep at Beni-Hasan (Vestibule, No. 182); statue of Amenemḥāt, a veritable royal kinsman,' and master of the robes (Bay 1, No. 183); scated figure of Ameni, inscribed with a prayer for offerings (Bay 1, No. 184); stele of Nekhtȧ, a Ḥã Prince (Bay 1, No. 185); stele of Anḥer-nekht, chief clerk of grain supply (Bay 1, No. 186); stele of Antef, an overseer of priests (Bay 1, No. 187); stele of Sa-Anḥer, a deputy keeper of the seal, with figures of eighteen of his children and relatives bearing offerings (Bay 1, No. 189); stele of the lady Khu, with figures of her two husbands and twelve children (Bay 1, No. 190); stele set up to the memory of sixteen persons and their mothers (Bay 2, No. 191); stele of Sebek-aaiu, with hieroglyphics inlaid with blue paste (Bay 2, No. 193); stele of Ameni, of unusual style (Bay 2, No. 194); stele of Erța-Antef-ṭāṭāu, a governor of the Sûdân (Bay 4,

1

suten rekh, "royal kinsman." The title of "royal kinsman" was often bestowed upon officials by kings as a reward for faithful services; Amenemhat means that his title was not honorary.