head. Out of the cover there rises the sun with the head and arms of a man, and in each hand he holds + anch, “life.” (Papyrus of Ani, pl. 8.) On papyri and coffins of a later period the jars are shown arranged in a row under the bier. In the 151st chapter of the Book of the Dead the four gods are shown standing in the mummy chamber, one at each corner; the inscriptions which refer to them read:—

Come have I that may be I in protection thy. Tie up [/] for thee

P
āt - k
limbs thy,

ån - nå

saq colleci

nek

bones thy,

The inscriptions on the outsides of the jars, which are sometimes accompanied by inscribed figures of the four gods, vary considerably; some consist of a few words only, but others occupy several lines. These inscriptions show that each of the four gods was under the protection of a goddess; thus Isis guarded Mesthå, Nephthys guarded Hāpi, Neith guarded Ţuamāutef, and Selket or Serqet guarded Qebhsennuf. The following are examples of the formulæ inscribed on these jars :

1. Åmset. non

donald

sam

met' an Auset

Says Isis,

“ Conquer

å I

t'et
setep - å Speech of

Isis.
the foe, make 1

Speech of
Nephthys.

met' in Nebt-het ḥap - å seseta ári - å

Says Nephthys, “ Hide I the secret thing, make I

sa

offico

jo Ausår

Нарі

Ausår

pu Нарі Osiris [is] the protection of ħāpi, [for] Osiris [is] Þāpi.” III. TUAMĀUTEF. n

9

mag Abig met' ån Net

sețua å Says Neith, "Make pass the morning 1,

Speech of
Neith.

en

semāśer å hru neb her ári māket make pass the night I of duy every in making the protection of

entet âm - a Sa Ausár sa
which is in me. The protection of Osiris [is] the protection of

the variants for * |() being s Q () sexen and || 4 × ding ; frequently also they only contain the names and titles

of the deceased preceded by the words o Q dimXi Xer

“watchfully devoted to,” which are followed by the names of the four gods. Often the same formula is repeated on all four jars.

CHESTS FOR CANOPIC JARs. fi

The chests, or coffers, which held Canopic jars were made of wood, and were usually painted black; they were fitted on a kind of sledge with two runners, the ends of which were rounded. They are about two feet square. On one end are traced in outline figures of Neith and Serqet, and on the other Isis and Nephthys ; on the one side are Mesthä and Hāpi, and on the other Tuamäutef and Qebhsennus. By the side of each god is inscribed the formula which is given in the 151st chapter of the Book of the Dead, and by the side of each goddess is inscribed the formula which is found on Canopic vases. (Excellent examples of chests on sledges are Nos. 8543a, and 85436, 3rd Egyptian Room, British Museum.) The inside of the chest is divided into four equal spaces by wooden partitions, and in each stood a jar. The use of such

Variant readings.