the Ancient Empire had done, but they were much smaller than the mighty pyramids of the IVth Dynasty. The greatest engineering work of the Middle Empire was the construction of Lake Moeris, which was neither more nor less than a gigantic reservoir; part of this wonderful work is now represented by the Birket alKarûn, in the province of the Fayyûm, which, with the exception of the district known as Shet in the hieroglyphic inscription, the site of the city Crocodilopolis or Arsinoë, the seat of the worship of Sebek, was almost entirely covered by the waters of Lake Moeris in ancient days. It is possible that a great swamp existed at this place from time immemorial, and many kings may have carried out in connection with it works of regulation and reclamation; but to Amenemḥāt III. certainly belongs the credit of having finally fixed the extent of the Lake, and of building the works necessary for the provision of a regular and constant supply of water to the neighbouring country. To the same king is attributed the building of the Labyrinth, of which we have spoken at length. The kings of the XIIth Dynasty were not great temple builders, and indeed, the temples did not receive any considerable support from them, a fact no doubt due to the weakness of the priesthood at this time. The old temple of Amen at Karnak, which must have been a very insignificant building, was, however, greatly enlarged and adorned by the first kings of the XIIth Dynasty, and we know 1 See above, p. 48 ff. THE OBELISKS AT HELIOPOLIS 121 that Usertsen I. added largely to the temple of the Sun-god at Heliopolis, and that he distinguished it by the erection of a pair of red granite obelisks of a height and size previously unknown. The art of the Middle Empire is developed directly out of that of the Ancient Empire, but one of the most prominent of its characteristics is an increased tendency towards realism, which is especially seen in the designs and workmanship of small objects. The scarabs of the XIIth Dynasty are particularly interesting and beautiful. CHAPTER IV. THE FOURTEENTH DYNASTY. FROM XOÏS. ACCORDING to Manetho the XIVth Dynasty comprised seventy-six kings, who reigned in all either 184 or 484 years; the King List of Turin supplies a number of names which may have been those of the kings of this dynasty; transcribed into hieroglyphics they read as follows: 1. ORA-SEHEB. A stele which was found by Mariette at Abydos1 provides us with a relief in which this king is represented in the act of adoring Åmsu, or Min, of Coptos, and the accompanying text shows that he was adoring Osiris, Khent Åmenti, at the same time. The stele also gives the Horus name of the king, which is 1 See Abydos, tom. ii. pl. 27. |