Benson, Margaret; Gourlay, Janet: The temple of Mut in Asher: an account of the excavation of the temple and of the religious representations and objects found therein, as illustrating the history of Egypt and the main religious ideas of the Egyptians (London, 1899)

CHAP. XII.]

TOMB OF SETI.

213

series of seventy-six kings, forms the great historical
interest of Seti's temple. They begin with the Mena
till lately supposed to be of traditional fame. Yet the
results of the last few years of excavation, culminating
in the discoveries at El Kab, Negada and Abydos,
seem to promise that the veil of oblivion shall
again be lifted, showing us a vista beyond that point
where Seti himself reckoned that history began.

In the arid valley of the tombs of the kings Seti
dug his grave. Through the rude wooden door which
guards it one descends into a fairyland of splendour,
passage and staircase, chamber and chapel, hewn
out of the solid rock, and painted with the scenes of
the soul's journey into immortality, following the sun
god. Serpents, sometimes winged, sometimes with
legs of men, writhe about the walls ; on the square-
hewn pillars the king meets the god face to face.
In the second hall the drawings are unfinished,
and one can see the black chalk of the master
correcting the red outline of the draughtsman.

In death Seti's name was changed to Hesiri-i,

vowing him to Osiris, the righteous judge of the

dead, not to Set, the evil one. His tomb had been

already robbed when the Ramesside inspectors

visited it ; his sarcophagus, exquisitely carved in

alabaster, is in the Soane Museum in London ; his

mummy was found at Deir el Bahari wreathed with

flowers. He was succeeded by his son.

Rameses II., formerly called the Great, is a B-c-

. I2?5-

monument to all time of successful vanity. Even I2°7-