Budge, Ernest A. Wallis: Some account of the collection of Egyptian antiquities in the possession of Lady Meux: of Theobalds Park, Waltham Cross (London, 1896)

24

THE FUNERAL OF AN EGYPTIAN.

to pray to Christ to release them from the Gehenna
of fire.

On entering an Egyptian tomb one of the first
objects visible was a slab of stone, usually rounded
at the top, upon which was inscribed a figure of the
deceased adoring a god or gods, and below was an
inscription in hieroglyphics setting forth his rank and
position, and containing prayers to the gods Osiris
and Anubis that they would grant to him sepulchral
offerings of food, drink and clothing. Here is a
specimen of a prayer from a stele. " May Amen-Ra,
lord of the thrones of the North and South, Ptah-
Seker-Osiris, Un-nefer, lord of the passages of the
tomb, grant a royal oblation. May they grant sepul-
chral meals, and oxen and ducks, and linen bandages,
thousands of all good and pure things, thousands of
all sweet and choice things, the gifts of heaven and
the products of the earth which the Nile bringeth
forth from his storehouses. May they grant the
breathing of the sweet breezes of the north wind, the
eating of bread, the gathering of flowers, and the
receiving of food in felicity from the produce of the
Elysian Fields. May I walk upon the everlasting
road of the beautiful dead, the genii, and the noble
ones, making whatsoever transformations I please
among the followers of Un-nefer, and going in and