DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4194#0020
THE SCULPTURED SCENES IN THE CHAPEL.
and beautiful of the scenes belong, which are
also less conventional than the representation
of ceremonies of offering. The uninscribed
false door on the W. wall may be intended as
their starting-point, and to represent the facade
of Ptahhetep's house ; but this is very uncertain.
On the N. wall, above the level of the entrance
(PI. xxx.b), we have a scene of the morning
and indoor occupations of Ptahhetep ; and two
outdoor scenes occupy the whole of the E. wall
(general outline, PI. xxi.; for the details see
Frontispiece and Pis. xxiii.-xxviii.). The first of
these latter figures the amusements and occupa-
tions of the people in the desert and the marshes
viewed by Ptahhetep, who has gone out afield
towards mid-day (?) in undress costume. In the
other of these scenes the great man is in more
official garb. Perhaps the time is towards
evening, when the hunters are bringing home
their spoil; the farmyards also are being in-
spected, and their contributions of cattle and
birds are brought in. Then we may suppose
that the meal, with the varied contributions to
it figured on the S. wall, represents the evening
meal in the house itself. It is impossible to
give a perfectly consistent account of these
scenes in a few words, for the artist put so much
into each of them as to cause overlaps. Some
omissions, notwithstanding, are very noticeable.
Agriculture, the most characteristic of Egyptian
employments, is here entirely unrepresented,
thougli ploughing and sowing are commonly
figured in the tombs of the Old Kingdom. So
also with arts and crafts of all kinds. Probably
we may trace some personal predilections of
Ptahhetep in the choice of subjects.
On PI. xxx.A we see to the left of the entrance
four rowsl of men bringing offerings—as it were
to the Grand False Door—and slaughterin<r
cattle. Above the level of the door is a
separate scene of the morning occupations of
1 Cf. Bam., PL xxxvi.
Ptahhetep, who is reading and hearing reports
during the progress of his toilet.2 Three hounds
and a favourite monkey are sitting beneath his
chair, while attendants are busy with his feet
and coiffure.
It is the E. wall, however, which displays the
best workmanship of the tomb, and of this a
very good idea is given by a succession of
photographs on Pis. xxiii.-xxviii.3 In the first
scene the great man, having cast off his wig
and his false beard (see Frontispiece), is "look-
ing at every good pastime that is done in the
whole land." It was the practice and pleasure
of the grandees to walk or be carried about
inspecting the work of the fields, and most
of the out-of-doors occupations here figured
(Pis. xxiii., xxv., xxvi.) are particularly joyous
and picturesque.
In the top row (see PI. xxiii.) we have
papyrus-gathering in the marshes, and the
leading of cattle across a pool where crocodiles
lie in wait for stragglers. Mr. Davies has
here made an interesting addition (in PI. iii.)
to the cattle-scene as formerly published, and
now we see clearly the herdsmen in the boat.
One punts, another is guiding a calf by a cord,
and they are exclaiming at the crocodile,
" 0 filthy one, may your heart be pleased with
the water-weeds (?)."4
In the second row boys are playing games,
and from the names of the games we may
conclude that a vintage festival is here re-
presented, the vintage scene itself being in
the next row. The first game is throwing
pointed sticks at the ground, " Throwing
darts for (?) Shesemu,"5 Shesemu being per-
haps the vintage god. Then come two boys
3 lb., PI. xxxv., lower half.
3 See also Bam., Pis. xxxi.-xxxiii.
4 Cf. Mast, de Mera, p. 526, for the name of the weed,
and Masp., !</£. _%., ii., p. 110, for a variant of this cuzious
inscription.
5 Cf. Mast, de Mera, p. 564, for stt n.
and beautiful of the scenes belong, which are
also less conventional than the representation
of ceremonies of offering. The uninscribed
false door on the W. wall may be intended as
their starting-point, and to represent the facade
of Ptahhetep's house ; but this is very uncertain.
On the N. wall, above the level of the entrance
(PI. xxx.b), we have a scene of the morning
and indoor occupations of Ptahhetep ; and two
outdoor scenes occupy the whole of the E. wall
(general outline, PI. xxi.; for the details see
Frontispiece and Pis. xxiii.-xxviii.). The first of
these latter figures the amusements and occupa-
tions of the people in the desert and the marshes
viewed by Ptahhetep, who has gone out afield
towards mid-day (?) in undress costume. In the
other of these scenes the great man is in more
official garb. Perhaps the time is towards
evening, when the hunters are bringing home
their spoil; the farmyards also are being in-
spected, and their contributions of cattle and
birds are brought in. Then we may suppose
that the meal, with the varied contributions to
it figured on the S. wall, represents the evening
meal in the house itself. It is impossible to
give a perfectly consistent account of these
scenes in a few words, for the artist put so much
into each of them as to cause overlaps. Some
omissions, notwithstanding, are very noticeable.
Agriculture, the most characteristic of Egyptian
employments, is here entirely unrepresented,
thougli ploughing and sowing are commonly
figured in the tombs of the Old Kingdom. So
also with arts and crafts of all kinds. Probably
we may trace some personal predilections of
Ptahhetep in the choice of subjects.
On PI. xxx.A we see to the left of the entrance
four rowsl of men bringing offerings—as it were
to the Grand False Door—and slaughterin<r
cattle. Above the level of the door is a
separate scene of the morning occupations of
1 Cf. Bam., PL xxxvi.
Ptahhetep, who is reading and hearing reports
during the progress of his toilet.2 Three hounds
and a favourite monkey are sitting beneath his
chair, while attendants are busy with his feet
and coiffure.
It is the E. wall, however, which displays the
best workmanship of the tomb, and of this a
very good idea is given by a succession of
photographs on Pis. xxiii.-xxviii.3 In the first
scene the great man, having cast off his wig
and his false beard (see Frontispiece), is "look-
ing at every good pastime that is done in the
whole land." It was the practice and pleasure
of the grandees to walk or be carried about
inspecting the work of the fields, and most
of the out-of-doors occupations here figured
(Pis. xxiii., xxv., xxvi.) are particularly joyous
and picturesque.
In the top row (see PI. xxiii.) we have
papyrus-gathering in the marshes, and the
leading of cattle across a pool where crocodiles
lie in wait for stragglers. Mr. Davies has
here made an interesting addition (in PI. iii.)
to the cattle-scene as formerly published, and
now we see clearly the herdsmen in the boat.
One punts, another is guiding a calf by a cord,
and they are exclaiming at the crocodile,
" 0 filthy one, may your heart be pleased with
the water-weeds (?)."4
In the second row boys are playing games,
and from the names of the games we may
conclude that a vintage festival is here re-
presented, the vintage scene itself being in
the next row. The first game is throwing
pointed sticks at the ground, " Throwing
darts for (?) Shesemu,"5 Shesemu being per-
haps the vintage god. Then come two boys
3 lb., PI. xxxv., lower half.
3 See also Bam., Pis. xxxi.-xxxiii.
4 Cf. Mast, de Mera, p. 526, for the name of the weed,
and Masp., !</£. _%., ii., p. 110, for a variant of this cuzious
inscription.
5 Cf. Mast, de Mera, p. 564, for stt n.