DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4859#0046
DESCRIPTION OF THE MURAL PICTURES
close the bosom.1 The exact arrangement cannot correspond to fact; if ThePu
it had really been carried over both shoulders, it must have been tied
above, not below, the breasts. Conscious of the elusive outline of a head
of hair, and proud of his deft brushwork, the draughtsman has also been
pleased to put in the little wisps of hair which escape about her ears,
and add a fine wavy line outside the black mass. The loose hair at the
lower edge, however, is shown as a stiff fringe, and may indicate that
Thepu had to thank her wig-maker rather than her Creator for its lux-
uriance.2
The part of the sub-scene which lies under the main picture also Accessories in
the sub-scene
belongs to it, contributing some new detail. The slaughter of the ox,
which in companion scenes is often included in the one picture, is here
placed below it, as is also the man following his master with incense.3
Here there is a special feature. Four blind men, walking with faces
turned to the sky, as is natural to the sightless, accompany the sacrifice
with clapping of hands and an appropriate refrain.4 "Praises in heaven,
paeans in the bark Sektet, hallelujahs throughout the two Egypts, to
[Amon] in all [his fanes], in his holy places, south, north, west, and east!
The gates of heaven are open, the gates of Kebeh are thrown wide, a road
is opened from the necropolis to the hills, that [Nebamun] may be
refreshed, that the summoned meal may be given to him, heavenly
rations issued to him, and anthems chanted to him in the solar bark,
while he presents a hotpedens offering to [Amon, king of the gods], to
Re, to his eye, to his hand, to his body, and to Osiris-Khentamentet,
1 The mantle worn over the under garment is already seen on the celebrated statue of Nofret in the
IVth dyn. It may be, then, that its representation in the XVIIIth dyn. alone is new, owing to its more
general adoption or for artistic ends.
2 The armlet hanging between wrist and elbow is a comparatively rare addition to the toilette. We
perceive its looseness from the slope given to it, but not how it was kept from falling over the hands. Ladies
had the good taste to doff all jewelry when attending a funeral (Pis. XIX, XXII, XXIV).
■ Davies, Tomb of Nakht, Pis. XI, XII, XVIII.
4 These men seem to be a corps of beggars, perhaps attached to the temple, who act as a choir to any
one making private sacrifice there. They are accompanied by a boy who holds their staves and sandals
while they beat time to their anthem or play instruments, keeps a sharp look-out on their behalf, and pops
the joints which the gods have done with into a sack. This, he reminds the gentleman in Tomb 6g, needs
propitiation also. Cf. Davies, El Amarna, I, PI. XXIII and Tombs /ig, 69, 78 (Wilkinson, M. and C, II, p.
46o), 106.
3i
close the bosom.1 The exact arrangement cannot correspond to fact; if ThePu
it had really been carried over both shoulders, it must have been tied
above, not below, the breasts. Conscious of the elusive outline of a head
of hair, and proud of his deft brushwork, the draughtsman has also been
pleased to put in the little wisps of hair which escape about her ears,
and add a fine wavy line outside the black mass. The loose hair at the
lower edge, however, is shown as a stiff fringe, and may indicate that
Thepu had to thank her wig-maker rather than her Creator for its lux-
uriance.2
The part of the sub-scene which lies under the main picture also Accessories in
the sub-scene
belongs to it, contributing some new detail. The slaughter of the ox,
which in companion scenes is often included in the one picture, is here
placed below it, as is also the man following his master with incense.3
Here there is a special feature. Four blind men, walking with faces
turned to the sky, as is natural to the sightless, accompany the sacrifice
with clapping of hands and an appropriate refrain.4 "Praises in heaven,
paeans in the bark Sektet, hallelujahs throughout the two Egypts, to
[Amon] in all [his fanes], in his holy places, south, north, west, and east!
The gates of heaven are open, the gates of Kebeh are thrown wide, a road
is opened from the necropolis to the hills, that [Nebamun] may be
refreshed, that the summoned meal may be given to him, heavenly
rations issued to him, and anthems chanted to him in the solar bark,
while he presents a hotpedens offering to [Amon, king of the gods], to
Re, to his eye, to his hand, to his body, and to Osiris-Khentamentet,
1 The mantle worn over the under garment is already seen on the celebrated statue of Nofret in the
IVth dyn. It may be, then, that its representation in the XVIIIth dyn. alone is new, owing to its more
general adoption or for artistic ends.
2 The armlet hanging between wrist and elbow is a comparatively rare addition to the toilette. We
perceive its looseness from the slope given to it, but not how it was kept from falling over the hands. Ladies
had the good taste to doff all jewelry when attending a funeral (Pis. XIX, XXII, XXIV).
■ Davies, Tomb of Nakht, Pis. XI, XII, XVIII.
4 These men seem to be a corps of beggars, perhaps attached to the temple, who act as a choir to any
one making private sacrifice there. They are accompanied by a boy who holds their staves and sandals
while they beat time to their anthem or play instruments, keeps a sharp look-out on their behalf, and pops
the joints which the gods have done with into a sack. This, he reminds the gentleman in Tomb 6g, needs
propitiation also. Cf. Davies, El Amarna, I, PI. XXIII and Tombs /ig, 69, 78 (Wilkinson, M. and C, II, p.
46o), 106.
3i