DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5538#0319
QUEEN HATASU. 299
gold and silver, and adorned with the emblems of Egyptian
sovereignty. It is not absolutely intact. The seat and back
(which may have been made of plaited palm-fibre or bands
of leather) have perished; but all that remains of the original
piece of furniture is magnificent. The wood is very hard and
heavy, and of a rich dark color resembling rosewood. The
four legs are carved in the shape of the legs of some hoofed
animal, probably a bull, the front of each leg being decorated
with two royal basilisks in gold. These basilisks are erect,
face to face, their tails forming a continuous coil down to the
rise of the hoof. Round each fetlock runs a silver band, and
under each hoof there was originally a plate of silver, of
which only a few fragments remain. The cross-rail in front
of the seat is also plated with silver. The arms (or what
would be the arms if placed in position) are very curious,
consisting of two flat pieces of wood joined at right angles,
so as to form an upright affixed to the framework of the
back and a horizontal support for the arm of the sitter.
These are of the same dark wood as the legs and rails, hav-
ing a border-line at each side; while down the middle, with
head erect at the top of the upright limb, and tail undulating
downward to the finish of the arm-rest, is a basilisk carved
in some lighter colored wood, and incrusted with hundreds
of minute silver annulets, to represent the markings of the
reptile. The nails connecting the various parts are round-
headed and plated with gold, thus closely resembling the or-
namental brass-headed nails in use at the present day. The
gold and silver are both of the purest quality.
Of the royal ovals which formerly adorned this beautiful
chair of state, only one longitudinal fragment remains. This
fragment, which measures some nine or ten inches in length,
is carved on both sides, and contains about one-fourth part of
what may be called the field of the cartouche. Enough, how-
ever, remains to identif}^ on one side the throne-name, and
on the other side the family name, of Queen Hatasu. The
carving is admirable, every detail—even to the form of the
nails and the creases of the finger-joints in part of a hiero-
gold and silver, and adorned with the emblems of Egyptian
sovereignty. It is not absolutely intact. The seat and back
(which may have been made of plaited palm-fibre or bands
of leather) have perished; but all that remains of the original
piece of furniture is magnificent. The wood is very hard and
heavy, and of a rich dark color resembling rosewood. The
four legs are carved in the shape of the legs of some hoofed
animal, probably a bull, the front of each leg being decorated
with two royal basilisks in gold. These basilisks are erect,
face to face, their tails forming a continuous coil down to the
rise of the hoof. Round each fetlock runs a silver band, and
under each hoof there was originally a plate of silver, of
which only a few fragments remain. The cross-rail in front
of the seat is also plated with silver. The arms (or what
would be the arms if placed in position) are very curious,
consisting of two flat pieces of wood joined at right angles,
so as to form an upright affixed to the framework of the
back and a horizontal support for the arm of the sitter.
These are of the same dark wood as the legs and rails, hav-
ing a border-line at each side; while down the middle, with
head erect at the top of the upright limb, and tail undulating
downward to the finish of the arm-rest, is a basilisk carved
in some lighter colored wood, and incrusted with hundreds
of minute silver annulets, to represent the markings of the
reptile. The nails connecting the various parts are round-
headed and plated with gold, thus closely resembling the or-
namental brass-headed nails in use at the present day. The
gold and silver are both of the purest quality.
Of the royal ovals which formerly adorned this beautiful
chair of state, only one longitudinal fragment remains. This
fragment, which measures some nine or ten inches in length,
is carved on both sides, and contains about one-fourth part of
what may be called the field of the cartouche. Enough, how-
ever, remains to identif}^ on one side the throne-name, and
on the other side the family name, of Queen Hatasu. The
carving is admirable, every detail—even to the form of the
nails and the creases of the finger-joints in part of a hiero-