DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.10362#0030
20 BENI HASAN
The length of the thumb is, as usual, curiously
exaggerated.
The name of the hand in Egyptian is <?
det. It would seem as though this alphabetic
sign were acrophonic, i.e., that its phonetic
value is derived from the first letter of its
name.
Compare Petbie, Medum, PI. xiii., &c.
Fig, 54. Extended human arms holding
polishing-stone or corn-rubber, ; read
1 ® seMen. From east end of south wall
AA/WV\
in main chamber of Tomb 2; B. H. I.,
PI. xvii., sixth column from left in bottom
row of great list of offerings, group ® ( ).
M.W.B., 1891.
The bent and extended arms are perhaps
holding the upper stone of a "saddle quern"
for triturating corn; see side view of this
operation on south side of west wall in
Tomb 2 ; B. H. I., PI. xii., third row from
bottom to right of false door.
The meaning of the word sekhen appears to
be " to embrace," &c, as if with both arms.
The stone for grinding or polishing, <$MD, is
probably not essential to the symbol.
Fig. 55, The shoulder and fore-leg of an
animal, <f^a ; read ® khepsh. From south
wall of main chamber in Tomb 2; B. H., I.,
PI. xvii., long column to right in great list
of offerings, group 1 S^=> J—-fT^i' ^-^.B.,
1891.
This sign is often called the haunch, which,
obviously, it is not. It is a picture of the
fore-leg of an ox or other animal cut off at the
shoulder joint and skinned down to the hock.
The meaning of the word khepsh, spelt by
this sign, is " shoulder," " arm (of strength) " ;
but since the outline of the Egyptian scimitar
is somewhat similar to that of the shoulder and
fore-leg, this also bore the same name.
Fig. 56. Plan of a house, n, read
per. From south wall of main chamber in
Tomb 2; B. II, I., PI. xvii., twelfth column in
top row of great list of offerings, group E^E!.
MWv\
M.W.B, 1891.
The plan is of a rectangular building, with
entrance in the middle of one of the longer
sides. From the proportional size of the
entrance, it is clearly the plan of a single
chamber, and not of a great enclosure.
The meaning of the word L-|—1 per is " house,"
" chamber."
Compare Petrie, Medum, PI. xi., &c.
Fig. 57. Front view of mouth, <=>; readr.
From south wall of main chamber in Tomb 2 ;
B. II., I., PI. xvii., fourth column from right
in middle row of great list of offerings, group
M.W.B., 1891.
This sign represents the mouth with open
lips.
The Egyptian name for the mouth is ( ?
re, and <=> was taken as the ordinary alpha-
betic sign for r. The same word means
"gate," "orifice," &c.
Compare Petrie, Medum, PI. xi., &c.
Fig. 58. jp2g> ; read v\ uden. From
east end of south wall in main chamber of
Tomb 2; B. IT., I., PI. xvii., ninth column
from left in middle row of great list of
offerings, group ^, e=>. H.C., lb9o.
The length of the thumb is, as usual, curiously
exaggerated.
The name of the hand in Egyptian is <?
det. It would seem as though this alphabetic
sign were acrophonic, i.e., that its phonetic
value is derived from the first letter of its
name.
Compare Petbie, Medum, PI. xiii., &c.
Fig, 54. Extended human arms holding
polishing-stone or corn-rubber, ; read
1 ® seMen. From east end of south wall
AA/WV\
in main chamber of Tomb 2; B. H. I.,
PI. xvii., sixth column from left in bottom
row of great list of offerings, group ® ( ).
M.W.B., 1891.
The bent and extended arms are perhaps
holding the upper stone of a "saddle quern"
for triturating corn; see side view of this
operation on south side of west wall in
Tomb 2 ; B. H. I., PI. xii., third row from
bottom to right of false door.
The meaning of the word sekhen appears to
be " to embrace," &c, as if with both arms.
The stone for grinding or polishing, <$MD, is
probably not essential to the symbol.
Fig. 55, The shoulder and fore-leg of an
animal, <f^a ; read ® khepsh. From south
wall of main chamber in Tomb 2; B. H., I.,
PI. xvii., long column to right in great list
of offerings, group 1 S^=> J—-fT^i' ^-^.B.,
1891.
This sign is often called the haunch, which,
obviously, it is not. It is a picture of the
fore-leg of an ox or other animal cut off at the
shoulder joint and skinned down to the hock.
The meaning of the word khepsh, spelt by
this sign, is " shoulder," " arm (of strength) " ;
but since the outline of the Egyptian scimitar
is somewhat similar to that of the shoulder and
fore-leg, this also bore the same name.
Fig. 56. Plan of a house, n, read
per. From south wall of main chamber in
Tomb 2; B. II, I., PI. xvii., twelfth column in
top row of great list of offerings, group E^E!.
MWv\
M.W.B, 1891.
The plan is of a rectangular building, with
entrance in the middle of one of the longer
sides. From the proportional size of the
entrance, it is clearly the plan of a single
chamber, and not of a great enclosure.
The meaning of the word L-|—1 per is " house,"
" chamber."
Compare Petrie, Medum, PI. xi., &c.
Fig. 57. Front view of mouth, <=>; readr.
From south wall of main chamber in Tomb 2 ;
B. II., I., PI. xvii., fourth column from right
in middle row of great list of offerings, group
M.W.B., 1891.
This sign represents the mouth with open
lips.
The Egyptian name for the mouth is ( ?
re, and <=> was taken as the ordinary alpha-
betic sign for r. The same word means
"gate," "orifice," &c.
Compare Petrie, Medum, PI. xi., &c.
Fig. 58. jp2g> ; read v\ uden. From
east end of south wall in main chamber of
Tomb 2; B. IT., I., PI. xvii., ninth column
from left in middle row of great list of
offerings, group ^, e=>. H.C., lb9o.