DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4222#0041
THE SEALINGS AND STELES.
31
From these it seems that we have the original
forms of the personal names that were modified
by Sety I. Zeren is perhaps a fuller form of
the name Zer, as Narmer is a fuller form of
Nar.
Ill is the latest seal of the prehistoric
style with groups of animals ; but the alchu lea
here is an anticipation of the sealings of
Merneit and the steles of Den.
112. There are two, or even three, very
different styles running on concurrently in the
work of these seals. The rough figures of
animals and men on a coarse scale come
down from the prehistoric time; see 96,
101—104, ofMena,&c. ; 111, 113,114, 122, 123,
of Zer; 8, 9, 10, 128, 132, of Zet; after which
such disappear. The common hieroglyph seals
may rank separately; see 91, 92, 97, 98, 99 of
Mena, &c.; 105—107, 116, 124 of Zer; 1—7,
125—127 of Zet. But an entirely different
class is that of the very delicate A^ork, which
was probably on stone rather than on wood;
see 108, 109, 112, 118, 119, 120 of Zer; 135 of
Zet. It is not till the time of Den that a
general coarse uniformity of style was fixed
upon, though even then the royal seal was of
the delicate class (pi. vii. 5, 6).
113. See account of stone vase inscription,
pi. ii. 15.
114—117. The seals with a shrine should be
compared, though none of them are duplicates.
On 116 seems to be the earliest form of sah.
The leopard and bent bars on his back recall
the panel of Hesy. The general form of the
shrine is like the early huts, with reed sides and
interwoven palm rib roof.
123 is the same design as the seal 10 of Zet,
but a different seal.
124 is the same design as the seal 20 of
Merneit, but differs in having du for zet in the
fortress.
129. The group of four bars in this, as in Nos.
122, 143, is better shown in seal 142, where
they are distinguished in two forms.
135. The upper and lower lines are perhaps
duplicate in arrangement, the series running
sed nebui (?) ; jackal standard ; selchet nebui;
un nebui (?) zef; uaz nebui jackal standard ;
and another standard, making a six-group seal
altogether.
136—'163. The sealings of Den are solely of
interest for titles and language, and so need
not be noticed in this chapter.
28. 164, &c. The sealings from the tomb of
Perabsen name in many cases a king Sekhem-ab,
and this might have led to difficulties, but for a
unique sealing (F.P. coll.), which was found at
some site unknown, some years ago, with the
form Sekhemperabsen, showing the two names
combined.
It will be seen that the hawk of Horus is
always over the Sekhem-ab name, while Set is
always over the Perabsen name on the seals, as
on his stele, pi. xxxi. These are then the Horus
and Set names of the king.
The seals of the Ilnd Dynasty are generally
of a smaller style and more elaborate than those
of the 1st Dynasty. The sharp detail of those
best preserved points to their being made in
stone or metal rather than in wood.
The first figures of deities are found on these
seals. The hawk-headed god, who has some-
times the feather on the head (No. 199), and the
goddess of vegetation (No. 176), Avith growing
plants on her head, and probably the same with
lotus sceptre in the hand (Nos. 191, 192, &c).
On the seals of Khasekhemui we see in every
case Set and Horus placed together as co-equal.
The full-length name of the king expressly
refers to this, " the appearing of the dual power
in which the two gods are at peace" (see
Maspero, Rev. Grit, 15 Dec, 1897).
194. The appearance of the name Amen here
is very surprising, but if a more complete
impression could be obtained, perhaps it Avould
be explained as Amenti, or otherwise.
210. The impressions of this seal are perhaps
the commonest of all; they are entirely on fiat
31
From these it seems that we have the original
forms of the personal names that were modified
by Sety I. Zeren is perhaps a fuller form of
the name Zer, as Narmer is a fuller form of
Nar.
Ill is the latest seal of the prehistoric
style with groups of animals ; but the alchu lea
here is an anticipation of the sealings of
Merneit and the steles of Den.
112. There are two, or even three, very
different styles running on concurrently in the
work of these seals. The rough figures of
animals and men on a coarse scale come
down from the prehistoric time; see 96,
101—104, ofMena,&c. ; 111, 113,114, 122, 123,
of Zer; 8, 9, 10, 128, 132, of Zet; after which
such disappear. The common hieroglyph seals
may rank separately; see 91, 92, 97, 98, 99 of
Mena, &c.; 105—107, 116, 124 of Zer; 1—7,
125—127 of Zet. But an entirely different
class is that of the very delicate A^ork, which
was probably on stone rather than on wood;
see 108, 109, 112, 118, 119, 120 of Zer; 135 of
Zet. It is not till the time of Den that a
general coarse uniformity of style was fixed
upon, though even then the royal seal was of
the delicate class (pi. vii. 5, 6).
113. See account of stone vase inscription,
pi. ii. 15.
114—117. The seals with a shrine should be
compared, though none of them are duplicates.
On 116 seems to be the earliest form of sah.
The leopard and bent bars on his back recall
the panel of Hesy. The general form of the
shrine is like the early huts, with reed sides and
interwoven palm rib roof.
123 is the same design as the seal 10 of Zet,
but a different seal.
124 is the same design as the seal 20 of
Merneit, but differs in having du for zet in the
fortress.
129. The group of four bars in this, as in Nos.
122, 143, is better shown in seal 142, where
they are distinguished in two forms.
135. The upper and lower lines are perhaps
duplicate in arrangement, the series running
sed nebui (?) ; jackal standard ; selchet nebui;
un nebui (?) zef; uaz nebui jackal standard ;
and another standard, making a six-group seal
altogether.
136—'163. The sealings of Den are solely of
interest for titles and language, and so need
not be noticed in this chapter.
28. 164, &c. The sealings from the tomb of
Perabsen name in many cases a king Sekhem-ab,
and this might have led to difficulties, but for a
unique sealing (F.P. coll.), which was found at
some site unknown, some years ago, with the
form Sekhemperabsen, showing the two names
combined.
It will be seen that the hawk of Horus is
always over the Sekhem-ab name, while Set is
always over the Perabsen name on the seals, as
on his stele, pi. xxxi. These are then the Horus
and Set names of the king.
The seals of the Ilnd Dynasty are generally
of a smaller style and more elaborate than those
of the 1st Dynasty. The sharp detail of those
best preserved points to their being made in
stone or metal rather than in wood.
The first figures of deities are found on these
seals. The hawk-headed god, who has some-
times the feather on the head (No. 199), and the
goddess of vegetation (No. 176), Avith growing
plants on her head, and probably the same with
lotus sceptre in the hand (Nos. 191, 192, &c).
On the seals of Khasekhemui we see in every
case Set and Horus placed together as co-equal.
The full-length name of the king expressly
refers to this, " the appearing of the dual power
in which the two gods are at peace" (see
Maspero, Rev. Grit, 15 Dec, 1897).
194. The appearance of the name Amen here
is very surprising, but if a more complete
impression could be obtained, perhaps it Avould
be explained as Amenti, or otherwise.
210. The impressions of this seal are perhaps
the commonest of all; they are entirely on fiat