DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.3720#0138
INKSTANDS.—THE BASTINADO.
121
centre for holding the pens; and some were of square or
oblong form, made of wood or stone, with a larger cavity for
each colour (fig. 3). Slabs and pestles for grinding colour are
also commonly found in the tombs of Thebes (woodcut 87) ;
as well as lumps of ochre, green, blue, and other colours.
The sacred scribes were of the priestly order; but the royal
scribes might be either priests or military men, and they were
generally sons of the king, or of the chief men of the court.
The public scribes were also men of great trust and conse-
quence, to whom the settlement of public and private accounts
18
(W. SS.)
was committed ; and they assisted, or performed the office of,
magistrates, in condemning defaulters to punishment.
The stick seems to have been very freely administered in
Egypt; and small men in office delighted in power then, as in
modern days. Tims the old porter of the king's house, obliged
to support himself on his walking-stick, is represented mar-
shalling the bearers of bags of gold, and other deposits for the
royal treasury, and reminding them of his authority by an
occasional blow of his wand ; and even artisans stimulated the
exertions of their workmen by the stick.
The skill of the Egyptian doctors was celebrated: and they
had adopted a custom indicative of great advancement in civili-
121
centre for holding the pens; and some were of square or
oblong form, made of wood or stone, with a larger cavity for
each colour (fig. 3). Slabs and pestles for grinding colour are
also commonly found in the tombs of Thebes (woodcut 87) ;
as well as lumps of ochre, green, blue, and other colours.
The sacred scribes were of the priestly order; but the royal
scribes might be either priests or military men, and they were
generally sons of the king, or of the chief men of the court.
The public scribes were also men of great trust and conse-
quence, to whom the settlement of public and private accounts
18
(W. SS.)
was committed ; and they assisted, or performed the office of,
magistrates, in condemning defaulters to punishment.
The stick seems to have been very freely administered in
Egypt; and small men in office delighted in power then, as in
modern days. Tims the old porter of the king's house, obliged
to support himself on his walking-stick, is represented mar-
shalling the bearers of bags of gold, and other deposits for the
royal treasury, and reminding them of his authority by an
occasional blow of his wand ; and even artisans stimulated the
exertions of their workmen by the stick.
The skill of the Egyptian doctors was celebrated: and they
had adopted a custom indicative of great advancement in civili-