For building purposes and for sculpture. the Egyptian quarries furnished an ample supply of stone of various kinds. From the quarries of Turah, nearly opposite came the fine white limestone. which was used for mastabas, pyramids. and statues, and alabaster was oldained in the same neighborhood. Sandstone was ob tained from the quarries near Gebel Silsileh, and near Assuan was quarried the beautiful red granite used for obelisks, columns, statues, and doorways, and for other architectural and artistic purposes. In the Wildi liammitiuM was quarried the black granite used for statues and sarcophagi. Although working with inferior tools, the Egyp tian artisans handled the hardest stones in a manner unsurpassed in modern times. Their cutting was done with a small metal chisel and a wooden mallet, and they obtained a fine polish hy rubbing with pieces of quartz or with quartz dust.
Asa building material, stone was chiefly used for the construction of temples. tombs, pyra obelisks, and other enduring monuments; private houses were built of bricks made of Nile mud. The dwellings of the poorer class were generally mere hovels; those of the wealthy were often of eonsiderahle size and contained many 1'00111S. The framework was S of timber, and at the entrance there was often a columned portico. In some examples represented on the monuments the roof is raised above the upper story by small pillars, and the spaees between the pillars are left open to secure free ventilation. In others, an awning is stretched over the that roof, which was, apparently. the favorite resort of the family. Country houses were surrounded by gardens with beds of flowers, alleys of trees, and artificial lakes.
The Egyptians were not a grave and philosoph ical people; on the contrary, they were gay and cheerful. They were fond of amusement, and their frequent social entertainment were enli vened by the performances of musieians. dancers, And jugglers. as well as men. were guests at these feasts, which were not always of a very stiller character. As a people the tians were much addicted to the use of intoxi eating beverages. Beer was the national drink; it was brewed from barley malt, and several kinds of beer are mentioned in the inscriptions. Wine also was largely consumed, and the Egyptian vineyards produced both red and white wines in abundance.
Of the many games mentioned or depicted on the monuments, the game of draughts appears to have been most popular. It w'as believed to form the favorite reereation of the blessed dead in the Lower World, and many draught-hoards have been found in the tombs.
At all Hines the Egyptians took great delight in field sports. The marshes were well stocked with aquatic birds, which the sportsman, push ing allo mg the reeds in his skiff. brought down with a Angling with rod and line and the spearing of fish were also favorite amuse ments. La•ger game, especially the antelope. was hunted with hounds in the Libyan Desert, and lions were often killed in the same loeality. At the popular festivals a favorite sport was the water tournament, in which the contending boat men stood in their skiffs and sought to push their opponents overboard with long poles.
Wrestling and cudgel-play were also features of these occasions, and such contests were often so earnest that the defeated contestant had to be carried from the field.
hi ancient Egypt women enjoyed a much greater degree of independence than in other countries of antiquity. They appeared with their husbands at social entertainments, and took part in religious ceremonies. There were regular or ders of priestesses attached to the service of the gods, and under the New Empire the priestesses, or 'singers,' of Ammon of Thebes were a very important body. At the head usually stood the Queen, and the lower grades were composed of the wives and daughters of priests, oflicials, officers, and even artisans. The Egyptian laws secured to women the full enjoyment of the rights of property. A married woman, for ex ample. could hold property at her own separate disposal, and could even lend money on interest to her husband. Polygamy was allowed. but was rarely practiced; as a rule there was but one legitimate wife, who held a most honorable posi tion in the household, and had the direction of domestic affairs. A man might also have as many coneubines as his means would a 110W extensive harems were a luxury of the rich. The Egyptians usually married young, and their large families were a source of wonder to the Creeks.
Although the higher learning was in the hands of the priests, education was rather widely dif fused, and reading and writing were common ae complishments, even among the lower classes. Schools existed throughout the country; they were usually attached to the various govern mental departments, and, under the New Empire at least, graduation in these schools opened the way to admission into the civil and military serviee of the State. The school discipline was severe, and the rod was freely administered. "The ears of the young." says the Egyptian prov erb. "arc placed on the back, and the boy hears when he is flogged." At first the young pupil was taught to form the (diameters on potsherds, papyrus being too expensive for this purpose. When he acquired some skill in writing lie was set to copying moral maxims like our old-time copybook texts, and as he advanced he copied longer extracts, and filially eomplete texts which were selected for their matter and style. The moral papyri containing rules of conduct and of manners were commonly used for this purpose; but poems. tales. and religious texts were also assigned. In this way the student, as he gained skill with his pen, became acquainted with the best works of the national literature. Mich at tention was given to the formation of a good epistolary style, and to this end students were required to ropy out collections of model letters upon various subject,. Arithmetic and book keeping were important branches of study, and under the New Empire instruction in geography seems to have been given. Throughout the course the pupil was carefully trained in ethics, in the practical philosophy of every-day life and in good manners. The more advanced instruction was, of course, adapted to the career in life which the particular student expected to follow hut little is known as to the manner in which it was imparted.