In the care bestowed upon the dead the Egyp tians surpass all other people of ancient or mod ern times. The mean, adopted were more or elaborate in proportion to the wealth of the deceased's family, but the principle was the same in all eases. The body was first embalmed (see EMBALMING). and, after being swathed in linen was placed in the coffin. In the time of the Middle Empire magical texts (see DEAD, DOOR OF THE) designed to protect the deceased from the perils of the Lower World were in scribed upon the coffin-boards. Under the New Empire similar texts were written upon papyrus and placed within the coffin. Amulets of various kinds were placed beside the mummy or hung about its neck. When these preparations were complete. the body was carried to the tomb, ac eompanied by relatives, friends, and troops of hired mourners. All the Egyptian cemeteries lay upon the western side of the Nile, and hence it was frequently necessary to cross the river. When this was the ease the coffin was embarked upon a richly adorned barge, and the funeral cortege followed in other boats. From the time of the Old Empire the sacred soil of Abydos was a favorite burial-place, and bodies were brought thither for sepulture from all parts of Egypt. At the place of burial the officiating priests per formed the appropriate ceremonies; extracts from thy sacred books were read, incense was burned. offerings were made, and the body was then com mitted to the tomb. Every provision was made for the comfort of the deceased. Alabaster fig tires of fowls, and loaves of bread, and little wooden wine-jars, were provided. which, by virtue of the charms repeated over them. acquired the properties of real food and drink. in the same way the food was supposed to be prepared in wooden models of by statuettes of cooks and Should the deceased wish for recreation, there games of various kinds and his favorite papyri. Did lie desire to travel, he might voyage in wooden models of boats which, with oars. rigging. and crew, were plated in the tomb, lie was, moreover, spared the necessity of performing labor in the future life by numbers of statuettes called ushabliu, or 'answerers,' which answered to his name. and took
his place whenever any work was assigned to him. The tombs of the Egyptians varied with the period and with the means of the deceased and his family. rnder the Old Empire wealthy nobles built the so-called mastaba tombs, fiat, oblong structures of stone. which surround the pyramid, of the kings of the Fourth and Fifth dynasties. From the end of the Old Empire grotto tombs, hewn out of the solid rock. were preferred. Such tombs contained several oham bers, and their walls were usually adorned with sculptures and paintings. To each twill) was at tached a funerary chapel, where offerings were made from thin' to time. Tomb, of this kind were, of course, only within the reach of great nobles and wealthy officials. For person: of more moderate means, a common type of tomb, under the Middle and New empires, consisted of a 5110111 pyramid of brick standing upon a low, square base, and having a little portico in front to represent the funerary chapel. The great majority of the people were. however. buried in the ground, and the site of the grave was usually marked by a stele. on which wa.s carved a representation of the deceased standing before a table of offerings. in the presence of Osiris and other gods. The poor were buried in shallow graves, without a coffin, and with no stele to mark the spot: but the small alabaster howls and the bones of animals found in these graves show that even here the welfare of the deceased had not been neglected. Consult: Er man. Life in Ancient Egypt ( London. 1894 ) ; iedemann. It-Arc/Wen ( Stuttgart. I Sti ) and Aegygtischr Gcschichte (Gotha. ISS-1-tiS) : Due michen and Meyer. Gesehichtc des Olen Aegyp lens (Berlin, 1878-87) : Wilkinson, The Manners and Customs of the Ancient Egyptians (ed. Birch, London. 1878), is antiquated, but is full of valuable illustrations.