in the British
Museum. The scene representing the funeral repast and its
accompanying dances occurs frequently in the Theban tombs.

A few of the principal objects were broken or damaged, in the belief
that, by thus destroying them, their doubles would go forth and
accompany the human double, and render him their accustomed services
during the whole of his posthumous existence; a charm pronounced over
them bound them indissolubly to his person, and constrained them to obey
his will. This done, the priest muttered a final prayer, and the masons
walled up the doorway.

[Illustration: 027.jpg THE COFFIN OF THE FAVOURITE GAZELLE OF
ISIMKHOBIU]

Drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from a photograph by Emil Brugsch-
Bey.

The funeral feast now took place with its customary songs and dances.
The _almehs_ addressed the guests and exhorted them to make good use of
the passing hour: "Be happy for one day! for when you enter your tombs
you will rest there eternally throughout the length of every day!"

Immediately after the repast the friends departed from the tomb, and the
last link which connected the dead with our world was then broken. The
sacred harper was called upon to raise the farewell hymn:*

* The harper is often represented performing this last
office. In the tomb of Nofirhotpu, and in many others, the
daughters or the relatives of the deceased accompany or even
replace the harper; in this case they belonged to a priestly
family, and fulfilled the duties of the "Female Singers" of
Amon or some other god.

"O instructed mummies, ennead of the gods of the coffin, who listen to
the praises of this dead man, and who daily extol the virtues of this
instructed mummy, who is living eternally like a god, ruling in Amentit,
ye also who shall live in the memory of posterity, all ye who shall
come and read these hymns inscribed, according to the rites, within
the tombs, repeat: 'The greatness of the under-world, what is it? The
annihilation of the tomb, why is it?' It is to conform to the image
of the land of Eternity, the true country where there is no strife and
where violence is held in abhorrence, where none attacks his neighbour,
and where none among our generations who rest within it is rebellious,
from the time when your race first existed, to the moment when it shall
become a multitude of multitudes, all going the same way; for instead
of remaining in this land of Egypt, ther