as the time of the XIth Dynasty; for at
Thebes, in the precinct of the funerary temple of King Neb-hapet-Ra
Mentuhetep and round the central pyramid which commemorated his memory,
were buried a number of the ladies of his _harim_. They were all buried
at one and the same time, and there can be little doubt that they were
all killed and buried round the king, in order to be with him in the
next world. Now with each of these ladies, who had been turned into
ghosts, was buried a little waxen human figure placed in a little model
coffin. This was to replace her own slave. She who went to accompany
the king in the next world had to have her own attendant also. But, not
being royal, a real slave was not killed for her; she only took with her
a waxen figure, which by means of charms and incantations would, when
she called upon it, turn into a real slave, and say, "Here am I," and do
whatever work might be required of her. The actual killing and burial
of the slaves had in all cases except that of the king been long
"commuted," so to speak, into a burial with the dead person of
_ushabtis_, or "Answerers," little figures like those described above,
made more usually of stone, and inscribed with the name of the deceased.
They were called "Answerers" because they answered the call of their
dead master or mistress, and by magic power became ghostly servants.
Later on they were made of wood and glazed _faience_, as well as stone.
By this means the greater humanity of a later age sought a relief from
the primitive disregard of the death of others.

Anthropologically interesting as are the results of the excavations at
Umm el-Gra'ab, they are no less historically important. There is no need
here to weary the reader with the details of scientific controversy; it
will suffice to set before him as succinctly and clearly as possible the
net results of the work which has been done.

Messrs. Amelineau and Petrie have found the secondary tombs and have
identified the names of the following primeval kings of Egypt. We
arrange them in their apparent historical order.

1. Aha Men (?).

2. Narmer (or Betjumer) Sma (?).

3. Tjer (or Khent). Besh.

4. Tja Ati.

5. Den Semti.

6. Atjab Merpeba.

7. Semerkha Nekht.

8. Qa Sen.

9. Khasekhem (Khasekhemui)

10. Hetepsekhemui.

11. Raeneb.

12. Neneter.

13. Sekhemab Perabsen.

Two or three other names are ascribed by Prof. Petrie to the
Hierakonpolite dynasty of Upper Egypt,