202 Route IS. DKIIEN-NAKIILKH. Prom Cairo
Bersheh, in the s«cp sides'of which are numerous tombs of the Karly
and Middle Empires and also several quarries. The valley is chiefly
noted for the rock-tombs in its N. slope, constructed under the
Middle Empire by the princes ofthe 'nome of hares', which in¬
cluded this region. The only one of these that need be visited is__
Tojiu 2, belonging to Thuti-hotep, son of Kai, prince of the
nome in the reigns of Amenemhet II. and Usertesen II. and III,
We ascend the path ascending the hill to the left at the mouth of
the valley, but before reaching the top diverge; to the right hy
another path. This tomb is constructed in exactly the same way
as the tombs at Benihasan. The Vestibule, originally supported by
two palm-columns, has been destroyed. A cloor leads hence to the
Tomb Ch'imber, the walls of which were embellished with reliefs,
now partly destroyed. On the Left Wall is a scene representing
the transportation of a colossal statue ofthe decreased, from the
e^uarries of Het-nub (p. 210) to a temple. The inscription in¬
forms us that the statue was of alabaster and 13 ells (21 ft.) in
height. It is securely fastened with ropes upon a wooden sleelge,
which is drawn by four rows with 43 workmen in each (172 in all).
A priest precedes the statue scattering incense. On the prow of the
sled stands a man pouring water on the ground to prevent the heavily
loaded sled from taking fire by friction; and on the lap of the figure
is another man clapping his hands, probably the le .der and time-
giver of the song of the workmen, whose task was facilitated by
rhythmical movement. Below are other workmen carrying water and
a beam; and behind the statue are foremen and other officials. At
the top are, companies of people with brane-.hes in their hands,
hastening to meet the procession. To the extreme left stands Thuti-
hotep, followed by his body-guard, obse-rving the unusual spectacle.
— To the right is a representation of the entrance to the temple
intended for the statue, and named 'The popularity of Thuti-hotep
remains in the Hare Nome'. — Beneath this scene the deceased
appears again beside a fowling-net; to the right he sits upon a
canopied throne and inspects his ships and herds.
The representations on the other walls <>f this tomb are much in¬
jured. Rear Wall. At the top of the left half are the deceased and his
son drawing a fowling-net; in the second row is a fishing scene; in the
three next rows cranes and geese are being fattened, fish are being pre¬
pared, and geese, plucked and hung upon poles, are boing slaughtered;
in the lowest row are servants bearing fish and other food. On the right
half appears the deceased receiving the fish and fowl that have been
captured. Right Wall. Various industries carried on on the estate of the
deceased are here shown: tillage, potters, vintage, vine-treading; below
are the daughter of the deceased, smelling lotus-flowers, and his body¬
guard ; also four men carrying a litter. — Four steps lead hence to the
Chamber in which stood the deceased's statue; on the rear-wall of this
are the deceased and his father Kai, facing each other.
Below the rook-tombs are Tombs of the Ancient Empire, Sluift
Tombs ofthe Middle Empire, and numerous tombs of the Ptolemaic
period, all^of which, however, have been opened. Opposite, on the
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