THE
TOMB
OF
MERYRA
II.
39
chairs
side
by
side,
with
their
feet
resting
on
double
hassocks.
Even
at
this
public
appear¬
ance
before
men
of
foreign
nations
their
atti¬
tude
to
one
another
is
still
most
amatory.
The
Queen
has
her
right
arm
thrown
round
her
husband's
waist,
and
her
left
hand
reposes
in
his.
So
much
is
perceptible
;
but
the
bodies
of
both
have
been
almost
erased
from
the
hips
upwards
in
ancient
time.
As
usual,
all
but
the
bare
outline
of
the
farther
figure
was
covered
by
the
nearer.
Six
princesses
are
shown,
a
number
greater
than
is
found
elsewhere.
The
new
comers
are
Nefer-neferu-ra,
whom
we
have
already
seen
on
the
south
wall,
and
Setep-en-ra.
The
pretty
groups
have
been
injured
by
time
and
ruined
by
thieves,
but
the
names
and
attitudes
are
pre¬
served
in
several
earlier
copies
and
squeezes.1
Meketaten
turns
her
head
to
her
sister,
and
so
shows
us
the
side
without
the
hanging
lock.
Attracted
by
the
smell
of
a
persea-fruit
(pome¬
granate
?)
which
Ankhes-en-pa-aten
is
holding
to
her
nose,
she
is
stretching
out
her
hand
for
another
which
is
in
her
sister's
right
hand.
Nefer-neferu-aten
seems
to
be
holding
up
a
tiny
gazelle,
and
her
sister
behind
has
a
similar
pet
on
her
right
arm,
which
Setep-en-ra
is
tickling.
Both
hold
flowers
in
the
other
hand.
The
different
ages
of
the
children
is
not
indicated
by
their
height
or
demeanour.
As
Setep-en-ra
does
not
appear
on
the
south
wall,
it
may
be
that
she
was
born
during
the
decoration
of
the
tomb,
about
the
fourteenth
year
of
the
reign.
Three
nurses
of
the
children
stand
by
the
side
of
the
platform.
The
titulary
of
the
sun
above
contains
some
indecipherable
additions
to
what
is
usual
(per¬
haps
"in
the
great
desert
of
Akhetaten"
on
the
left).
In
front
is
depicted,
in
six
registers,
the
bringing
of
gifts
by
negro
tribes
of
the
South,
and
though
the
picture
does
not
convey
the
1
The
additions
to
the
plate
are
from
L.
D.
iii.
99b.
idea
of
a
spontaneous
and
unforced
payment
of
tribute,
this
may
be
a
mistaken
impression.
In
the
topmost
register
are
specimens
of
the
gifts.
On
native
initiative
and
artistic
impulse,
appar¬
ently,
the
tribute
of
the
South
was
wont
to
be
made
more
presentable
by
the
inclusion
of
set
pieces,
which
were
sometimes
very
complex
and
even,
in
a
barbaric
way,
picturesque
(cf.
L.
D.
iii.
118).
One
of
the
commonest
and
simplest
methods
was
to
decorate
a
yoke
with
skins
and
tails
of
animals,
and
with
rings
of
gold
sus¬
pended
in
long
chains
or
sewn
on
a
foundation
of
skin
or
cloth.
These
hung
from
the
yoke,
while
a
row
of
ostrich
feathers
adorned
the
upper
side.
One
such
pole
is
seen
resting
on
a
stand,
and
two
others
are
being
borne
by
negroes.
A
second
trophy,
of
which
an
example
is
seen
here,
takes
the
form
of
a
representation
of
the
dom
palm,
presumably
in
precious
metal.
In
L.
D.
iii.
118,
also,
it
is
set
in
a
basket,
but
here
the
blocks
(ingots
of
silver
?)
instead
of
being
built
into
an
elegant
pyramid
are
merely
placed
in
two
rough
piles.
Behind
these
trophies
are
seen
trays
holding
ingots
(?),
bags
of
gold
dust,
and
rings
of
gold
;
also
shields,
bows,
and
arrows,
&c.
Below,
similar
gifts
are
being
pre¬
sented
by
negro
chiefs,
from
Wawat
or
Mam
in
Ethiopia,
to
judge
by
their
dress
(cf.
Plate
xxxv.
and
L.
I).
iii.
118).
Ivory,
and
the
eggs
and
feathers
of
the
ostrich,
form
part
of
the
tribute,
and
the
Egyptian
love
of
animals
is
gratified
by
the
inclusion
of
tame
leopards,
a
wild
ox
(?),
and
an
antelope
(?).
In
the
third
and
fourth
registers
we
see
prisoners
taken
in
a
raid,
or
perhaps
slaves
as
a
natural
item
of
the
tribute.
About
a
dozen
male
negroes
are
being
dragged
forward
by
ropes
tied
round
their
necks
and
fettering
the
wrists
also.
Half
that
number
of
women
are
being
led
in
the
same
way,
except
that
their
hands
are
left
free.
Each
is
accompanied
by
three
or
four
children,
the
elder
ones
led
by
the
hand,
the
youngest
one
or
two
carried
in
a
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