44
THE
ROOK
TOMBS
OF
EL
AMARNA.
and
her
husband,
Ankh-kheperu-ra,1
the
in¬
terrupted
project
speaks
of
events,
actual
or
menacing,
in
which
leisured
art
could
have
no
place.
It
is
somewhat
difficult
to
decide
whether
the
design
as
well
as
the
cartouches
belong
to
Se-aa-ka-ra's
reign,
and
whether,
therefore,
these
figures
represent
Akhenaten
and
his
wife
or
their
successors
on
the
throne.
In
the
absence
of
sufficient
grounds
of
suspicion,
we
must
assume
that
the
whole
belongs
to
the
reign,
or
at
least
to
a
co-regency
of
the
new
King.
Yet
it
is
not
obvious
why
not
even
one
small
design
should
be
completed
by
him,
or
why
the
sun
and
the
royal
pair
should
be
left
untouched.
The
cartouches
seem
somewhat
large
and
clumsy
in
comparison
with
the
rest
of
the
inscription,
but
the
execution
of
the
whole
also
is
very
different
from
that
of
the
other
Avails.
(We
cannot
object
to
there
being
tAvo
scenes
of
the
reAvarding
of
Meryra;
because
that
occurs
in
the
neighbouring
tomb,
and
there
is,
therefore,
even
a
presumption
in
favour
of
it.)
It
might
be
put
fonvard
as
a
plausible
theory
that
the
King's
sculptors
Avere
called
aAvay
to
work
in
the
tomb
of
Meketaten,
and
returned
later
to
complete
the
scenes.
But
the
execution
of
the
Avork
coincided
Avith
an
illness
of
the
King,
Avhich
threatened
to
prove
fatal,
and
under
the
circumstances
the
royal
cartouches
and
figures
Avere
not
proceeded
Avith
;
then,
1
These
cartouches
have
been
removed
by
thieves,
only
the
Queen's
cartouche
surviving.
For
the
King's
we
must
have
recourse
to
the
four
copies,
which
unfortunately
give
as
many
readings
for
the
personal
name.
There
is
little
doubt,
however,
that
the
reading
of
Lepsius,
Se-
aa-ka-ra—zeser-kheperu
(D.
Text,
ii.,
p.
138),
must
be
adopted,
as
the
others
are
only
imperfect
readings
of
this.
A
squeeze
exists
among
the
papers
of
LTTote
(Papiers,
xviii.
l),and
though
the
third
sign
is
broken,
aa
is
much
the
most
satisfactory
reading.
It
appears
that
the
state
of
the
cartouche
was
due
to
time
and
rough
cutting,
not
to
mutilation,
and
that
it
was
fairly
legible
to
a
practised
eye.
The
two
rings
of
this
King
(Petiue,
T.
A.
pi.
xv.)
cannot
shake
this
evidence,
since
each
suggests
a
different
hieroglyph.
The
cartouche
of
the
Queen
is
set
a
little
too
high
up
in
the
Plate.
Avhen
the
apprehension
concerning
the
King
Avas
justified,
the
cartouches
of
his
successor
Avere
hastily
inserted
as
a
date;
though
events,
or
the
disinclination
of
the
nevv
King,
stopped
any
further
progress
Avith
the
tomb.
The
burial
shafts
were
never
made,
and
Meryra's
hopes
of
a
splendid
interment
here
shared
the
general
ruin.
The
roughly
sketched
figures
of
of
the
King
and
Queen,
the
ink
of
Avhich
is
noAv
almost
invisible,2
stand
under
the
radiating
sun
in
the
centre
of
the
picture.
Behind
them
is
the
palace
and
before
them
their
faithful
palace
official,
witli
his
friends
and
attendants.
A
part
of
the
group
has
been
removed
by
the
formation
of
a
recess
here
at
a
later
date.
Meryra
is
standing
on
a
stool,
or
upborne
by
his
friends
Avith
officious
care,
to
receive
the
guerdon
of
golden
necklaces
from
the
king.
His
breast
is
already
covered
Avith
these
marks
of
royal
favour
;
and
it
Avas
no
doubt
a
wise
proceeding
on
the
part
of
the
neAV
monarch
to
make
sure
of
the
devotion
of
an
official
so
influential
in
the
royal
harem.
1).—The
Religious
Texts.
The
Longer
Prayers.
1.
(Thickness
of
Outer
Wall.
East
side.
Plate
xxx.)
"When
thou
settest
alive3
[the
Earth]
4
worships
thee,
West
and
East
give
praise
to
thee,
Ra-Aten,
who
givest
life
for
ever
and
ever.
Thy
setting,
0
Thou
that
livest
upon
Truth,
is
They
raise
shouts
to
the
height
of
heaven
at
seeing
Akhetaten
Avhich
Ra
made
for
his
son,
'
He
who
lives
on
Truth.'
He
gives
him
rule
over
all
countries
on
which
the
sun
shines.
Ho
transmits
to
him
all
the
circuit5
that
he
may
gladden
his
heart
therewith
0
They
are
2
All
existing
lines
were
traced
and
included
in
the
plate,
though
many
of
them
must
be
false
lines
and
the
figure
restored
on
them
somewhat
of
a
travesty.
3
In
contrast
to
the
idea
of
a
sun
that
dies
at
setting.
4
Conjecturing
^
.
6
I.e.
the
land
traversed
by
the
sun.
Read
shencn
t
(from
a
squeeze,
L'Hote,
Papicrs,
xviii.
1.).
0
Cf.
Plate
xxxvi.
and
I.
xli.
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