Chapter XII: Introduction

The Museum mainly illustrates the civilization of Ancient Alexandria. There are some portraits—not satisfactory—of the Founder (Room 12), and magnificent coins of the Ptolemies (Room 3); also sculptures of them (Rooms 4, 12). Their religious policy appears in the statues of Serapis (Room 16). As for the Roman Emperors, we have besides their coins (Room 2) colossal statues of Marcus Aurelius (Room 12), and of Diocletian (?) (Room 17); then some gold coins of their Byzantine successors (Room 5). Meanwhile the career of the private citizen is also being illustrated, but mainly in his grave. Masses and masses and masses of funerary stuff (Rooms 6, 13, 14, 15, 17-21), mostly dull, but attaining great beauty in the terra cotta statuettes of women (Room 18). The “Egyptian Queen” pottery (Room 17) is more cheerful. In the same room is lovely glass. With Christianity, the Alexandrian, though still mainly presented to us through his tombs (Room 1), develops the interesting cult of St. Menas (Rooms 1, 5, 22, A.).

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The Museum also exhibits, though imperfectly, other aspects of Egyptian life.

(i). PHARAONIC EGYPT:—There are some mummies, etc. from Thebes, Heliopolis, etc. (Rooms 8 and 10), but they have the air of being here because not good enough for Cairo; also a collection of small objects (Room 10), and Rameses statues from Aboukir (Room 9 and North Garden). The blend of Pharaonic and Hellenistic is shown in Room 11.

(ii). THE FAYOUM:—This is the most important non-Alexandrian section in the Museum. The Fayoum, an irrigated depression south-west of Cairo, was developed by Ptolemy II Philadelphus, and, as in Alexandria, Greek and Egyptian mingled, but with different results. It was barbaric and provincial. Note especially crocodile worship (North Garden, Rooms 9, 22 A). Mummies of quite a new type (Room 17). Black basalt statues (Room 11). It is a pity that the Fayoum exhibits cannot all be shown together.

(iii). AKHMIN:—An early Christian Necropolis in Upper Egypt. Hence come the robed mummies (Room 1), and the fragments of tapestry (Rooms 1, 2, 4), whose beauty will linger when many a grandiose statue has been forgotten.

VESTIBULE.

PLANS, PHOTOGRAPHS, ETC.

Note especially (1) Thiersch’s reconstruction of the Pharos and (10) Photographs of Kait Bey Fort, where the Pharos stood. (p. 16). (8) Cleopatra’s Needle in situ (p. 161). At the entrance of Room 6 (left) is a cast of the Rosetta Stone (p. 185) which contains a tri-lingual decree (Hieroglyph, which was the script of the Ancient Egyptian priests, Demotic, a running hand-writing evolved from it, and Greek); the decree was passed by the priests of Memphis, B.C. 196, in honour of Ptolemy V Epiphanes. The original stone was discovered by the French in 1799 in the Fort of St. Julien, Rosetta—water-colour of it hangs close by. General Menou had to surrender it to the English in 1801, and it is now in the British Museum. Carducci’s fine poem on Alexandria hangs framed on the adjacent wall.

In the case are stone-age tools from the Fayoum.

From the Vestibule are: right, Room 1 (Christianity); left, Room 6 (Inscriptions); straight ahead, the Verandah leads between the Garden Courts to Room 17.

ROOM 1: CHRISTIAN REMAINS.

RIGHT WALL: Inscriptions. 106 shows a cross with a looped top, directly derived from the symbol of life (ankh) that the ancient Egyptian gods carry (p. 69). In the middle of the wall _Case A_: terra cotta dolls, etc. from St. Menas.

CENTRE OF ROOM: facing door:—magnificent Byzantine capital, supposed to have been in the church of St. Mark (p. 46). Found in the Rue Ramleh. _Case K_: Carved ivories and bones, mostly from Alexandrian rubbish heaps—1979, 2012, 2021, 2025 are good examples. _Case I_: Interlaced cushion from the Christian necropolis of Antinoe, Upper Egypt. Middle of room: fine porphyry cover to a sarcophagus, decorated on each side by a charming head. From the Lebban quarter. Beyond: Christian mummies from Antinoe, still wearing their fine embroideries. At the end: another Byzantine capital, found near the Mahmoudieh Canal.

LEFT WALL, centre: _Cases La_ and _M_.: Flasks from St. Menas. They were filled with water, which must soon have evaporated, and exported all over the Christian world: usual design—the Saint between camels. Between the vases interesting fragments from a church to St. Menas at Dekhela; (p. 171), the bas-relief of the Saint is a clumsy copy of the one that stood in his shrine in the desert (p. 195). _Cases P._, _Q._, _R._, _S._: Coptic tapestries from Akhmin and Antinoe—beautiful. Date 3rd cent. onward. Near _Case N_, two absurd reliefs (Christian era) of Leda and the swan—in one of them she holds an egg.

ROOM 2: COINS.

Chronological continuation of the Ptolemaic coins in Room 3, which should be visited first. Illustrate history of Alexandria, and also her religion, under Rome and afterwards under Constantinople. Series begins in _Case A_ (further right-hand corner) with Octavian (Augustus) 675; _Case B_ No. 675 (of Domitian) shows the Pharos (_see_ p. 16). 750 (of Trajan)—a temple to Isis in Alexandria, with pylons between which the goddess stands. 771 shows Serapis on his throne. 890-892, the sacred basket that he sometimes carries on his head. _Case C_, 1363-1366—interviews, very friendly, between the emperor Hadrian and Alexandria. 1409—interviews between him and the god Serapis. 1450, Isis as guardian of the Pharos.

ROUND THE ROOM: Four marble capitals from St. Menas.

ROOM 3: COINS.

The collection of Ptolemaic coins begins in _Case Ab_ (right of room) and continues through _Case C-D_ (left) and _Case E-F_ (entrance). The coins are numbered consecutively. They are of great historical and artistic interest, but must not be taken seriously as portraits, since the ruler is generally approximated to some god (_i.e._ numeral ‘one’ 1). Silver four drachma of Alexander the Great, struck by his Viceroy Cleomenes. 2-45. Ptolemy I as Viceroy. On the obverse is always the head of Alexander the Great, with horns of the God Ammon. 46-274. Ptolemy I as King (Soter). A new type gradually appears; on the obverse the head of the King, on the reverse an eagle (note 14 gold coins—four-drachma pieces). 275-510. Ptolemy II (Philadelphus) instructive for the domestic history of his reign (p. 14). At first the King appears alone—_e.g._ on gold five-drachma. 275-280. Then his formidable sister and wife Arsinoe is alone—gold coin 342. Then the couple appear together—gold 428-434, while on the other side of the coins are their predecessors, Ptolemy I and his wife, to show that the dynasty emanated in pairs. 551-619. Ptolemy III (Euergetes). 620. Magnificent gold eight-drachma, representing Euergetes, but struck by Philopator his son; the most gorgeous coin in the collection. 621. Silver four drachma, with heads of Serapis and Isis. Ptolemaic coinage now deteriorates; the eagle in the later issues (_Case D_) becomes formalised and ridiculous. 1059 (_Case E_) features—what disillusionment!—Cleopatra!

ROUND THE ROOM—Casts.

ROOM 4: COINS. AKHMIN TAPESTRY.

The coins are coppers of the later Roman Emperors. Not beautiful. Of historical interest to Alexandria. In _Case A-B_ (right) 3884—Aurelian and Vabatathe. 3896—Zenobia. In _Case C-D_ (left) 4024—Diocletian.

ROUND THE WALLS: 1-8. Tapestries from the Christian cemetery at Akhmin.

BACK WALL: Large and impressive statue of a mourning woman with her child. Hellenistic. Perhaps represents Berenice wife of Ptolemy III Euergetes, mourning for her little daughter—the daughter whom the priests deified in the Decree of Canopus, B.C. 239 (p. 42).

ENTRANCE OF ROOM: Large Christian Jar.

ROOM 5: COINS.

Beautiful Byzantine gold coins. Note especially the Emperor Phocas and his conqueror Heraclius (p. 53); the latter displays the Exaltation of the Cross, recovered by him from the Persians.

BACK WALL: Pilaster from the Hospice at St. Menas. The cross has been erased, probably at the Arab conquest. At each end of it, more St. Menas flasks.

_Case A_: Painted masks, from the (pagan) Necropolis of Antinoe. _Case B_: Christian potteries from Kom es Chogafa.

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Return to Vestibule.

ROOM 6: INSCRIPTIONS, ETC.

This room contains nothing of beauty, but is interesting historically. The exhibits are not in numerical order.

RIGHT WALL, close to entrance: 42—Inscription on a statue of Antony (p. 26), dedicated on December 24th, B.C. 50 (Found near Ramleh Station, _i.e._ the site of the Caesareum). 2. Dedication to Ptolemy II Philadelphus. 1. Dedication to Ptolemy I. 37. Doorway with inscription to Ptolemy VI; in it is a case containing (59) two bronze plaques belonging to a Roman Soldier, (Julius Saturninus), inscribed with a certificate of his good services and privileges. 61_a_, also in the case, is another military document, a wooden tablet written at Alexandria, but found in the Fayoum, and also conferring benefits on a veteran. 94. Base of a statue of the Emperor Valentinian (4th Cent. A.D.); found in Rue Rosette. 88_b_. Tombstone with the figures of Isidore and Artemisia, two ladies of Pisidia, found at Hadra. 87_b_. Tombstone of a lady with her servant.

Then come some painted tombstones protected by glass; they are inferior to some in the rooms further on. 119 (in corner of room); Tombstone of a woman expiring between two friends.

LEFT WALL: Inscriptions and tombstones of the Roman period (p. 44). 480. On a pedestal: Memorial of Aurelius Alexander, a Roman soldier of Macedonian birth who died aged 31. 252. Another of Aurelius Sabius, a Syrian soldier, aged 35.

EACH SIDE OF THE ROOM, near entrance door: Two _Cases_ of papyri—the left hand one containing two interesting inscriptions. 119. Incantation to the Nile and to the great spirit Sabaoth shewing mixture of Egyptian and Jewish faiths. 122. Demand of Aurelia, priestess of the crocodile god, Petesouchos, for certificate of having worshipped the gods. It was made during the Decian persecution, (p. 46), and suggests that, despite her position, she had been accused of Christianity. 352_b_. On a pedestal: Colossal scarab. 35_b_. Fine headless sphinx. 351. Great Apis bull (restored); period of Hadrian. 350. Sphinx, rather sentimental, with crossed paws. All these last four were found near Pompey’s Pillar. (p. 144).

ROOM 7: ANCIENT EGYPT: CANOPUS.

These monuments, though mostly found in the Aboukir sites (p. 180), may have been imported there at some unknown date from Heliopolis or Sais.

1. Statue of a Hyksos Pharaoh (Shepherd King, about B.C. 1800) which has been appropriated by Rameses II (B.C. 1300); on the shoulder appears Rameses’ daughter Hout-Ma-Ra, traditionally the princess who found Moses in the bullrushes.

18. Part of a statue of Rameses II.

_Case C_ (left of room). Two statues of a Ptolemaic official; from the Temple of Serapis, Alexandria, (p. 146).

ROOM 8: ANCIENT EGYPT.

Five mummy cases.

_Case B_ (right): The interior is painted—an eerie receptacle. By the head, a winged serpent; along the sides, a serpent with the sign of Life (cf. the Coptic Cross, Room 1, No. 106, also p. 69), and genii, mostly serpent-headed. The mummy lay on the sun-goddess Neith, on a serpent entwined round a lotus, and on the soul as a bird. The outside of the case is also painted. From Deir el Bahri, Upper Egypt.

_Case E_ (centre): Richly painted mummy with the goddess Neith on its breast. Very effective. Date—about B.C. 600.

3 (back wall): Relief from over the door of a tomb. Left the deceased, enthroned between two bouquets of lotus: to one of them a couple of ducks are tied. Then comes an old harpist, who is singing, accompanied by a girl on a drum, and by two others who clap their hands. To the right, a man preparing drink; then two dancing girls. Beautiful work. From Heliopolis.

ROOM 9: ANCIENT EGYPT: CROCODILE WORSHIP.

The contents of this room, though not Alexandrian, are Ptolemaic, and well illustrate that dynasty in its Egyptian aspect. They come from the Temple of Petesouchos, the crocodile god of the Fayoum. The temple was adorned by Agathodorus, a Greek official there B.C. 137, in honour of Ptolemy VII (Physkon) and of his two wives, one his sister, one his niece, and both called Cleopatra. (For the marriage arrangements of this unattractive monarch, _see_ tree, p. 12). The temple itself has been in part brought to the Museum, and well set up in the North Garden (_see_ below).

CENTRE OF ROOM: Wooden stretcher on which is a mummied crocodile. It was carried thus in procession by the priests, as the water colour below (copy of a fresco) shows. The stretcher rests on a wooden chest, also found in the shrine.

BACK WALL: Wooden door of the outer gateway (_see_ North Garden). Greek inscription. Here are some photographs by which the temple can be reconstructed.

39 (right of the chest): an offering table to the god, ornate and unpleasing. He lies in a little tank.

LEFT OF THE ENTRANCE DOOR: Relief of a priest adoring the god, who crawls upon lotus flowers.

ROOM 10: ANCIENT EGYPT: SMALL EXHIBITS.

IN THE ENTRANCE: Offering table, with basins for the libations.

RIGHT WALL—_Case C_; Statuettes of gods, all named. The most interesting for the history of Alexandria are 3-25 Osiris, and 26-40 the bull Apis, with whom he was compounded to make Serapis. (p. 18).

_Case D_: Mummies of a baby, of an eagle, of an ibis.

_Case Aa—Shelf b_ (at the top): winged scarabs in blue enamel. _Shelf k_ (No. 1): statuette of Sekhet, goddess of the heat of the sun—she has the head of a lioness and holds a gold flower. _Shelf f_: Bast, the cat-god. No. 39 has a kitten between the paws. 51 gold earrings. _Shelf 1_ has more statues of Bast. 55 very good.

LEFT WALL: _Case h_ “Canopic” vases of alabaster. Used to hold those parts of the dead that could not be embalmed. Each dedicated to a son of Horus. Amset held the stomach; Hapi the intestines; Douamoutef the lungs; Kebehsenouf the liver. For their connection with the town of Canopus, _see_ p. 176.

_Case Bb_:—More statuettes—especially _shelf i_.—Harpocrates and Horus, and _shelf k_. Isis nursing Horus—the artistic origin for the Christian design of the Madonna and Child. (p. 69). There are some rattles and vases of the Isis cult.

_Case L_: Little serving figures (Ushabti), which were put in the grave with the mummy to do the work for it in the underworld.

Also round the wall of the room: six painted mummy cases.

Down the middle: two big tables of scarabs, amulets, gold trinkets, etc.

ROOM 11. GRECO-EGYPTIAN.

Objects in which the Greek and Egyptian influences mingle. They are few in number, and not as interesting as one might expect. No living art was born from the union.

RIGHT WALL: 18. Dedication to the Egyptian god Anubis with a Greek inscription. 20. Profile of a Ptolemy—rather charming. 33-40. Serpent worship—very repulsive. 40. is a curious mixture. The male snake has the basket of Serapis and the club of Hercules; the female, the disc of Isis and the sheaf of Ceres. 41. Bad painting, Greek style, of a girl with Egyptian gods round her. From Gabbari.

END WALL—both sides: 43-53. Clumsy statues from the Fayoum, in which Greek influence appears.

LEFT WALL—centre: 61. Large fragment of a relief from a temple at Benha; left, Horus with a falcon’s head; right, a human figure, by whose side is a Greek inscription. 62. Model of a shrine, mixed style: in the sanctuary Isis nurses Horus. 69. (in _case A_)—beautiful statue (headless) of a woman, Egyptian style, but Greek feeling.

Archway between Rooms 11 and 12. ON RIGHT: Portrait of a youth in white marble (from Kom es Chogafa). LEFT: Pleasing portrait of a child of two or three years of age.

ROOM 12: PORTRAITS: MOSTLY GRECO-ROMAN IN STYLE.

CENTRE: 30. Dull colossal statue of Marcus Aurelius. The Emperor, looking bored but benignant, appears as a general: his right arm rests on a cornucopia. A cross has in Christian times been scratched on the stomach of the cuirass.—From Rue Rosette.

RIGHT WALL: 8. Exquisite bust of Venus; 16_a_ and 17. Heads, in marble and granite, of Alexander the Great (p. 8); of no artistic merit; but found in Alexandria. 18. Head of a young soldier. 20. Marble head of a goddess; beautiful hair. Found near Pompey’s Pillar. 21. Head, perhaps of Berenice wife of Euergetes; found in same place.—_Cabinet A_: small portraits: note as especially fine 15 and 15_a_ Ptolemy Euergetes (?) and 12 Berenice his wife (?) with elaborate curls; they stand in the centre of the case on the second shelf. _Cabinet D_: Alleged portrait in marble of Cleopatra in her declining years. Thin, firmly compressed lips and general expression of severity discredit the theory. 60. Colossal granite head of Ptolemy IV Philopator; from Aboukir.

LEFT WALL: 51. Bust of Emperor Hadrian. 52. Head in white marble—noble features, supposed to be those of Marcus Aurelius in youth. _Cabinet B._ Heads and torsos: No. 27 Centre shelf, Head of a child with radiant smile—found in Alexandria. 36. Head of Zeus, hirsute countenance—thick lips. Has been scalped. _Cabinet F._ Various small bronzes; 44. Life-sized head of woman in marble: has Rosetti-like neck and mouth.

ROOM 13. MISCELLANEOUS.

CENTRE: 1. Statue of an Emperor, on which a head of Septimus Severus has been fixed.

In _Case F_ (right): 2. Smiling face of a Faun. On the top of the case, a queer relief of a winged griffin and a woman on two wheels. (Nemesis?).

In _Case H_ (left): 2. Caricature of a Roman senator with a rat’s head.

ROOM 14. MISCELLANEOUS.

CENTRE: Mosaic from Gabbari, once displaying a Medusa’s head.

BACK WALL: 1. Marble statue of a Roman Orator. The head does not belong.

LEFT CORNER: 2-4. Delicate architectural details. From Rue Sultan Hussein.

LEFT WALL: 6. Door of a tomb-niche, blending Greek and Egyptian styles. The table in front is from the same tomb and was used for funeral offering. From the Western Necropolis.

ROOM 15. ARCHITECTURAL.

Small fragments, etc., many of them very dainty and showing traces
of paint.

RIGHT WALL: 9. Sacrificial altar, imitating a building, with doors
realistically ajar.

On a column in the right-hand corner: 2. Capital, well illustrating
mixture of styles; the general form and the acanthus leaves are
Greek, the lotus, papyrus, and serpents are Egyptian.

MIDDLE WALL, behind a curtain: 20. Painted side of a sarcophagus; a
shallow and pretty design of two game cocks about to fight across a
festoon of flowers. 2nd Cent. A.D.

LEFT WALL: 50. Other side of same sarcophagus: buildings in
perspective.

ROOM 16. STATUES, MOSTLY GRECO-ROMAN IN STYLE.

RIGHT WALL: 4. Marble torso of a young hero or god; the head and
arms, which were worked separately, are lost, good work. From
Alexandria—probably on a temple. 7-8. _On a shelf_—Statuettes,
headless and insignificant, but interesting for their
subject:—Alexander the Great as a god with the aegis. From
Alexandria. 12. On a column—Bust of the composite-goddess
Demeter-Selene, showing head-dress of Demeter and horns of the moon.
21-23: Priestesses of Isis, recognisable by the sacred knots into
which their shawls are tied in front. 28. Large Ionic capital;
another stands opposite, four others in the garden court. From
Silsileh, and is probably part of the Ptolemaic Palace. (p. 17) 27.
Greek funeral relief, as old as 3rd Cent. B.C. Found at Alexandria,
but probably imported from Athens.

CENTRE OF ROOM: 31. Fine bath of black stone, decorated with heads
of lions and of a lynx, through whom the water escaped. Further on
(37) is another. Both from the Western Necropolis, where they were
used as tombs. 33. Colossal votive foot, merging above the ankle
into a bust of Serapis. On the head a Greek dedication, to Serapis
from two of his worshippers; two serpents above with a child
(Horus?) between them. From Alexandria. 34. An immense eagle, rather
cumbersome, and presented by the late Khedive; from the island of
Thasos. 39. Gigantic forearm, holding a sphere. From Benha.

LEFT WALL: 40. Big limestone Corinthian capital. 3rd cent. B.C. 47,
48, 49, 51, and (_on shelf_) 53 and 52_a_: Statues and Heads of
Serapis. Important (p. 19). 47 is probably a Roman copy of the
original—ascribed to Bryaxis—in the Temple, and well renders the
type—half terrible half benign. On its head are the marks where the
sacred basket was attached. From the Rue Adib. 48. shows Cerberus.
52 and 52_a_ were found near the actual Serapeum; the blue-black
colour of the latter recalls the original statue. 50. Priest of
Serapis (?) headless; robe with seven-rayed stars, scarabs, the
crescent moon. Apis Bulls and a great serpent. From the Temple. 53.
Realistic Portrait head. 54. Apollo seated on the Omphalos, or Navel
of the World at Delphi; a rare subject; probably imported from
Antioch, Asia Minor. 59-59. Headless statues, Roman, some with rolls
of papyrus by them. From Sidi Gaber. 62. Entrance of Room 17: Genius
of Death asleep.

ROOM 17: MISCELLANEOUS.

An interesting room.

CENTRE: Delightful mosaic of a water party in Upper Egypt; birds,
frogs, eels, fish, hippopotami and pigmies; in the middle a lady and
gentleman with their offspring and an attendant recline beneath an
awning that sways in the wind. Caesar and Cleopatra may have
disported themselves thus (p. 25). Greek inscription and ornamental
border.

BACK WALL: Colossal headless porphyry statue of Diocletian (?) on a
throne. From Rue Attarine.

IN FRONT OF STATUE: Marble sarcophagus; Dionysus and Ariadne. From
the Western Necropolis. The type is rare in Alexandria, the
decorations being generally fruit or flowers.

PLACED ABOUT THE ROOM: Mummies from the Fayoum (_see_ preliminary
note); the best (_Case U_) stands against a pillar; it has a
realistic portrait of the deceased, painted on wood.

ROUND THE WALLS: _Case A_ Lovely iridescent glass; the Alexandrian
glass was famous. _Case D_, terra cotta dish for serving poached
eggs. _Table Rr_: Funerary objects from the Western Necropolis;
2506, &c., Gnostic Amulets (p. 71). _Case G_ and adjoining _Table
S_: Fragments of “Egyptian Queen” pottery, a commercial product of
Ptolemaic times. The type was a green enamel vase on which was a
relief of a princess sacrificing at an altar with some such
inscription as “Good luck to Queen Berenice.” These vases were
bought as ornaments by loyal citizens and tourists. _Case G_:
Funerary furniture; in the centre a skull, wreathed with artificial
laurel. 3rd cent. B.C. (From the Chatby Necropolis. p. 164). _Case
K_: Fine cinerary urns, dated—earliest, 281 B.C.—Right and left of
the door into the gardens; Marble sarcophagi of the usual
Alexandrian design. _Cases P_. Glass vases of exquisite hue and
design; there is more beauty in this little case than in tons of
statues.

ROOM 18. TERRA COTTA STATUETTES.

The statuettes, of which the best are Hellenistic and Alexandrian,
were at first connected with funeral rites and later placed in the
tomb from the sentiment that prompts us to drop flowers, especially
when the dead person is young. They have mostly been found in the
tombs of children and women. They are the loveliest things in the
Museum.

FACING ENTRANCE, and to right, (_Cases HH_ and _A_): Cinerary urns
from Alexandria.

LEFT WALL: _Case F_ (covered with curtain): Here are the
masterpieces—27 statuettes of women. 1, 4, 7, 8, 12, 13, are the
most beautiful perhaps—so delicate but so dignified. 1. is crowned
with ivy and wears tiny earrings; the shape of her arm shown through
the wrap that covers it. 7. carries her child. 12. with her little
draped head is curiously impressive. _Case G_: 1. Child on his
mother’s shoulder. _Case H_: 1. Child on a toy chariot, full of
grapes and drawn by dogs. _Case I_: Caricatures. _Case L_: Moulds
for terra cotta. _Case_ in corner, also _FF_: Fragments from
Naucratis, the Greek predecessor of Alexandria in Egypt.

RIGHT WALL: Terra cottas from the Fayoum—stupid and vulgar.

DOWN THE CENTRE OF ROOM: Four mosaics from Canopus (p. 180); they
probably decorated the Temple of Serapis there.

ROOM 19. MISCELLANEOUS.

IN ENTRANCE: Funerary urn still garlanded with artificial flowers.
From Chatby. 3rd cent. B.C.

CENTRE: Mosaic—the best geometrical mosaic in the museum. From
Chatby.

IN ANGLES OF ROOM: _Cases A, B, C, D_: Terra cottas from Kom es
Chogafa. Note in _Case C, shelf b_, 1. Model of seven pots and a big
jar—like doll’s furniture; and in _Case D_ some unamusing
grotesques.

Also in the angles of the octagon: _Cases I, II, III, IV_. Funerary
furniture from Hadra. (p. 156). In _Case I_ are two beautiful
objects; a blue enamel vase decorated with faces of Bes, Egyptian
god of luck; and (_shelf b_, 2): Terra cotta statuette of a boy, who
clings, laughing, to a term of Dionysus, and holds an apple in his
hand.

ROOM 20. CHATBY NECROPOLIS. (p. 164).

Several painted tombstones. The best are protected by tinted glass,
and better studied in the water-colour copies hanging above.

LEFT OF ENTRANCE: 1. Isodora, a lady of Cyrene, with her child. 2. A
young Macedonian officer, riding; his orderly runs behind holding
the horse’s tail. Date 4th cent. B.C.—_i.e_. shortly after Alexander
had founded the city. 10231: Boy and child.

_Cases A and B_: Funerary furniture. In _Case B_ are some pretty
terra cottas: 1, 2. Ladies sitting. 7, 8, 9. Schoolgirls at lessons.

_Pedestal V_ (right wall): Tombstone of young man with a foot-stool
and pet dog.

CENTRE OF ROOM: Fine marble group, mutilated, of Dionysus and the
Faun. Found near the demolished Porte Rosette.

ROOM 21. IBRAHIMIEH NECROPOLIS. (p. 164).

_Case_ in entrance: Wreaths of artificial flowers. Ugly really, but one is impressed by their being so old. Double flute of ivory.

_Case_ in centre: Mummied birds from Aboukir (p. 180).

_Cases D_ and _F_: From Ibrahimieh. _Case D._ Inscription in Aramaic—one of the few relics of the early Jewish settlement at Alexandria (p. 62); some more are on the floor. Date 3rd cent. B.C. _Case F_ (right wall) Cinerary urns. Groups in painted piaster of the phallic Min (whom the Greeks identified with Pan), Hercules, Horus, etc.

ROOM 22. CANOPUS. (p. 180).

Disappointing; better work than this tenth rate Hellenistic stuff must have existed at the great shrine.

LEFT WALL: 1-3:. Inscriptions of historical interest: they mention Serapis and Isis, the deities of the place, and the Ptolemies Philadelphus and Euergetes.

BACK WALL: in cases, sculptures and terra cottas.

RIGHT WALL: Stucco-coated columns from the Temple of Serapis; others have been left in place.

CENTRE: Mosaic from Alexandria.

ROOM 22A. FRESCOES.

RIGHT OF DOOR: Three pagan frescoes, connected with crocodile worship (_see_ Room 7 and North Garden). From Temple of Petesouchos, Fayoum. Date 2nd cent. A.D. Thank offerings to the god from Heron Soubathos, an officer: 1. He stands. 2. He rides.

REST OF ROOM: Christian frescoes of great interest, from crypt discovered in the desert beyond Lake Mariout. Date 5th cent. A.D. A staircase led down to a square room. 1 and 2 are from the ceiling of this room; from its walls come—3 St. Menas standing between camels—4 and 5 the Annunciation. A passage led to a smaller room; on its vault was 6 Head of Christ. In this smaller room were 7 and 8. Out of it opened a little niche at the end of which was 9 a saint in prayer among the scenery of paradise.

VERANDAH AND GARDENS. LARGE EXHIBITS.

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE VERANDAH: Colossal headless statue of Hercules.

NORTH GARDEN: Left—Gateways and shrine of the _Temple of Petesouchos_, crocodile god of the Fayoum (_see_ Room 9 for further details). The first gateway is the entrance Pylon, over which is a Greek inscription dating the temple to B.C. 137. The wooden door in Room 9 belonged here. On each side of the gateway are lions. It led to a brick courtyard, in which was a Nilometer. The court was closed by the second gateway, which is flanked by sphinxes, and led to a second and similar court. Then comes the third gate, and, closing the perspective, the shrine. The shrine has three cavities, in each of which lurked a mummied crocodile upon a wooden stretcher (_see_ Room 9). In the left cavity is the fresco of a crocodile; in the central the fresco of a god with a crocodile’s head between two other deities. Over the cavities are several decorative friezes—one of snakes. The outside of the shrine is also frescoed to imitate marble. In front of it was found a wooden chest (Room 9).

AT BACK OF GARDEN: Granite group of Rameses II and his daughter—headless. From Aboukir. Against the wall behind: colossal green granite head of Antony as Osiris. From near Nouzha (p. 157). The companion head of Cleopatra as Isis is in Belgium.

SOUTH GARDEN: Two reconstructed tombs from the Chatby Necropolis (p. 164). The first (in the corner) is remarkable. The sarcophagus imitates a bed with cushions each end. The chamber where it stands was once preceded by a long vestibule for the mourners (as in the Anfouchi tombs, p. 126). The date 3rd. cent. B.C. The second tomb has a shell vault niche (like Kom es Chogafa, p. 148).

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The Rue Rosette continues and at last issues from between houses. Here, ever since its foundation, the city has ended; in Ptolemaic times the Gate of the Sun or Canopic Gate stood here, in Arab times the Rosetta Gate. The Public Gardens (left and right) follow the line of the Arab walls (see p. 81 and Section IV). The tramway to Nouzha crosses the route. The road continues under another name to Sidi Gaber (Section V), thence to Ramleh, and to Aboukir (Section VII). It is a good road and well planted; but terribly straight, like all roads that the Ancients have planned.