times one or two feathers on his head, as described by Clement of Alexandria and Diodorous. † * The hieraphori, when bearing the sacred emblems, wore a long full apron reaching to the ankles, tied in front with long bands, and a strap, also of linen, passed over the shoulder to support itt; but they had no upper robe on these occasions. Sometimes a priest who offered incense was clad in this long apron, and the full robe with sleeves sometimes only in the former: and the 1, head-dress of a prince. 2, and 3, lock of hair worn by children. 4, dress of a son of Remeses III. 5, head-dress of a prince, Remeses. dresses of the others in like manner varied on different occasions. "The Hierogrammat walks first, having feathers on his head, and a book in his hand." Clem. Alex. Str. 5, 6. + Diodor. i. 87. "The sacred scribes wear a purple fillet and hawk's feather on their head." Vide wood-cut, No. 396. fig. 9. The princes wore a dress very like that of the sacred scribe, the apron wound round the body, and divided into three different folds, over which was a garment with large sleeves; but their distinguishing mark was a peculiar badge at the side of the head, descending to the shoulder, and frequently adorned and terminated with a gold fringe. This, I suppose, to have contained the lock of hair, indicative of youth, which is seen in the statues of Harpocrates, and frequently represented on the heads of children. For though the Egyptians were shaved, and wore wigs and other coverings to the head, children were allowed to leave certain locks of hair; and if the sons of the king, long before they arrived at the age of manhood, had abandoned this youthful custom, the badge was attached to their head-dress as an emblem of their rank as princes; or really to show they had not, during the lifetime of their father, arrived at kinghood; on the same principle that a Spanish prince, of whatever age, continues to be styled an "infant." I have already noticed + those priests who wore a leopard skin; which some have mistaken for that of the nebris or fawn, and improperly ascribed to Bacchus. It was generally thrown over their dress; its fore-legs sometimes made to form sleeves for the arms and the robes worn beneath it varied at different times. It was usually confined to the high-priests, who superintended the sacrifices, and processions of the sacred boats or arks; who pre * Vide wood-cuts, No. 397. fig. 3. No. 402. and No. 195. fig. 2. + Vol. I. p. 279. sented the offerings at the altar of the gods, and at the funerals of individuals; or who anointed the king at his coronation: and the same badge was assumed by the monarch when officiating on similar occasions. The robes of the sovereign varied, of course, according to his immediate occupation. When engaged as high-priest, they much resembled those worn by the principal functionaries of the sacerdotal order, with the exception of the apron and head-dress, which were of peculiar form, and belonged exclusively to his rank as king. This apron was richly ornamented in front with lions' heads, and other devices, probably of coloured leather; and the border was frequently formed of a row of asps, the emblems of royalty. Sometimes the royal name, with an asp on each side, as supporters, was embroidered upon it, the upper part being divided into square compartments of dif ferent colours; but it is not improbable, that this formed an appendage to the girdle, rather than to the apron; and several straps falling down at the side of the centre-piece, showed that it was tied in front, and came over the folds of the apron, and even of the upper robes. The head-dress of the king, on state occasions, was the crown of the upper or of the lower country, or the pshent, the union of the two. Every king, after the sovereignty of the Thebaïd and Lower Egypt* had become once more vested in the same person, 2, 3, the king's apron. 3, is from a statue of Amunoph III. in the museum at Alnwick Castle. 4, wreath of the crown of Sabaco's statue at the Isle of Argo. put on this double crown at his coronation; and we find in the grand representation given of this ceremony at Medeenet Haboo, that the principal feature of the proclamation, on his ascension to the throne, was the announcement to the four sides of the world, that "Remeses had put on the crown of the upper and lower country." I have already noticed this interesting subject*, and should not have failed to introduce a copy of it here, if the size of this work had not been too limited. I hope, however, to be able, at a future time, to present it with several other curious sculp * Egypt and Thebes, p. 63. ; and suprà, p. 288. 289. tures, in a form better suited to them, to which I shall refer the reader. He even wore his crown during the heat of battle, like the kings of olden days in Europe; sometimes merely a wig; but a helmet † made + apparently of woollen stuff with a thick nap, not very unlike the modern Persian cap, was generally preferred; and, in religious ceremonies, he put on a striped head-dress, probably of linen, which descended in front over the breast, and terminated behind in a sort of queue bound with riband. # When crowned, the king invariably put on the two crowns at the same time, though on other occasions he was permitted to wear each separately, whether in the temple, the city, or the field of battle; and he even appeared in his helmet § during the ceremonies in honour of the gods. On some occasions he wore a short wig, on which a band was fastened, ornamented with an asp, the emblem of royalty. It may appear singular, that so warm a covering to the head should have been adopted in the climate of Egypt; but when we recollect that they * For the head-dress and costumes of soldiers, vide Vol. I. p. 329. et seq. The Egyptian helmet had no crest. I have mentioned the origin of crests in Vol. I. p. 331. The Greek crest was copied from the mane of a horse; and in illustration of this we frequently find the scales or cheek-pieces of the helmet made to imitate the ears of that animal, which when raised and turned up, project from the upper part on either side. Conf. Homer, i. 382., the helmet of Achilles with a horse's tail," ιππουρις Tρupaλɛia;" and Virg. Æn. x. 369. "cristaque hirsutus equina." Vide wood-cut, No. 399. fig. 13. Conf. Herodot. ii. 151. vide Vol. I. p. 144. |