Page 108
80 Section 3.
BERLIN. Neiv Museum:
acqua, and greatly extended by Lepsius in 1842-46. The acquisitions
of more recent times have crowded the available space to such an
extent that some of the rooms are not accessible at present. Illus¬
trated Catalogue, 2nd edit., 1899 (3 Jl).
The Vestibule contains, on the N. side, an obelisk of Ramses II.,
a head of King Har-em-heb, and sacred monkeys. S. side, see p. 82.
— We pass through the anteroom beside the staircase and enter the—
Colonnade Court (PI. IV), which, together with Room V, re¬
presents the main features of an Egyptian temple. On the side
nearest the entrance: Statues of the lion-headed goddess Sekhmet.
In the middle: *Small antiquities of the earliest period, from tombs
at Abydos and Abusir, some with the hieroglyphic sign of King
Menes (about 3500 B.C.); alabaster vessel on a support which has
played an important part in the deciphering of Ethiopian inscrip¬
tions; two criosphinxes (that on the right a cast). In the back-ground
are two large figures of kings in a sitting posture, in porphyry:
to the left Ramses II., to the right Usertesen I. (2100 B.C.), the
upper part restored. Behind them are wooden coffins of Mentu-hotep
(right) and Hennui (left), with the figures dedicated to the dead. On
the walls are paintings of Egyptian landscapes, and papyrus MSS.,
protected by curtains. — We now pass through Room V and enter
(to the right) Room III; the —
Room of the Primaeval Period (PI. II; before 2800 B.C.) is
closed at present. Near the entrance are vessels, plants from tombs,
bricks of Nile mud. In the middle, *Objects found in tombs of
Upper Egypt (ca. 3000 B.C.); mummies, sewn up in leather coverings;
fine stone vessels; stone knives and slates for pulverising pigments,
some of them in the shape of animals. At the back, dating from the
time of the Early Empire, the Tomb of Meten (ca. 2800 B.C.), rebuilt
with the original slabs. Also, fine reliefs: boat amon°- lotus and
papyrus plants, flax-harvest, boatmen, animals of the desert, fowling,
*14,642. Fattening poultry. — The mural paintings represent sacri-