No. 247. Vases ornamented with one and two heads, or the whole animal. Thebes No. 218. Vases richly ornamented with animals' heads, and figures of captives. I have occasion hereafter to notice; I therefore return to the Egyptian vases. Some vases had one, others two handles; some 2 Thebes. were ornamented with the heads of wild animals, as the ibex, oryx, or gazelle; others had a head on either side, a fox, a cat, or something similar; and many were ornamented with horses' heads, a whole quadruped, a goose's head, figures of captives, or fancy devices. Many of these last were extraordinary and monstrous, presenting nothing to admire, except the brilliancy of their colours, when made of porcelain, or the richness of their materials, when of gold, inlaid with stones: and the head of a Typhonian * figure sometimes served for the cover of a vase, as it often did for the support of a mirror, which daily displayed the beauty of an Egyptian lady. Many, too, of the ordinary forms of their vases do not claim our admiration, * It is remarkable that the name of Typhon, the evil deity, is retained in the Arabic word Tuphán, " the deluge." + Vide wood-cut, No. 250., fig. 2. either for neatness or symmetry, and they are occasionally as devoid of taste as the wine bottles and flower pots of an English cellar and conservatory. Some had a single handle fixed to one side, and were in shape not unlike our cream jugs*, ornamented with the heads of oxen, or fancy devices : others were of bronze, bound with gold, having handles of the same metal; and many depended on accidental caprice. Several vases had simple handles, or rings on either side; others were destitute of these, and of every exterior ornament: some again were furnished with a single ring, attached to a neat bart, or with a small knob, pro * Vide wood-cut, No. 250., figs. 1, 2. jecting from the side * ; and many of those used in the service of the temple, highly ornamented with figures of deities in relieft, were attached Fig. 1. Bronze vase brought by me from Thebes, now in the British Museum. 2. Showing how the handle is fixed. 3. Alabaster vase from Thebes, of the time of Naco. 4. Vase at Berlin of cut glass 6. to 9. From the sculptures of Thebes. 5. Stone vase. to a movable curved handle, on the principle of, though more elegant in form than, their common culinary utensils. ‡ They were of bronze, and the * Vide wood-cut, No. 251. figs. 3, 4, 5. + Vide wood-cut, No. 252. fig. 1. Vide wood-cut, No. 252. fig. 3. |