Fig. 130.—Painting on Mummy-Case. (P. & C.)
Fig. 131.—Hunting in the Desert. (M.)
Many chimerical animals or monsters were used in Egyptian decoration, as sphinxes, or imaginary animals of the desert, which were really fanciful creations of the artist’s pencil (Figs. 134, 135, 136, 137).
Their representations of lions always have an expression of dignity, though more mild in aspect than the Assyrian lion in art (Fig. 138).
Fig. 132.—Antelope and Papyrus. (P. & C.)
Pottery, glass, and earthenware were manufactured in Egypt from the earliest times. The country was well supplied with good potter’s clay; bricks were made and dried in the sun, not burned, and were used very much in building. The common pottery was unglazed, and their decorated pottery was in glazed earthenware, but not so highly decorated as many other objects of industrial art. Fig. 139 is a common pitcher of fairly good form, in red earth. The decoration on the enamelled earthenware dish (Fig. 140) is composed of bouquets of lotus flowers; and that on the larger basin or bowl is a design of lotus and mystic signs (Fig. 141). The three objects are in the British Museum.
Fig. 133.—Netting Birds; from a Tomb. (P. & C.)