52.—C.M. cclv.
The lines of spirals were not only placed parallel, but were also crossed. For some reason this type was never well developed, but remained one of the coldest and most mechanical of all, looking in the later stage of the XXVIth dynasty like a most debased wall paper.
But the glory of Egyptian line decoration was in the quadruple spiral, of which the most elementary example is on a boat cover as late as the XXth dynasty (Ramessu IV.); though it has passed through this stage long before that time—if indeed this may not be regarded as a degraded simplification of it. It is also sometimes rhombic in plan.
53.—P. [86].
54.—XIIth dyn. R.C. lxxii.
From this was developed a peculiar pattern by the omission of the lines which define the spirals, thus reducing it to a system of rows of hollow-sided quadrangles without any apparent connection.
The main development of the quadruple spiral was with rosettes or lotus filling the hollow squares.
This became a stock subject with the Egyptian, and from thence a main pattern in other lands. The filling in was either a flower pattern or a rosette, which might be either a flower or a leather pattern, as we shall notice further on.