were also found hidden in the dust which had lain in the chambers; and one basket was found with a lid, marvellously fresh and firm, containing copper hatchets and chisels, and a copper bowl, all as free from rust as when they were buried. Beneath the brick floors of the rooms was, however, the best place to search; not only for hidden things, such as a statuette of a dancer and pair of ivory castanets, but also for numerous burials of babies in wooden boxes. These boxes had been made for clothes and household use, but were used to bury infants, often accompanied by necklaces and other things. On the necklaces were sometimes cylinders with the kings’ names; and thus we know for certain that these burials, and the inhabitation of the town, is of the twelfth dynasty, from Usertesen II onward. Lying on one box was a splendid ivory carving of a baboon seated, of the most naturalistic work, comparable with the best cinquecento Italian ivories. This of course is kept at the Gizeh Museum. In the houses but little sculpture was found; far the finest piece being a basalt statue of an official, now also at the Gizeh Museum.
87. Ivory Baboon.
The domestic remains were of great interest; beside the pottery there were balls of thread, linen cloth, knives and tools of copper and of flint, a mirror of copper (Group 92), fishing nets, and many wooden tools, hoes, rakes, a brick-mould, plasterers’ floats, mallets, copper chisels set in wooden handles, &c. Also games (Group 93) as whip-tops, tip-cats, draught-boards, dolls, and a beautifully woven sling. Many pieces of furniture were found, among them the greater part of a finely-made slender chair of dark wood inlaid with ivory pegs. Blue-glazed pottery was not unusual, several figures of animals and pieces of bowls being found. Hitherto we had never known how the Egyptians obtained fire, as there is no sign of this on the sculptures, nor do they seem to have attached any significance to fire-making. In this town I found several sticks with the burnt holes made by drilling fire, as many races do at present: the Egyptians probably did this with the bow-drill, with which they were so familiar, and of which specimens were found here.
88. Flint Tools. 1: 6.
