Nectanebo I., of the thirtieth dynasty, who reigned from B.C. 381 to
363. Its material is a breccia from a quarry near Thebes, and is
remarkable for its hardness. A remarkable rectangular-shaped coffin of
whinstone was that of Menkare, the Mycerinus of the Greeks, and the
builder of the third pyramid; this interesting relic was found by
Colonel Vyse in the sepulchral chambers of the third pyramid, but was
unfortunately lost at sea while on its way to England. The remains of
the cedar-coffin of this monarch are in the British Museum. Many
beautiful sarcophagi are in the Vatican at Rome.

[Illustration: COFFIN OF ALABASTER. (_Features of the deceased
Sculptured._)]

The vases, generally named canopi, from their resemblance to certain
vases made by the Romans to imitate the Egyptian taste, but
inadmissible in its application to any Egyptian vase, were four in
number, of different materials, according to the rank of the deceased,
and were placed near his coffin in the tomb. Some were of common
limestone, the most costly were of Oriental alabaster. These four
vases form a complete series; the principal intestines of the mummy
were placed in them, embalmed in spices and various substances, and
rolled up in linen, each containing a separate portion. They were
supposed to belong to the four genii of Amenti, whose heads and names
they bore. The vase with a cover, representing the human head of
Amset, held the stomach and large intestines; that with the
cynocephalus head of Hapi contained the small intestines; in that
belonging to the jackal-headed Tuautmutf were the lungs and heart; and
for the vase of the hawk-headed Kabhsenuf were reserved the
gall-bladder and liver. On the sides of the vases were several columns
of hieroglyphics, which expressed the adoration of the deceased to
each of the four deities whose symbols adorned the covers, and which
gave the name of the deceased.

Small figures, called _shabti_, offered through respect for the dead,
are to be found in great numbers in the tombs. They were images of
Osiris, whose form the deceased was supposed to assume, and who thence
was called the Osirian. They are in several shapes, sometimes in that
of the deceased, standing in the dress of the period, but more
generally in the shape of a mummy, the body swathed in bandages, from
which the hands come out, holding a hoe, _hab_, and pick-ax, and the
cord of a square basket, slung on the left shoulder, or nape of th