and other curiosities are deposited. These cases are six in number
(14-19). From these cases the visitor will have an opportunity of
gathering a general idea of the domestic comforts of the ancient
Egyptians. Here are arranged their chairs, stools, and head-rests, as
they were used three thousand years ago. In the first division are, an
inlaid stool from Thebes, with a maroon-coloured seat; and a
high-backed chair, inlaid with ivory and dark woods, and a seat of
cordage, also from Thebes; but the most curious objects in this
division are the Egyptian pillows or head-rests, called uls. These are
hollowed clumps of wood or metallic substance, supported upon a
column, and used by the hardy ancients as rests for the head. In the
present day the poorest beggar would think one of these uls a sorry
rest for his weary head: yet some of the specimens have the titles of
men of distinction engraved upon them. Pillows, however, were not
unknown luxuries to the Egyptians, as a pillow of linen, stuffed with
water-fowl feathers, and deposited in the second division of the cases
under notice, testifies. In this second division are fragments of
couches, the decorations chiefly representing animals; fragments, in
calcareous stone, from the propylon of the brick pyramid of Dashour;
cramps, from Thebes and the temple of Berenice; iron keys from Thebes;
bronze hinges; porcelain tiles from the door of a pyramid; an
interesting stone model of a house; a model from Upper Egypt of a
granary, with a covered shed at one corner from which a man apparently
surveyed the operations of the workmen below. A Leghorn mouse, setting
aside the feelings of enthusiastic antiquaries