Historical studies

of loaves there were I large loaf and 2 sad, 2 bch, and
2 zedmct loaves each day. There were 20 jars of
incense provided for the festival and 20 bundles of
papyrus "of the house of incense," probably used
to lii^ht the incense in the censer. There were 4
pottery jars provided on the first day, and 6 more
each day. The frequent mention of raltusu cakes
with bread and meat, suggested that they were dough
cakes boiled with the meat ; rakhash (Hcb.), boiling^
might possibly refer to light puff bread, but that
would be less likely to be eaten with meat.
3. The PriestJwod and Nobles. The priesthood
seems to have been 120 in number. This is shewn
by the number of papyrus sandals provided, 360 in
the March feast, 360 in the August feast, and 120
leather sandals in August. These numbers would
imply for each priest one pair of leather sandals
yearly, and papyrus sandals every two months.
Perhaps there were only 60 priests, and the sandals
lasted half the time ; but
EGYPTIAN FESTIVALS AND NILE SHRINES
from leather sandals only
being given at one feast, it is more probable that
they were only one pair a year. These numbers
serve to indicate that offerings which were multiples
of 3 were probably for the use of the priests. There
are 12 special dresses, 4 coloured tunics and 8 of
thick stuff, probably for the chief priests. Dishes of
bread, meat, and rahtisu cakes were provided, 30 on
the great day, and 20 daily in the feast. Also
special bread of divine offerings was offered in 30
gold dishes, 600 baat loaves on the great day and
150 daily, i^ persen loaves and 300 daily, 20 white
loaves and 30 daily, 360 loaves daily of kunek bread,
and 15 loaves "of the fire," with 75 such daily. 5
bins of oil daily, and of strong beer, 18 jars on the
great day and 6 jars daily, seem to have completed
the priestly provision.
The nobles and great people attending the feast
seem to have numbered 100, probably divided into
20 groups. We see ?j/-plants for the hand, 100 on
the great day and 150 daily; dishes of bread, meat,
and rahusu, 20 on the great day and 50 daily ; loaves
of grain double of these quantities, 40 and 100. Jars
of fish, 40 for the whole feast ; rahusu cakes, 20
measures ; wine, 20 jars and 25 daily ; cinnamon,
20 portions ; grapes, 5 measures.
4. The Populace. The populace attending the
feast seems to have been reckoned at 10,000. This
is a very moderate number, as the great fair of
Tantah is twenty times as large. There were
10,000 bouquets of flowers for the great day, and
4000 daily also, with an equal number of bouquets
for offering, the worshipper apparently taking two
bouquets, one for himself and the other to offer.
Similarly 20,000 white loaves were provided for the
great day, and 1600 such daily. Of other kinds
of bread there were 1000 kolusta and 1000 pat
on the great day, and also daily ; 200 measures of
cakes on the great day, and 10 daily. Other kinds
only provided daily were 250 great loaves, 100
udetiutit, 100 apt of rahusu, and 10 jars of meal. Of
beer there were 125 jars on the great day and 900
daily. The reason for the short amount extra on
the great day, is that 60 jars of the strongest drink
were then provided, sJiedeh wine, kept until it had
developed a large amount of alcohol. 500 bins of
oil were supplied daily. Of fruit there were lOOO
measures on the great day, and 250 measures daily ;
of dried figs for the great day, 100 weights and 5
measures, probably a large amount, with 4 lieqt of
southern fruit ; and 500 measures of an fruit every
day, with 25 of southern fruit. 500 measures of
dates on the great day and 50 daily completed the
fruit supply. (If, however, the reading 78,550 be
correct, that would transfer the fruit to the August
festival, instead of 1000 measures here.)
Meat was provided in small quantities: 20 oxen,
25 cows, and i gazelle ; 100 live birds, 100 turpu
geese, 200 hatching fow^l, 20 waterfowl, and 8 cranes,
for the whole festival ; while 50 pigeons were killed
daily. Of fish there were 6000 on the great day
and 1000 daily, with also 200 white fish. With
these were 25 large measures of salt on the great
day and 100 cakes, with 70 cakes of salt daily;
similarly 100 and 70 cakes of natron. 1400 bundles
of vegetables on the great day, and also 500 a day,
completed the food supply.
The people were provided on the great day with
2000 lotus flowers for the hand and 2000 stems of
papyrus, and each day with 400 lotus and 500
papyrus stems, and 500 lotus bouquets. Of papyrus
bouquets there were 200 at the opening and 300
daily as well.
5. The August Feast. We ne.xt turn to the
August feast of 27 days. The numbers attend-
ing the feast seem to have been about half of those
at the March feast. There were 4800 instead of
10,000 bouquets of flowers for the great day, lOoo
instead of 4000 daily. There were 10,000 instead
of 20,000 great loaves, and 750 instead of lOOO
daily. The decoration of the hall was like that in
March, only with more flowers. 70 bundles of
tamarisk and 100 bundles of reed-grass made the