Egyptian sculpture

2 EGYPTIAN SCULPTURE

from the ground immediately under the belly of the horse. These conventions are found, both in marble and metal, in ancient as well as in modern times.

In Egypt there are several devices for supporting the weight of the upper part of the body. These, beginning in clay modelling, were carried on in the technique of stone sculpture, though not required in that material. One of the most important is a support up the back of the figure. In its primitive form this was probably a bundle of papyrus stems lashed together and covered with clay—the papyrus being very stiff and firm. When this support is copied in stone it is rectangular, and presents a plain surface often used for a hieroglyphic inscription. The height of this support varies considerably in both seated and standing statues; usually it rises to the neck, but it may either be carried to the level of the top of the head or reach only as far as the middle of the shoulders.

Another method of supporting the weight of the superincumbent mass in a standing figure is to advance one leg as in the action of walking. Though this does not actually overcome the difficulty, it at least distributes the weight; and the stone between the legs is not removed and so forms a kind of wall, which carries the weight and is a strong support.

As the statues were always an architectural decoration, there is no attempt at representing active motion—the one foot advanced to a natural distance is the nearest approach to action. Both arms either hang at the side or one may be bent at the elbow, while the hand holds a staff or sceptre.

Black granite, sometimes called grey granite, was worked sometimes with metal tools, sometimes by hammer-dressing ; but wood and all the other stones were worked with metal tools. The methods of working were as follows: On the rectangular block the sculptor drew out his squares according