its intelligent and animated expression, in its full eyes and somewhat large, but finely modelled, mouth.  The material of the statue is a finegrained limestone, and its milky whiteness tends to soften the malign character of her look and smile.  It is possible that Mutnozmit was the daughter of Amenothes III. by his marriage with one of his sisters:  it was from her, at any rate, and not from his great-grandfather, that Harmhabi derived his indisputable claims to royalty.**

* A fragment of an inscription at Karnak calls Thutmosis III. “the father of his fathers.”  Champollion called him Hornemnob, Rosellini, Hor-hemheb, Hor-em-hbai, and both identified him with the Horos of Manetho, hence the custom among Egyptologists for a long time to designate him by the name Horus.  Deveria was the first to show that the name corresponded with the Armais of the lists of Manetho, and, in fact, Armais is the Greek transcription of the group Harmhabi in the bilingual texts of the Ptolemaic period.

** Mutnozmit was at first considered the daughter and successor of Harmhabi, or his wife.  Birch showed that the monuments did not confirm these hypotheses, and he was inclined to think that she was Harmhabi’s mother.  As far as I can see for the present, it is the only solution which agrees with the evidence on the principal monument which has made known her existence.

He was born, probably, in the last years of Amenothes, when Tii was the exclusive favourite of the sovereign; but it was alleged later on, when Harmhabi had emerged from obscurity, that Amon, destining him for the throne, had condescended to become his father by Mutnozmit—­a customary procedure with the god when his race on earth threatened to become debased.* It was he who had rocked the newly born infant to sleep, and, while Harsiesis was strengthening his limbs with protective amulets, had spread over the child’s skin the freshness and brilliance which are the peculiar privilege of the immortals.  While still in the nursery, the great and the insignificant alike prostrated themselves before Harmhabi, making him liberal offerings.  Every one recognised in him, even when still a lad and incapable of reflection, the carriage and complexion of a god, and Horus of Cynopolis was accustomed to follow his steps, knowing that the time of his advancement was near.  After having called the attention of the Egyptians to Harmhabi, Amon was anxious, in fact, to hasten the coming of the day when he might confer upon him supreme rank, and for this purpose inclined the heart of the reigning Pharaoh towards him.  Ai proclaimed him his heir over the whole land.**