Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 29.djvu/159

circular ornament inclosing a cross is sculptured in the centre of the altar-slab; and in a neighbouring chapel stands an immense, ancient wooden chest. In a third chapel the rare feature appears of a basin for washing the hands inserted in the wall. The Baptistery occupies a portion of the circuit of one of the Roman gateway towers; it contains superb mosaics in marble and mother-o'-pearl, and a white marble font resembling in shape a common cooking copper. The interior of the other Roman gate tower is partly used as a burial-place, the interments being made in vaults. On the front of one of these tombs is inserted a white marble roundel representing a cross within a wreath. Near the door leading to these tombs, and over another door, in a small chamber, is the most interesting inscription in four lines on a beam of cedar, partly concealed in the masonry, which has been published, although imperfectly, by Sir Gardner Wilkinson, in "Murray's Hand-book for Egypt."^[1] With the assistance of Mr. Eaton, who is now preparing a new edition of that work, I copied the inscription afresh, and I believe that its correctness may be relied on, although its position and the decayed state of the wood renders its collation a matter of difficulty. It will be seen that the beginning of each clause is imperfect.