THE EGYPTIAN PERIOD
polis. King Neferhotep speaking to the "nobles and companions who were in his suite, the real scribes of the hieroglyphs, the masters of all secrets" of the temple of Atum at Heliopolis says that he desires to see the ancient writings of Atum, and his companions advised saying "let thy Majesty proceed to the house of writings and let thy Majesty see every hieroglyph." The account goes on to say that "His Majesty proceeded to the library, His majesty opened the rolls together with his companions. Lo! His Majesty found the rolls of the house of Osiris."
After the 100 year blank of the Hyksos reign the first great inscription, the Coptos decree takes up the system where it left off by decreeing that the name of the banished one shall be taken off from all the registers and all his rights shall be given to his successor and be registered in the temple of Min passing "from son to son and heir to heir."
[63]
