This present handbook is intended to aid in the understanding of Egyptian art, and the illustrations and descriptions are selected for that purpose only. The history of the art would require a far greater range Of examples, in order to illustrate the growth and decay of each of the great periods; whereas here only the most striking works Of each period are shown, in order to contrast the different civilisa tions. The origins and connections of the art in each age are scarcely touched, and the technical de tails are only such as are needed to see the conditions of the art. The archaeology of the subject would need as wide a treatment as the history, and these subjects can only appear here incidentally.