British Museum; Dept; Of Egyptian and Assyrian Antiquities 
Guide to the Third and Fourth Egyptian Rooms [PDF ebook] 
Predynastic Antiquities

Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. The collections of Egyptian antiquities exhibited in this room are of a miscellaneous character, and the greater number of them illustrate in a very important manner the funeral ceremonies of the ancient Egyptians, and afford us an idea of the contents of the tombs of the best periods of dynastic civilization. The oldest objects here displayed will be found in table-cases L and M, where is ex hibited a valuable collection of predynastic antiquities, which date from the latter part of the Neolithic Period, before bc. 4500, and from the time of the first six dynasties. They should be examined in connexion with the Pre dynastic and Archaic Egyptian antiquities exhibited on the Landing of the north-west Staircase, and with the magnificent group of early jars in stone of many varieties in wall-cases 194 — 197 of the Fourth Egyptian Room. At the west end of the Third Room are the mummies of sacred animals and birds; at the east end is a fine group of funeral chests, etc., from bc. 2600 to the Roman Period; on the north side are sepulchral boats, painted and inscribed wooden stelae, and a very fine collection of.