Card/Transcription No.: 137-3

 137 THOUERIS COUCH

POSITION:
Probably original - along west wall south end of Ante-chamber - the heads of the animals
facing North.
DIMENSIONS:
Max. H. 134.0; Max. L. 236.5; H. of withers from ground 105.0; thickness across chest 13.7; centimetres.
DESCRIPTION:
A Ceremonial Couch. Carved of hard red wood, covered with gesso and overlaid with glass,
which has tarnished in places.
It comprises four parts: (1) the curved bed or couch, fixed to the supporting animals by means
of copper staples, hooks and angle pieces; 2 and 3 two supporting mythical animals - half
hippopotamus half crocodiles - having feline legs and feet; 4 a wooden frame-work pedestal of
oblong rectangular shape varnished (resin) black.

(2 and 3) The Mythical animal supports have open mouths, the tongue and teeth of ivory -
tongue stained red. Eyes coloured black and white with red in ducts. The head and neck has the
conventional mane; the back similarly ornamented with a kind of herring-bone pattern thus <>.
The tail takes the crocodile form - in fact the mane and back ornamentation is like that of the
figures of Thoueris.