The most ancient are those of the Fifth Dynasty; the most beautiful is one dedicated by Seti I., now in the Gizeh Museum.

The only perfect specimen of an altar known to me was discovered at Menshiyeh in 1884 (fig.
111).

It is of white limestone, hard and polished like marble.

It stands upon a pedestal in the form of a long cone, having no other ornament than a torus about half an inch below the top.

Upon this pedestal, in a hollow specially prepared for its reception, stands a large hemispherical basin.
The shrines are little chapels of wood or stone (fig.