Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 25, 1914.djvu/355

 On the Origin of the Egyptian '' Zar.' 323

spread among the lower classes it is impossible to say, — perhaps a careful examination of incantations would be of value — but it must be remembered that the trade route along the Red Sea Coast has been open for over 2,000 years, while intercourse with the peoples of the Upper Nile has ever been intermittent, a matter of raiding and plundering. Moreover, up to the fifteenth century the Christian kingdom of Aloa lay as a barrier between Muslim Egypt and the Sudan, l^ut however long ago zdr first reached Egypt there can be no doubt that their great popularity at the present day among the women of the upper classes is due to the influence of black slaves received into the harems on a foot- ing of perfect intimacy. Here their cult of the dead was soon modified into a general belief in spirits which rein- forced that which had perhaps already reached Egypt from Abyssinia.

Brenda Z. Seligmann.