Page:The Religion of Ancient Egypt.djvu/111

 hitherto escaped observation is, that the connecting link nuntar has either been unknown to scholars or disregarded by them. In nuntar, a process as well known to Egyptian as to Indo-European scholars has taken place. The vowel of the first syllable has been strengthened by the addition of a nasal consonant. The old Egyptian word heket (beer) has by this process become henke in the Thebaic, and hemki in the Memphitic dialect.

The following examples will illustrate the usage of the word.

Large stones are often said to be nutru. This does not mean that they grow or that they are divine, but that they are mighty. In one of those paraphrases which are so common on the walls of Dendera, the unequivocal word uru, "great, mighty," is substituted for nutru. Sauit nutrit is a "strong wall." A crypt is aat nutrit, a "strong-hold." Three of the chambers