Genesis 50:11

11. Abel-mizraim That is, the mourning of the Egyptians . The Canaanites, who witnessed the unusual spectacle of lamentation, gave a new name to the place . They had never before seen such violence of mourning . Herodotus in describing the habits of the Egyptians observes, ( Herod . , 2: 85,) that when a distinguished individual died the females of the family besmear their heads and faces with mud, and wander about beating themselves and exposing their breasts . The men, also, having their clothes girt about them, beat themselves and indulge in excessive lamentation . See also Wilkinson’s full account of Egyptian funeral rites, Ancient Egyptians, vol . ii, p . 366 .