Note 405 — THE THIEF AND THE SHROFF.
Richard Francis Burton translation
Arab. “Suffah”; whence our Sofa. In Egypt it is a raised shelf generally of stone, about four feet high and headed with one or more arches. It is an elaborate variety of the simple “Ták” or niche, a mere hollow in the thickness of the wall. Both are used for such articles as basin, ewer and soap; coffee-cups, water-bottles, etc.