The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-04-26
MORE PHARAOHS FOUND.
Amenophis II. Found in His Tomb at
Thebes by M. Loret, With Seven
Other Kings Mummies.

Cairo, April 26.-As a sequel to the
discovery of the tomb of KING ThOth-
mes III. at Thebes, NJ. Loret, director
general of the antiquities department,
has discovered and opened the tomb of
AmenOphiS II, a king of the eighteenth
dynasty. who reigned some 1850 years
B. G. The find is among the most in
teresting ever made in Egypt, as, al
though the jewelry, etc, were rifled
from the tomb probably during. the
twentieth dynasty, the mummies of
Amenophis and of seven other kings are
intact.
The tomb is entered by a steep in
clined gallery, which terminates in a
wen some twenty-six feet in depth, and.
this obstacle surmounted, the entrance
to the kings sepulchre is reached.
In the first chamber the body of a
man is found bound to a richly painted
boat, his arms and feet tied with cords,
a piece of cloth stuffed as a gag into his
mouth, and marks of wounds on the
breast and head. In the next chamber
are laid out the bodies of a man, a Wo-
man and a boy.
None of the four bodies has been en-
balmed, but, owing to the dryness of
the atmosphere, are all in the most
complete state of preservation, with the
features perfect; although they evident
ly met with violent Deaths they have
the appearance of being asleep. The
hair upon each is luxuriant and the fea-
lures resemble to a marked degree
those of the fellaheen of the present
day.
nificent proportions, in perfect preser-
walton. The roof which is supported
by massive square columns, is painted
a deep blue, studded with golden stars,
and the walls are entirely covered with
paintings the cOlorS of which are as
vivid as if laid on only yesterday. At
one end of the chamber in an eXcaVa-
ton sunken several feet below the rest
of the floor, is the SarcophaguS of the
king, placed upon a massive block OF
alabaster. The sarcophagus is of a
Gaio h1oic n
rose hue, and contains the mummy in
tact, with chaplets of flowers around
the feet and neck.
In a small chamber to the right are
nine mummies, two of them bearing no
name, and the others those of Kings
Thothmes ", Amenophis Ill, Set
Nakht, Seti II Supposed to have been
the Pharaoh of the Exodus), RameSes
w, Rameses vi, and Rameses VIII,
who all reigned between 1900 and 115O
B. G.
The tomb is that of Amenophis II, for
whom it was built and is supposed to
have been opened later to receive the
pnummies of the other kings, probably
to save them from violation.
The floors of all the chambers are
covered with a mass of objects-StatueS,
vases, wooden models of animals, boats
etc, requiring immense care in sorting
for removal
The whole constitutes one of the most
impressive sights that can be imagined.
For the first time on record, the body of
an Egyptian king has been found IN the
tomb prepared for him, as previously
discovered royal mummies had been re-
moved from their tombs and secreted
for safety at DER ell Bahari.
Possibly this discovery of the bodies
of murdered victims in kings tomb
may throw some light on the vexed
question of human sacrifices which now
divide Psychologists.
The public works ministry has re-
quested NJ. Loret to remove only the
smaller objects, and to leave the mum
mics and bodies in their present place.
The entrance to the tomb will then be
built up until next winter, when iron
ratings will be placed to prevent injury
from touching by visitors, while afford