The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-11-16

In all the history of excavation no
such intensely human story has been
dug out of the forgotten past as has
been brought to day by the recent
work of the German Orient Society of
Berlin at the Pyramid of Abusir.
The report of almost year of ex-
ploration has just been made. 1t is
couched in scientific, matter-of-fact
language. But in it is the whole
drama of life-a tremendous sermon
preached by fallen stones and royal
corpses and the sands of the desert,
with mighty, all-conquering Death for
their text.
The German professors found a
great King. So great was he that the
great Gods, Sechmet, the Lion-headed,
Anubis, the Jackal-headed, and the
Nile Gods are shown bowed before
him Upper and Lower Egypt were
his. When he died, men began to
build a vast Temple of the Dead for
him.
Four thousand and five hundred
wears ago they buried Ne-worser-re,
the King. And the centuries passed
and his temple, unfinished, disappear
ed below the drifting sands. He and
his family, his royal favorite and ms
high priests, became hidden deep be-
low the dwellings of succeeding kings
and priests, and their tombs were piled
over all. Then they, too, sank away
and were forgotten. Others built and
died-Egyptian, Greek and Christian
in their turns. The great clock OF his
tory still wanted 1000 years to
the time of the coming of Christ, ana
Ne-worser-re, the King, was so utter
ly lost and forgotten that the poorest
of the poor were buried on top OF the
n,ounds that hid his imperial tomb
that tomb which had been set by It's
mighty builders to defy eternity ltseH.
And the German professors dug out
a song. too 1t was deemed to be Inn
, mortal when it was written. so grand
did it seem 2,400 years ago that SIN
ger in Egypt had it put into ms toilo
with him. 1t is a. great roll OF papylus
"a poem of Timotheos glorltylng the
victorious sea fight of Marathon, ana
almost certainly the very oldest Greek
hook ever found. The poem that mace
such a vast stir once has lain unoer
the Egyptian sands for more than 2,OoO
wears, and songs of Marathon nave
niled on songs and been forgotten as
the dead piled on the dead over the
tomb of the Egyptian Siiisei'
Rich Finds From the First.
.Profs. Borchardt. voelz and Decker
conducted the work of excavation.
Their first discovery was the forecourt
of the Temple of the Dead. 1t nad
been left unfinished, and most Of the
beautiful columns that had been COM
nIeted had fallen. But two magnifi-
cent pillars were left. In that court
ward was found the partly broken fig
ure of a lion, grandly proporuoneo ana
far beyond life size. Its sculpture is
so fine that the scientists agree that II
was the work of sculptor of extraor-
binary talent. The head was perfectly
preserved.
The next discovery was that of re-
liefs depicting some of the most IA
nous Egyptians of that time, whose
names and deeds are mentioned In
many inscriptions found in various
parts of Egypt. There also were de-
pictions of sacrifice. One wall paint
ing shows the slaughtering of animals
before the tombs of the great dead.
Another portrays tall, beautiful peas
ant women who bear offerings.
The great temple relief of all was
found between the Hall of Columns
and the Holy of Hottest. 1t shows the
tail as insignia of his high rank. He
wears a head dress of feathers and
horns, the mark of god. The jackal-
headed God Anubis steps toward him
bringing him the Sign of Life.
In a smaller relief Ne-woser-re is
pictured with raised club Staying a
group of men whom he holds by
their hair.
In digging out the Chamber of Stat
ues, the explorers Unexpectedly came
upon a splendid painting. 1t was in
tended to show door set into the solid
and brushes of which there has been
no vestige left on earth for 1000
years, were bright and glowing,
shining out of their longkept dark
ness into the light of to-day as
If they were still wet. But scarcely
had the sun streamed in before they
began to pale. Fortunately the expedi-
ton numbered a. skillful painter among
Its members, and he succeeded in max
ing true copy in full size of the an
Gent work of art.
The High Priests Tomb.
Then the diggers reached the tomb
of the High Priest, Jen-em-J achwet.
After breaking out the first stone, the
Europeans peered in and for the first
time in forty-five centuries human
eyes looked upon the collins of the
Priests of Ne-owser-re. The tomb had
been too small for the last coffns ana
the handles had Deen SdWeu lIOIh lhc
ends before the stones were set in
place and sealed. Those cuts of the
saw.swere clear and sharp, just as they
had been left on that day of burial.
Here great finds were made. Large
Ships of the Dead were on the cofhns
that they might be used for the voy-
age into the under world. There were
the great stone jugs that had contained
water to refresh the shades on their
journey. The last gifts of friends, and
carved wooden statuettes of the serv-
ant and slaves, were scattered through
the tomb
Now came the question as to wheth-
er or not the mummes in the stone cof-
inns would be found in any sort of pres
ervation. If they were, they would be
the first mummies of that period that
ever had been found in condition 10
bear removal to Europe. The whole
party gathered around eagerly, while
the wooden nails were drawn carefully
from the coffin of the High Priest; and
ne was found in it just as he had been
put to rest when Egypt was young.
Jen-em-Jechwet was wrapped In
long brown linen shroud. colored
mask of linen and gypsum lay on his
race. The mask had a narrow SIDE
beard and a long chinbeard. and the
eyes had been made larger by streaks
OF vermilion. A big wig, parted in the
middle, was colored bright blue to I'M
tate lapia lazuii, showing that the
sead man had already become a Goa
kaA