The San Francisco call., 1904-12-18
ECYPT'S DUST
is EXPLORED
University Scientists Re-
port Results of Recent
Excavations They Made
CEMETERIES LAID OPEN
Valuable Collections of An
tiquities Are Obtained by
DR.. Reisner for State
Berkeley Office San Francisco Call.
214s Center Street, Dec. II.

Berkeley Office San Francisco Call,
PAS Center Street, Dec. IL.
Announcement was made by the uni
versity authorities to-day that full re-
ports have been received of the work
of the Egyptian expedition in 10000
under the direction of DR.. George A.
Reisner of the university's department
of anthropology Mrs. Phoebe Hearst
provided funds for the expenses of the
expedition, which continued the explo-
rations of the four years previous. The
results obtained are described as highly
satisfactory, and the expedition is re-
garded as a success.
A concession covering one-third of the
field at the great pyramids Of Gizeh was
granted the expedition, the other con-
cessions being held by the Italian and
German governments. One hundred
and eleven native workmen were set to
clearing the main cemetery on the con-
cession, while twenty-four picked men
made a preliminary excavation of
small adjacent cemetery, which 1T was
necessary to cover later with soil re-
moved from the larger excavation. The
soil, which was removed by means of a
portable railway, was mainly drift
sand, which appeared to have accumu-
lated without being disturbed since
soon after the completion of the ceme-
terry, at the end of the seventh dynasty,
several thousand years before Christ.
The cemetery consisted of a large
aggregation of mastabas, the pyramid
shaped tombs characteristic of the
early periods of Egyptian civilization.
Through the present excavations, in
conjunction with those previously made
by the expedition at other sites, it is
now possible to trace clearly the devel-
opment of the mastaba from pre-
dynastic times to the sixth dynasty.
The main cemetery excavated was laid
out in the reign of Cheops, the builder
of the great pyramid, in the fourth dy-
nasty and burials continued to be made
in it until the seventh dynasty.
Among the great mass of valuable
material found are six inscribed stelae,
a number of offering stones of the
fourth and fifth dynasties and num-
Der of statues of single persons and
married couples. Among the earliest of
these figures, going back to the reign
of Cheops is a white stone head of
Ka-nofer of remarkably fine execution,
two stelae of the Lady NOfer and of
Khufu- nekht, both of these probably
cousins of the King, and carved and
painted limestone stella. From period
slightly later is a magnificent painted
limestone group, Sennuw and his wife,
and a seated group in white limestone
Of Hotopi and Renpet-nofret.
A finely finished but much decayed
wooden statue was found leaning
against the southern end of a stone
coffin. scribe's palette in red and
black ink on white plaster gives list
of Kings, gods and cities. OF especial
importance are two inscribed and one
painted offering chamber. Excavations
were also made by Drs. Lythgoe and
Mace, under the direction of DR.. Refs
ner, at Naga-ed-Der. One cemetery
excavated brought to light Coptic
mumrnies. dated by means of coins to
the period of Justinian, of the sixth
century after Christ. These are of
scientific importance on account of the
curious method of wrapping and of
general interest on account of the
finely ornamented embroideries with
which they are surrounded.
Another cemetery at this location
is remarkable both for its antiquity,
which goes back many centuries be-
fore the time of the cemetery at Gizeh,
being in great part of the period
known as pre-dynastic, and for the re-
markable state of preservation of the
objects found, especially of the human
remains A special study is being
made of these remains. which will fur
nish priceless data Tor the determina-
ton of the racial characteristics of the
earliest inhabitants of Egypt, the peo-
pie who originated the civilization
which for thousands of years later was
only developed and maintained.
Valuable collections of potteries,
flint knives, beads. ornaments, combs
and other antiquities were secured
here. The excavations have been con-
Guided and the valuable collections OBJ
tained are being packed for shipment
to the university. where they will form
part of the Museum of Anthropology.
DR.. Reisner and his assistants are
now at work preparing the results of
their explorations for publication. 1t
is expected that their reports will
occupy several volumes, which will ap-
pear in the universities series of pub
lications ON Egyptian archaeology.