New-York tribune., 1907-08-04
DIGGING UP PYRAMIDS.
Careful WOrk Has Resulted IN
I'm nDOrtant Discoveries.


ttons which have rrade New York their starting
point several strange and interesting contrasts
cffcr themselves yet in none is this mere
marked than in the about to be undertaken
by Commander Robert +. I'eary IN ms searoh
for ttc North Pole and that Of the metropolitan
Muycvr2 expeCition which has just suspended
OF .r.lti-r.s until the return Of cooler weather
P.aI-y's search for the pole VIII be earned on
in . climate where the mercury often crosses
the mark at - degrees below zero, while the
band Of workers WHO out in the interests
Of the. Museum have been pursuing their i:bors
where The thcymomcter reaches 13o degrees IN
eh. sI,, !e without seriously cXeTt!ng Itself.
The. latter expedition, sa-nt ont under the ci-
'e>tiun of Albert NJ LIthE"c. WGs nlAic I"sslpie
.hroug1 funds supplied by private generosity,
a generous concession was granted to The Mu-
scum authorizes EH the Egyptian government
which. with a Hbcr3Iity nat to he fclna III
other ancient lands, has granted many liberties
70 foreign institutions f;r the purpose of sci
,ntific cxc:yati n and has permitted the eX-
Iortation of a largo share # sculptures and an
tiquitic< Welded by such work
The lab7rs Of the American paT;y are cen
tired cn The TWO pyramids of LiS:f. near the
southern end of the TyItrHid field. 1t a Pr!n'
thiItl-fvr miles south Of CAIRO Eotn Of theeo
date from the Middle Empire, about 200 z. g
the nur;hern1ua:-: having b-"u Identified a be
kngin. t" King AmeurIuhat ana the southern
most as that "f Eis ana successor, I's,rtcsen
l. Thcee TWO Wcre kings uf the twelfth dynasty.
tim, when art la h.I little q :hc vitality Of
earlier sculpture ana yet in which some splendid
works n,-, tj.rn,d out. The Influence Of Egypt
was .&t. ndel by these two to the lands
other id. AMI moro and mcrc Information re
cardiny this ini;on,c and the accomplishments
'c the Eim2s of that dynasty has been discovered
l. the Icks and spades & tho workers slowly
uncovcred tho rljre cf The pyramid temple Of
kmenafnhat. which Was rhnecn for the first III
vestiSafion. brclurr 4 French expedition had
Ir.v"trely e7>>Irat,.l at thc temple OF Tsertesen
This yro-k "f unaaIthint; E;gyItian temple
is rather dincr.f.; from digging tunnel
city subway in Manhattan. for neither dynamite
nor steam. shovel may ic used Ia facilitate the
work. Sui energetic methods have 70 Toe elm
mated, rs = jar or false blow might shattcr a
treasure which tells whole pages Of history of
an age Wien the world still young And 50
sand drifts and debris InUs; be removed with the
create care III o:dor to preserve from dcmoh-
ton il,~e. relic Which II iS the object of the
workers 10 cx!UHc and keep for the eyes of
future Fc.niatiuus. where i'll museums and
private ,,t!.ctiuns they may instruct those
students Who .r- putting together pc"emoaI
the fi.t~:-- g IN age nh,h part has he"n
forgotten "rj let
TIHS IT," NC.k cautiously begun has hc' Il 50
,or,Irl:cd \ r..iir"ad I..i,t ~. {" thc base
IF IT, pyramid Of .Nnrarrnhat and work he
gun ;ionc the east s!!" fer II on thc side
fa,ina ihp Nj. Tat tic temple stood in which
Tie worship e }. Ming Itrptt tuatcd- The
v.ori 81 excavation. began with TIN removal Of
drift sand and disi:."Er.,trd limestone. aica
lott hard packed surface Of debris This vas
scattered The sid, Of the pyramid generally.
Iou,.th it hcinl, hoIs. w-.IIs o( hrlrk ana 'thcr
remains which proved. from s-.lrths. beads ami
similar material found ,hc.sl. 7" date from
Tho I;oIlan period After photographs were
taken II The mains uf Roman "ccupdti' IA. th-
lalor VS. cnrtIhiet Without interruption until
recently Tie complete. excavation or The Tyfa2td
tempt. va .scc,lai-li >l,d and Tho principal
t,rrl features cf the pyramid on III eastern
side vcr" determined
Thu far tn. crie of clearing back e. the
face oI tho pyramid It-"rf IMPORTANT material
has been rccov,rcG which Wal NAH, u dIztIu
contribution to th, hl>toTy uf %yptl,tu arr hi
lecture aHd ,.rt during this period "f tho Mid
Umpire From relics found II probable
that this temple WIS reconstructed from al
earlier one. tE"4ch the facts aHd the date u
this may lie more cl-.ly a-ccrtatu'd WHOM the
excavations have been carried further along