Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-10-15
DIGGING UP PYRAMIDS.
Important Discoveries by American
Party.

Important Discoveries by American
Party.
In comparing some Of the exploring
expeditions which have made New
York their starting point, several
strange and interesting contrasts offer
themselves; yet in none is this more
marked than in the one to be under
taken by Commander Robert e, Peary
IN his search for the North Pole, and
that of the Metropolitan Museum ex-
pedition in Egypt, says the New York
Tribune. Peary's search for the North
Pole will be carried on in a climate
where the mercury often crosses the
mark at IS degrees below zero, while
the band Of workers who are out in
the interests of the museum have been
pursuing their labors where the ther-
mometer reaches 130 degrees In the
shade without seriously exerting it
self.
The latter expedition, sent out under
the direction of Albert M. Lythgoe,
was made possible through funds sup
piled by private generosity. gener-
Gus concession was granted to the
museum authorities by the Egyptian
government which, with a liberality
not to be found in other ancient lands,
has granted many liberties to foreign
institutions for the purpose Of scien-
tifc excavations, and has permitted
the exportation of large share of
sculptures and antiquities yielded by
such work. 4
The labors of the American party
are centred on the two pyramids Of
Iisht near the southern end of the
pyramid field, at a point 35 miles
south of Cairo. Both Of these date
from the Middle Empire, about 27OO
&. c., the northernmost having been
identified as belonging to King Anne
nemhat l. and the southermost as that
Of his son and successor, Usertesen l.
These two were kings Of the 18th dy-
nasty, time when art lacked little
Of the vitality of earlier sculpture, and
yet in which some splendid works were
turned out. The influence Of Egypt
was extended by, these two to the
lands on either side, and more and
more information regarding this infiu-
ence and the accomplishments Of the
kings Of that dynasty has been discov-
cred as the picks and spades OF the
workers slowly uncovered the ruins of
the pyramid temple Of Amenehat,
which was chosen for the first investi-
CATION, because a French expedition
had previously excavated at the tenn
pie Of Usertesen.
This work of unearthing an Egyp-
tian temple is rather different from
digging q tunnel or a city subway In
Manhattan, for neither dynamite nor
system shovel may be used to facill-
tate. the work. Such energetic meth
DDS have to be eliminated, as jar or
false blow might shatter a treasure
which tells whole pages of history OF
an age when the world was still young.
And so sand drifts and debris must be
removed with the greatest care in order
to preserve from demolition those rel
les which it is the object of the work.
ers to exhume and keep for the eyes
of future generations, where in numer-
Gus and private collections they may
instruct those students who are put
ting together piecemeal the history OF
an age which IN part has been forgot
ten and lost.
Thus the work cautiously begun mas
been so continued A railroad was
built up to the base of the pyramid
of Amenehat and work begun along
the east side, for 1t was on the size
facing the Nile that the temple stood
in which the worship of the king was
perpetuated The work Of excavation
began with the removal Of drift SAND
and dsintegrated limestone. which LETT
hard packed surface of debris. This
was scattered over the side Of the pyr-
amid generally, beneath 1t being house
walls of brick and other remains which
proved. from scarabs, heads and similar
material found in them, to date from
the Roman period. After photographs
were taken of the remains Of Roman
Occupation, the labor was continued
without interruption until recently the
complete excavation of the pyramid
temple was accomplished and the
principal external features of the pyra-
mid on the eastern side were deter
mined.
Thus far in the work Of clearing
back to the face Of the pyramid itself
| important material has been recov-
cred which will make a distinct con-
tribution to the history of Egyptian
architecture and art during this pc
riod of the middle empire. From relics
found it Is probable that this may be
more easily ascertained when the ex-
cavatiOns have been carried further
along.