The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-07
DELVING FOR ANTIQUITIES
Material Acquisitions Made by British
Archaeologists During Post Season

Results of the archaeologica1 explo-
rations and excavations in Egypt the
past season have just been reported by
the British school of archaeology Sew
eral material acquisitions have been
made, along with new scientific dis
coveries. Methods of excavation arc
necessarily native-not much farther
advanced than when the pyramids were
piled up, says the London Sphere.
They have found at Memphis more
statuary, and sculptures of the 18th
and 18th dynasties by clearing another
u acres of the great temple of Ptah.
1t was learned that Shishak decorated
the temple with a cornice. Gradually
the great clearance of this historic site
is extended year by year. and ii is ex-
pected that the new law by which the
government claims everything found
in private land Will not be exercised
to check this work. The buried city
has yielded all the various stages of
the manufacture of stone vases, from
the rough block to the vase spoiled in
finishing.
A complete skeleton was found In
a grave with pottery surrounding it at
Tarkhan. The man was lying on his
left side with his knees drawn up and
his hands before his face A similar
| examle in an almost identical position
| is on view in the mummy room of the
British museum. In the previous year
a great cemetery of the first dynasty
$500 B. Co had been partly explored
at Tarkhan. about 40 miles south of
Cariro. This year the valley was cleared
and found to contain some sou graves
closely grouped on each side of an ak
ial road. These We're carefully cleared
all the bones measured, the skulls re-
moved wherever possible plans drawn
of each grave and of the whole ceme-
terry. and the form of every vase of stone
or of pottery exactly registered. This
forms the most complete record vet
made of any old Egyptian cemetery
The preservation of the tomfs in the
cemetery of Tarkham is remarkable, 1t
| is reported. Owing to the sand filing
up the valley the bodies have been
less disturbed than is usual, and the up
per structures have been left in some
cases absolutely perfect The brick
wall which retained the pile of sand
above the graves. the little slits in it for
| the soul to come forth to the offerings.
and the stacks of pottery brought to
| the graves by the relatives and friends
! with food and drink for the dead, all
were uncovered exactly as they had
betn left over 1000 years ago. In the
graves were large numbers of a1abaster
vases, slate palettes, and pottery vases
All the types of these when compared
with those of the royal tombs serve to
date tire graves to the various reigns
shortly before and after Mena. Several
blue glazed vases were found showing
that such glazing was commonly in use
Two new types of ivory spoons We're
found one engraved on the bowl with
birds and plants the other formed as
two arms fo q handle, with cJnjofned
hands for the bowl. Alabaster stools
With legs four or five inches long. were
used for supporting dishes. Many graves
contained strings OF carnelian garnet
and blue glazed beads
As whole, we get view Of ;he pop
ulatlon. apart from the wealth of the
king and court and see that they had
good furniture, fine vases ard plenty of
ornaments. and were apparently In
quite as civilized condition as the
Egyptians of later ages Although the
damp of the valley prevented the re-
removal of the bones. which were all
measured as they lay. yet by extreme
care some 70 OF the skulls have been
preserved by solidifying with rarafln
wax; and these will be studied.