Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-06-12
RELICS Of ANC|ENTS
DIFFICULT TO OBTAIN
Wallace N. Stearns Tells of Excava-
ton Work Done in
Egypt.

When the announcement is made that
some exploration expedition has rescued
from the bowels of the earth material
that reveals the history Of people who
lived three thousand and more years ago.
few people realize the attendant clm-
culties and hardships that are frequently
undergone for the sake Of that branch OF
science Wallace n. Stearns. in COM
munication to the National Geographic
Society, gives some idea Of this side OF
the work In the reconstruction OF Egypts
history.
These stupendous excavations along
the Nile cali for equipment on a consid-
cradle SCALE he says. Work must be
rapid December I to April ] marks the
working year. Every moment is precious.
Every carload must count. Every shovel
full of earth must be carefully sifted
whenever there is a possibility OF find.
Even a basket brigade is sometimes
parently valuable piece Is located work
men are called off, experts are sent in;
every man Is on guard. Carefully every
inch Of soil is watched as the last bas-
kets Of earth are removed. Every rag
ment must be saved and laid away until
everything has been uncovered.
Under Tense Strain.
Think Of the disappointment when,
for example, a magnificent statue comes
out headless. Think of the conjectures
as to the whereabouts of the missing
piece and the furore when, perhaps. weeks
afterward, the lost Is found. There Is
an air of hushed expectancy, a suppress
ed excitement lowering over, that keeps
men up under the most tense strain I'M
der which the work is Of necessity con-
Quoted.
"At -el-Bahari the debris had to
be carried to an old clay pit in order to
run no risk Of covering either temple or
tomb. This precaution doubtless saved
the eleventh dynasty temple from burial
beyond any hope of resurrection. Any
one who took part In this work will never
see any dust worth mentioning elsewhere.
At a distance of fifty yards visitor
would hear a terrible hubbub. seeing
nothing but an impenetrable haze of
dust, from which would presently emerge
a tram. visible at ten yards. operating
under the direction of dust imp-almost
Immediately followed by another. Over
the high embankment would plunge the
loads, and the train. once started, rolled
all day ceaselessly on its double track,
save for the noon hour of rest.
America has joined hands with the
old world in prosecuting this work. Won
derful are the results attained. Every
student of history and literature, every
student of thesBible, is vitality concerned
in the combinations yearly coming to
light from the sands of Egypt. There is
need Of haste.
Egypt to Be Born Again.
ITO extend the arabic district of Egypt
is an economic necessity. Accordingly
the British government has erected at
Assouan the great dam. whose ninety
fve-foot head has sent the waters Of the
Nile. back over great areas of hitherto
dry ground. Already a dozen temples
have been flooded. and ere long will be
forever lost to sight, Already beautiful
Philae at the head of the first cataract.
is gone. The soil is becoming infiltrated.
and the stores of treasures, especially
the papyrus manuscripts. are being
ruined. even before the waters cover the
ground above.
However, through the genius of the
engineer. Egypt is being born again. In
her awakening the land of the pharaohs
Is again to play role among nations.
Art and sentiment have been sacrificed
to her commercial welfare. The gain to
Egypt, through the conservation of these
life-giving waters in a rainless land, Is
estimated at $15,O00.O0O annually"