The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-28


found in his tomb-to have preferred
life of luxurious ease to that of
the warrior
Quite skillfu1 wood turning went
into the making of those chariots.
The six spokes of the wheels are
made of three single pieces of wood,
warped so that each piece served as
half of two spokes the elbows
thus made being Joined to the hub.
The wooden axle was saved from
friction by the use of grease made
from animal fats. The Assyriafls
were apparently the original inven-
tors of the chariot, which was copied
by the Egyptians. Only few are
in existence. the one found in Tut
Ankh-Amens tomb being the most
remarkable yet unearthed. Aside
from it's wonderful beauty and the
great value of its jewel and gold
decorations the present chariot is
unique in having the axle placed in
the exact center of the cart. All
examples hitherto discovered have
had the axle in the rear of the cart
throwing all the weight of the
vehicle and it's occupants on the
horses shaft.
Tomb Used As Workshop
A large airy tomb a short distance
from the newly discovered sepulchre
of Tutankhamen, the Pharoah, who
ruled about 1850 B. c., is being used
by excavators as storeroom and
| workshop. Thither all the unusual
antiquities are now rapidly being re-
moved so as to clear the original
chamber before opening the sealed
burial chamber on. the return of
| Lord Carnarvon early next month.
Among the most interesting OBJ
| jects thus brought into the daylight
In the last few days is beautiful
| footstool inlaid with row of fig
ures of foreign slaves or captives,
| the idea being that thus the king $
| feet would tread contemptuously up
on them. In view of my contention
! last week that Tutankhamen was
\ the Pharaoh of the oppression it is
interesting to note that some of
these captives are Semitic and, quite
| possibly, the actual Israelites of the
Exodus.
/ L referred to the bad state of pres
| ervation of the beautifully painted
! casket found in the tomb. APP
! parently dampness penetrated the
| chamber, owing to the low position
| of the sepulchre in the valley bed,
and consequent percolation of oc-
casional rains. The face of one of
| the two statues of Pharaoh has split
| open. The royal robes, removed yes
| terday from the tomb, are in the
most fragile state, while other OBJ
| jects require most careful handling,
Fortunately the service OF Mr.
| Lucas, the government chemical ex-
| pert. are still available. A great debt
| is due to Mr.. Lythgoe, head of the
! Psychological department of the
| Metropolitan Museum, New York
who is directing neighboring exca-
vations, and who has lent an ex-
| perienced staff to us. Mr.. Howard
| Carter, who with Lord Carnarvon
| discovered the tomb, also has much
skill and ingenuity in such matters
! Hence there is little likelihood that
the treasures will perish.
| 1t is a question, however, whether
the moisture has penetrated into the
sealed inner chamber and whether the
mummy or mummies will be found
rotted. When I entered the tomb OF
| King Akhnaton some years ago the
! kings body was merely moist hear
of bones and decayed flesh and wrap
pings, due to fissure in the ceiling
by means of which rainwater had
| penetrated.
! l have been much shocked by thu
present condition of the Cairo MI
| scum antiquities which we found II
! the valley of the kings II years ago
| When they came from the tomb the.
were a blaze of gold. They seemed
absolutely new, untouched by time
Now they are furnished and ding,
and dropping to pieces. Moreover
they have crammed wretched oil
| show cases full of these invaluable
relics and the staff of curators. while
| ~ n.
worked to handle the rapidly increas'
ing mass of antiquities. A ruinou
confusion thus grows ever more con
fused. The building, though modern
is in dilapdated condition and par
of the roof fell in a short while ago
destroying many fine objects. Ii an
Equities removed from a tomb Wher'
they were perfectly safe, are thrown
pell-mell into an under stated .mu
scum, in the damp climate of Cairo
and left to rot, the excavation be
comes utterly immoral.
For Perpetual Preservation.
1t is fact that scientific excava
ton should involve both the imme
date safeguarding of objects found
as now being done, and also com
plete arrangements for their perpet
ual preservation. Lord Carnarvon'
excavations have suddenly sprunl
this mass of glorious relics Of tn
past upon the unprepared present an
somehow we must hand them on t
future generations. Thus the urgen
question is how to make the jimcracl
Cairo museum fit to receive them
If this is to be their home.
Professor Petrie thinks that tn
great quantity of objects found II
this tomb is due to the fact tina
Tutankhamen was childless an
| therefore had nobody to whom h.
could hand down his possessions Thi
seems far-fetched but nevertheless al
outstanding and extraordinary fact |
that this period of Egyptian histor.
is peculiar in the recurrent failur
of the male line. Akhnaton had n
son. He left his thrown to Smenh
kara. who. dying childless, was sue
ceeded by Neutrality-suspicious.
court chamberlain. He, too, was son
less, and he was followed by hi
queens grandfather Ay, who ais
died without an heir, leaving tn
throne to Horemheb, the GENERALS
simo of his army. He, again, seem
to have been sonless.
Biblical students will find herei
confirmation of the Exodus stor
of the death of the first born. or q