The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1923-04-14
KEEN SEARCH FOR
EGYPTIAN RELICS
University of Pennsylvania Is
Sharing in Antiquary Research
With Four Parties.

e
/ Philadelphia, Ps.-The University
Of Pennsylvania's Egyptian expedi-
ton, which has been delving into
buried history at the entrance of the
Valley of the Kings, where the tomb
Of Tut-Ankh-Amen was recently found,
is preparing to move to a cooler
climate to continue sesrching for
bits Of information relating to the ac-
tiyities of men in past ages.
The university is now conducting
four expeditions. One is in the Valley
of the Kings. another at Memphis,
which was the oldest capital of Egypt
third In Palestine, and another In
Babylonia, where in connection with
the expedition of the British museum,
an ancient temple believed to have
been built 5000 years before the
birth of Christ was discovered. An
nouncement Of the finding Of this tenn
pie was recently made. Inscriptions
were found showing that King Nebu-
lchadnezzar repaired the place during
his reign in the Sixth century, B. G. 81
Excavation Work Continuous. .
The university has arranged the
work of her excavators so that when
the hot weather season comes in one
place they move to another, assuring
almost continuous effort. -r
The work now coming to close is
at Thebes In an area adjoining the
concession of Lord Carnarvon. During
the, two seasons of digging at Thebes
several tombs have been discovered
constructed in the same way as that
Of Tut-Ankh-Amen, but all of them open
and looted. The objects found in each
were not Of interest to robbers, such
as canopic jars, ushabtis. inscriptions
and papyri.
In the last named class Of objects a
really notable discovery was made at
the close Of last season, when two
sealed pottery cylinders were found
within the entrance chamber Of q
tomb, which contained rolls of papyri.
These were In a perfect state of pres
ervation. On the outside of each roll
was document written in ancient
Greek, and upon examination the
papyri proved to be Denote docu-
ments dating from 318 B. @. to 265
B. G. They are mostly contracts, and
contain the business transactions Of
a family during the period of years
which they covered. These papyri
are now being translated in the uni
versity museum.
All of the tombs discovered on the
museums concession were Of officials
Of the government of Thebes who
wished to be buried near the kings,
and whose tombs are, therefore, found
in close proximity to the royal resting
places.
At the same time that the univer-
sity museum is working this conces-
sion at Thebes it is also excavating
at Memphis, IA miles above Cairo,
where the museum expedition dfscov-
cred several years ago the royal pal
ace of Merenptah, an extensive struc-
= ture covering large area and in
closing numerous courts. The floors
Of this temple are found rs feet below
the surface of the ground. The lower
walls, and sometimes doorways and
parts of columns. are found standing
Tuts Fathsr.in.Law.
h. One of the interesting discoveries
made at this place is the head Of q
life-size statue of Akhnaton, the ia
ther-in-law Of Tut-Ankh-Amen. The
features are exQuisitely modelled and
the sensitive face is rendered in q
wonderfully lifelike manner. -@>
The throne room of the Merenptah
palace, especially the dais shows rich
sculpture and elaborate use Of color.
The ornaments and hieroglyphic in
scriptions on the columns, and the
stonework surrounding the doorways.
are inlaid with beautiful pale fayencs.
Surrounding the throne room are
dressing rooms, retiring rooms, and
bathroom, which originally had run
ming water.
Excavation here is still In progress,
and it's completion Is expected to
throw much light on the domestic and
official life Of the Phsraohs.
Memphis was the capital Of Egypt
from the earliest times down to about
1900 B. G. Then the Pharaohs moved
their capital south to Thebes, which
arose to great splendor. Herodotus re-
ferred to the hundred gates Of Thebes.
This city remained the capital until
Alexander the Great founded the new
capital at Alexandria, except for that
brief interval when Akhnaton built
this new capital at Tell-el-Am6rna In
order that he might start everything
In Egypt afresh; religion, art, archi-
lecture and government. His interest
ing experiment lasted Tor about q gen.
Grafton, or until Tut-Ankh-Amen re-
stored the old religion, reversed the pol
icy Of father-in-law, changed his name
from Tut-Ankh-Aton to Tut-Ankh-Amen
as symbol of his reversion, and went
back to Thebes az the seat Of his gov
eminent. s--. TO-.
Merenptah, who is regarded by most
authorities as the Pharaoh Of the
Exodus, reigned 1925 B. G., or about
125 years before Tut-Ankh-Amen.
Loses Royal Rank on Marriage.