The Washington times., 1923-01-21

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~ RINEARILY the most Inn
- portant point is that the
tomb OF King Tutankhamen
appears to be the first royal
tomb we have found more or less
intact. For this reason we are
now able to tell more or less
what the Itinerary equipment Of
q royal burial comprises.
Unfortunately objects Of great
Intrinsic value appear to be miss
ing, and were probably taken by
metal robbers Of the twentieth
dynasty. Notwithstanding this It
appears that all the smaller jew
elry is there and 1paraphernalia,
comprising furniture, emblems
and deities for the Kings pro-
lection In the underworld, as well
rs portraits, statues, chariots,
chests OF robes. faience vessels
chairs, bedsteads, etc.
One of the most important fac
tors In this discovery e. the fact
that these objects show both the
style Of Alxhen art a. well as
that OF Thebes. and hence for
purity of Egyptian work some of
them have never been surpassed.
THREE TYPES OF SEALS.
The seal impressions upon the
closed doorways show at least
three types: those Of the royal
metropolis. TutanlLhamen's, and
what appear to b household seals
fas their Impressions are not alto
eether perfect Il win be . little
time before We can decipher their
real meaning. 40 we must COM
pare different impressions on va
Ffus doorwaysl.
It Is interesting to note that
there are fragments Of boxes
which were found outside the en-
trance Of the tomb bearing the
double protocol OF Akhenaten and
King SelZhem-ka-Ra and his wife,
who was the daughter Of Khue-
naten, called Mertaten.
Now, as these are purely sepul-
chral monuments and bear both
protocols. it would seem that the
two kings either died or abdicated
simultaneously, and that they are
found in the kings tomb indicates
that Tutankhamen succeeded
them Immediately. As we have
not yet gone carefully into these
matters, however, the hypothesis
may require modification, and we
are trusting that on the arrival Of
DR.. Alan Gardiner we shall get
more important historical data,
the more so when we are able to
unroll and decipher the papyri in
one OF the caskets. From exter-
nal appearances, these documents
appear to be historical rather
than religious, for they are rolled
with the ends overturned and
sealed. Again, numbers Of the
caskets bear long texts, which
may also help US in solving the
puzzle.
KINGS THRONE.
From the artistic point Of view,
there are many most valuable
specimens, and among them espe-
cialIy the chair, or throne, which
depicts the king and queen under
the suns rays. 1t is of most ex-
auisite workmanship. the back be-
ing in mosaic, OF carved, semi
precious stones in relief. This
throne is of purely Al Amarna
art, i'm the style Of the statue.
Another most interesting object
Is a kind Of dummy portrait in
wood of the King. 1t is cut off
at the waist, and has no arms,
and, as far as one can judge, it
was probably used for arranging
the. wigs of the King as BARRIERS
today use figures to arrange wigs.
Among other very interesting OBJ
tects are about twenty slaves and
wa1king-sticks. Some have han
dies in filigree gold work, others
of inlaid banks and ivory, and
others again with handles of
ivory, depicting Asiatic captives.
One of the caskets, which bears
exquisite painted scenes of the
King and his chariot, with his
characters, hunting lions, ga
zelle and other antelope, con-
tains what appears to be the robe
of the King covered with an
elaborate mesh of beads and gold
rosettes. Under this are his slip
= pers, also ornamented with gold,
and a large amber necklace.
in second box there are sill
yer boomerangs, faience unguent
vases, and what is at present be-