Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-06-04
PROGRESS MISSES
OASIS ARCHIPELAGO
Kharga, Dating Back to 10th
Century B. c., Retains
Primitive Customs.

Secrets of a civilization Of $500 years
ago in the Libyan Desert were studied by
a British expedition which recently
completed several months = ork in the
Kharga oasis.
"Kharga is an oasis archipelago
series of small cases dotting a depres-
sion half again as large as Rhode Is
land, which lies about 125 miles west
Of Luxor, Egypt" says bulletin from
the National Geographic Society.
Ruins of ancient buildings spread
over a wide area Of the oasis indicate
that 1t was once thickly populated re-
gion. Now there are about 5000 In
habitants, mostly BerberS, who live In
as villages and towns.
"Since 1908 a narrow-gauge railroad
has connected Kharga with the main
line Of the Nile Valley Railroad. automo-
bileS have crossed and recroSsed the
nearby caravan routes and airplanes
have frequently landed in the oasis, but
primitive customs still prevail among
the natives.
Fields Cultivated With Hoe.
"A pillow would be a curiosity to
Kharga farmer; he cultivateS his fields
with hoe. The irrigation system, per-
haps, was old when the Christian era
began. Weavers make ruSh-Shaped pan.
nierS for donkeyS and floor mats with
out the use Of labor-saving frames and
other devices. An OK. travelling cir
cular path around two huge grinding
stones, furnishes power for the native
-four mill. Where OK power Is not avail
able grain is placed in the hollows of
large stones and beaten by the women
with smaller stones. The native butter
churn is skin tied to pole. Churn-
ing Is done by swinging the skin to and
fro with jerky motion.
Historians have traced Kharga'S eX-
1Stence back to the sixteenth century
BIC. Perhaps the outstanding archi-
tectural gem Is the ruin of the Temple
Of Hibis, q sandstone structure that
Darius II completed in the fifth century
BIC. Mud forts, built in the form of
castles, with 30-foOt walls, recall the
occupation of the oasis by the Romans.
Once Place Of Exile.
"From time to time, when Kharga
was q more isolated region, it was a
sort of desert st. Helena One of its
prominent exiles was Bishop Nestorius.
who was banished by the Council of
EphesuS. Ruins CT q large Christian
cemetery and several well fortified mon
aSteries are attributed to the exiled
bishop.
"Kharga might be divided into two
groups OF oaSeS-northern and southern
groups. It Is days caravan travel
over sterile, uninhabited region from
one group to the other.
"Kharga, the chief town In the oasis,
b in the southern group. 1t Is sur
rounded by groves Of palms and pro-
ductive irrigated farms. Many of the
Kharga streets are winding tunnels
formed by the meeting of the upper
stories of bordering houses. In some
places the tunnels are SO low that a
pedestrian cannot walk upright, and SO
long that in parts of them even the
inhabitants must feel their way through
darkness. Natives say the streets were
built thus to withstand attacks.
1.-THE open streets are Solidly walled
by the rough. ugly facadeS Of mud
buildings. Rows Of upright palm leaves
border the roofs of many houses. At
first glance they appear to be merely
decorative. But the roof is the favorite
resort Of the secluded womenfolk in
Kharga, so the leaves really insure pri-
vacy. The roofs occupants cannot be
seen, but they can observe the happen
ings In the Kharga streets"