Evening star., 1934-01-20
WORK IN ANCIENT
TOMBS DESCRIBED
Geographic Society Hears
How ArcheoIogists Re-
cover Story of Man.

How archeologists are recovering the
story of the rise of man from huge
monoliths or the shattered fragments OF
vases In the tombs of lost civilizations
was related to the National Geographic
| Society last night by Charles Breasted
executive secretary of the Oriental In
stitute maintained by the University OF
Chicago.
The speaker, who Is the son of the
distinguished Orientalist, Dr. James H
Breasted, said the most modern methods
dozen expeditions of the institute now
engaged in digging for material frag-
ments OF history in Egypt, Palestine
Syria, Iraq and Persia.
Mr.. Breasted, with the aid of motion
pictures, conducted his listeners on a
5000 mile air journey between the vari-
Gus field headquarters of the enterprise
! which. he said, ''is essentially an organ
lied effort to recover the lost story of
the rise of man"
Early Masonry Studied.
In Memphis, Egypt, scientists are
copying tomb designs and studying
some Of the earliest known masonry
, work in the world. At Luxor, a per-
manent headquarters has been erected
on the banks of the Nile Here, in
buildings of California Mission style,
are research and drafting rooms, and
living quarters for the scientific staff
Nearby. at Karnak, the staff is slow
ly making copies of hieroglyphics and
other inscriptions on walls temples
bricks. etc. From these priceless rec
ords it is expected many gaps in the
history of the past will be closed.
Perhaps the most striking relic un-
covered by the staff is giant granite
obelisk l35 feet long. This huge piece
of rock was declared by Mr.. Breasted,
to be the largest ever quarried by man
1t was found still attached to its orig
inal quarry bed because a crack devel-
oped in 1t before 1t could be put into
position. Native workers hired by the
institute have cleared debris from the
sides Of the monolith and found many
of the implements used by the ancient
Egyptians in quarrying. Their ham
mers" were handleless. being merely
balls of hard stone about the size of
mans head. which pulverized the
softer granite when pounded by work.
men.
Flight to Palestine.
From Egypt, the lecturers plane few
northeast to Palestine where the insti-
tutes work is centered around Megiddo
the one time capital Of small, but
powerful kingdom This nation con-
troled the Pass of Megiddo. which
proved of strategic Importance as late
as the World War when 10000 British
cavalry were rushed through 1t in a
single night during a surprise attack
on the Turks.
The work at Megiddo is chiefly exca-
vation Of a high mound some l3 acres
in area This IS the largest ancient
engineering work yet found in Palestine
Mr. Breasted declared. While the city
dates from 1000 B. c. onward. rock
tombs were discovered nearby that date
from the late Bronze Age. 1900 B. C.
At the Institutes headquarters near
Megiddo modern devices are brought
into play TO aid the archeologist. Cap
tive balloons are sent up almost daily
10 photograph from the air the chang
ing mosaic of the archaeological site. As
many of the inscribed clay tablets were
only sun dried, a hand-operated blower
somewhat like A bicycle pump. is used
to clear dust from the delicate features
of the tablets. These bits Of clay are
then put into kilns and permanently
hardened.