DOI Artikel:
Griffith, Francis Ll.: Progress of Egyptology: archaeology, hieroglyphic studies, etc.
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.11174#0024
Archaeology, Hieroglyphic Studies, Etc. 11
B.—ARCHAEOLOGY, HIEROGLYPHIC STUDIES, ETC.
A new and most welcome departure has been made in regard to the
control of excavations in Egypt. For the future, no permission is to be
granted by the Department concerned to any excavators either working for
profit or without the supervision of a competent Egyptologist. The havoc
wrought at Abydos, which is still for two years to be a prey to treasure-
hunting, has at length opened the eyes of the world to the necessity of
requiring some guarantee for worthy aims, due knowledge, and adequate
supervision. It is hardly to be hoped that scientific digging will yet
become general, but at any rate an advance is gradually being made, and
the most flagrant instances of wrong doing are no longer allowed to pass
unnoticed.
In Egyptological literature of the past year the influence of archaeology
has again been very conspicuous. A steady flow of discovery and
information concerning the prehistoric and early historic periods in the
country not only extends and deepens the interest in the antiquities, but
defines more and more clearly the lines of development of Egyptian
culture from small beginnings. Not long ago it was difficult to oppose
any striking fact to those who asserted that Egyptian culture, both
material and mental, " was at the very outset full-grown." Now we can
point to the almost total absence of mummification even at the end of
the Old Kingdom, to the gradual introduction of the potter's wheel
before the time of the first Dynasty, to the rudimentary beginnings of
writing, and to other facts sufficiently significant without a word of
explanation.
It is understood that very little progress has been made with the
building of the new Museum at Kasr-en-Nil since the laying of
the foundation stone; for structural reasons the work is stopped
absolutely.
Two great undertakings in connexion with Egyptology are now fairly
under weigh. The first of these is a Catalogue of the vast collection in
the Gizeh Museum, begun last year by a commission of savants of
different nationalities and now proceeding steadily. The importance of
this work for every department of Egyptology cannot be exaggerated.
Of English scholars, Mr. W. E. Crum has catalogued the Coptic
collection of monuments and MSS.; Mr. Grenfell and Mr. Hunt are
engaged on the Greek papyri. Mr. J. E. Quibell has just been added
to the busy staff of workers on the Ancient Egyptian side, amongst
whom are Borchardt and von Biasing (Berlin), Chassinat (Paris), and
B.—ARCHAEOLOGY, HIEROGLYPHIC STUDIES, ETC.
A new and most welcome departure has been made in regard to the
control of excavations in Egypt. For the future, no permission is to be
granted by the Department concerned to any excavators either working for
profit or without the supervision of a competent Egyptologist. The havoc
wrought at Abydos, which is still for two years to be a prey to treasure-
hunting, has at length opened the eyes of the world to the necessity of
requiring some guarantee for worthy aims, due knowledge, and adequate
supervision. It is hardly to be hoped that scientific digging will yet
become general, but at any rate an advance is gradually being made, and
the most flagrant instances of wrong doing are no longer allowed to pass
unnoticed.
In Egyptological literature of the past year the influence of archaeology
has again been very conspicuous. A steady flow of discovery and
information concerning the prehistoric and early historic periods in the
country not only extends and deepens the interest in the antiquities, but
defines more and more clearly the lines of development of Egyptian
culture from small beginnings. Not long ago it was difficult to oppose
any striking fact to those who asserted that Egyptian culture, both
material and mental, " was at the very outset full-grown." Now we can
point to the almost total absence of mummification even at the end of
the Old Kingdom, to the gradual introduction of the potter's wheel
before the time of the first Dynasty, to the rudimentary beginnings of
writing, and to other facts sufficiently significant without a word of
explanation.
It is understood that very little progress has been made with the
building of the new Museum at Kasr-en-Nil since the laying of
the foundation stone; for structural reasons the work is stopped
absolutely.
Two great undertakings in connexion with Egyptology are now fairly
under weigh. The first of these is a Catalogue of the vast collection in
the Gizeh Museum, begun last year by a commission of savants of
different nationalities and now proceeding steadily. The importance of
this work for every department of Egyptology cannot be exaggerated.
Of English scholars, Mr. W. E. Crum has catalogued the Coptic
collection of monuments and MSS.; Mr. Grenfell and Mr. Hunt are
engaged on the Greek papyri. Mr. J. E. Quibell has just been added
to the busy staff of workers on the Ancient Egyptian side, amongst
whom are Borchardt and von Biasing (Berlin), Chassinat (Paris), and