DOI Artikel:
Griffith, Francis Ll.: Progress of Egyptology: archaeology, hieroglyphic studies, etc.
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.12052#0024
Archaeology, Hieroglyphic Studies, Etc.
11
watched with as great interest as any that is going on in Egypt. Light
continues to be thrown on the position of Egypt in relation to its rivals
and neighbours by the activity of explorers in Crete ; and for the same
reason we welcome the bulky volume of results attained by Messrs. Bliss
and Macalister in the Shephelah under the auspices of the Palestine
Exploration Fund. Mr. Macalister is pursuing his explorations success-
fully, and the " Quarterly Statements " are now full of interesting and
valuable matter. An Austrian explorer has been fortunate enough to
discover cuneiform letters of the Tell-el-Amarna type at Taanach.
Hitherto Petrie's tablet from Lachish was the only example found in
Palestine; the new discovery will re-awaken our hopes of ampler finds in
the future.
The new Cairo Museum at Kasr-en-Nil was duly opened on November
15th. Professor Maspero, with his usual rapidity and promptness, which,
under the circumstances, would be almost incredible if we were not
already long familiarized to it, prepared an elaborate Guide, based on that
to the Gizeh Museum, so that even early visitors in the ensuing season
were able to find their way about the half-arranged collections by its help.
A new edition is promised this year, and Mrs. Quibell has undertaken a
translation into English, with many additions by the author. The ground
floor of the Museum is now being provided with labels in three languages,
numbered in red figures, which are those of the new Catalogue. Upstairs,
where as yet no re-arrangement has taken place, no numbers will be
put. upon the labels. The Museum building, erected at enormous cost,
has now been tested, and is found very ill adapted to the purpose
for which it was erected. The large monuments are dwarfed to nothing
in its huge hall, and the lighting is wrong throughout with alternate
blaze and darkness. We learn from Mr. Quibell, however, that great
improvements are being made by removing the flat glass roofs which
were placed over alternate rooms and let in excessive light and heat, and
replacing them by solid roofs with clerestory windows. In the summer it
has been found necessary to cover all the side windows, both east and
west, with blue curtains: these have much improved the lighting, but
unfortunately, if retained during the winter, they would make the rooms
too dark. The 3luseum has had the misfortune to lose an excellent
member of its staff, the reis Baskheron, a powerfully-built and excep-
tionally vigorous Copt who had done much good work, and in particular
was M. Legrain's right-hand man at Karnak. He died suddenly at Gizeh
while engaged in carrying away marble from the old Museum to the new
11
watched with as great interest as any that is going on in Egypt. Light
continues to be thrown on the position of Egypt in relation to its rivals
and neighbours by the activity of explorers in Crete ; and for the same
reason we welcome the bulky volume of results attained by Messrs. Bliss
and Macalister in the Shephelah under the auspices of the Palestine
Exploration Fund. Mr. Macalister is pursuing his explorations success-
fully, and the " Quarterly Statements " are now full of interesting and
valuable matter. An Austrian explorer has been fortunate enough to
discover cuneiform letters of the Tell-el-Amarna type at Taanach.
Hitherto Petrie's tablet from Lachish was the only example found in
Palestine; the new discovery will re-awaken our hopes of ampler finds in
the future.
The new Cairo Museum at Kasr-en-Nil was duly opened on November
15th. Professor Maspero, with his usual rapidity and promptness, which,
under the circumstances, would be almost incredible if we were not
already long familiarized to it, prepared an elaborate Guide, based on that
to the Gizeh Museum, so that even early visitors in the ensuing season
were able to find their way about the half-arranged collections by its help.
A new edition is promised this year, and Mrs. Quibell has undertaken a
translation into English, with many additions by the author. The ground
floor of the Museum is now being provided with labels in three languages,
numbered in red figures, which are those of the new Catalogue. Upstairs,
where as yet no re-arrangement has taken place, no numbers will be
put. upon the labels. The Museum building, erected at enormous cost,
has now been tested, and is found very ill adapted to the purpose
for which it was erected. The large monuments are dwarfed to nothing
in its huge hall, and the lighting is wrong throughout with alternate
blaze and darkness. We learn from Mr. Quibell, however, that great
improvements are being made by removing the flat glass roofs which
were placed over alternate rooms and let in excessive light and heat, and
replacing them by solid roofs with clerestory windows. In the summer it
has been found necessary to cover all the side windows, both east and
west, with blue curtains: these have much improved the lighting, but
unfortunately, if retained during the winter, they would make the rooms
too dark. The 3luseum has had the misfortune to lose an excellent
member of its staff, the reis Baskheron, a powerfully-built and excep-
tionally vigorous Copt who had done much good work, and in particular
was M. Legrain's right-hand man at Karnak. He died suddenly at Gizeh
while engaged in carrying away marble from the old Museum to the new