DOI article:
Griffith, Francis Ll.: Progress of Egyptology: archaeology, hieroglyphic studies, etc.
DOI Page / Citation link: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.12421#0033
Archaeology, Hieroglyphic Studies, Etc.
21
Prof. Schiapakelli's staff worked at Gebelein ; Dr. Juxker excavated an
interesting prehistoric cemetery near Aswan; and Dr. Cledat dug for a
short time at Elephantine. On the whole, however, the discoveries were
few and unimportant.
" There are not many unfortunate incidents to record. The smashing of
the tomb of Pennut was a bad affair: I had asked for the last six years to
have a door put on it, and this has now been done. The native plunderer
was sent to prison for a year's hard labour, but the Greek dealer who
instigated the robbery was not proceeded against, although of course he
lost, without compensation, the money he had paid for the stolen
fragments which we confiscated. There have been a few minor attempts
at illegal excavation, but no other robberies have occurred. At Karnak I
stopped the natives taking the little remaining sebakh, as there is now
some danger of antiquities being damaged during the work; and this
caused some ill feeling at one time. Previous to this the statue of
Sekhmet in the temple of Ptah was overthrown by some unknown person,
but it was soon restored to its place again.
" The work of copying and recording proceeded as usual. Mr. de G. Davies
worked for New York on several mortuary chapels at Thebes; Mrs. Davies
made some excellent facsimiles for Mr. Gardiner; Mr. L. Crane copied
the paintings in the tomb of King Horemheb for Mr. Theodore Davis ;
M. Semenowski continued his work at Der el Bahri; Herr Koch made
numerous photographs in the Theban chapels; Mr. Dixon made copies for
Baron von Bissing ; and other persons also carried on this very important
branch of work. I much regret to have to record the death of Mr. Harold
Jones, whose paintings and archaeological work were of such value to
Egyptology. Mr. Jones, who was much beloved by us all, had gradually
grown weaker each year, and his death was not unexpected. He died
suddenly and painlessly in the little house in the valley of the Tombs of
the Kings where he had lived and worked for the last few years ; and he
was buried in the English cemetery near Karnak.
" During the last three months (I am writing in August) I have been
working mostly in the Delta, and travelling continuously from place to
place. At Suez I came across the ruins of a Boman fortress which I do
not think is known. It is on an island opposite the town, and must be
the " Castrum " mentioned by Hierocles and Epiphanius, known in Greek
as K.\vcr/xa or KA.e;oy/.a."
M. Lefebvre writes as follows of work in Middle Egypt:—" Les missions
etrangeres out repris les travaux qu'elles poursuivent avec niethode, depuis
21
Prof. Schiapakelli's staff worked at Gebelein ; Dr. Juxker excavated an
interesting prehistoric cemetery near Aswan; and Dr. Cledat dug for a
short time at Elephantine. On the whole, however, the discoveries were
few and unimportant.
" There are not many unfortunate incidents to record. The smashing of
the tomb of Pennut was a bad affair: I had asked for the last six years to
have a door put on it, and this has now been done. The native plunderer
was sent to prison for a year's hard labour, but the Greek dealer who
instigated the robbery was not proceeded against, although of course he
lost, without compensation, the money he had paid for the stolen
fragments which we confiscated. There have been a few minor attempts
at illegal excavation, but no other robberies have occurred. At Karnak I
stopped the natives taking the little remaining sebakh, as there is now
some danger of antiquities being damaged during the work; and this
caused some ill feeling at one time. Previous to this the statue of
Sekhmet in the temple of Ptah was overthrown by some unknown person,
but it was soon restored to its place again.
" The work of copying and recording proceeded as usual. Mr. de G. Davies
worked for New York on several mortuary chapels at Thebes; Mrs. Davies
made some excellent facsimiles for Mr. Gardiner; Mr. L. Crane copied
the paintings in the tomb of King Horemheb for Mr. Theodore Davis ;
M. Semenowski continued his work at Der el Bahri; Herr Koch made
numerous photographs in the Theban chapels; Mr. Dixon made copies for
Baron von Bissing ; and other persons also carried on this very important
branch of work. I much regret to have to record the death of Mr. Harold
Jones, whose paintings and archaeological work were of such value to
Egyptology. Mr. Jones, who was much beloved by us all, had gradually
grown weaker each year, and his death was not unexpected. He died
suddenly and painlessly in the little house in the valley of the Tombs of
the Kings where he had lived and worked for the last few years ; and he
was buried in the English cemetery near Karnak.
" During the last three months (I am writing in August) I have been
working mostly in the Delta, and travelling continuously from place to
place. At Suez I came across the ruins of a Boman fortress which I do
not think is known. It is on an island opposite the town, and must be
the " Castrum " mentioned by Hierocles and Epiphanius, known in Greek
as K.\vcr/xa or KA.e;oy/.a."
M. Lefebvre writes as follows of work in Middle Egypt:—" Les missions
etrangeres out repris les travaux qu'elles poursuivent avec niethode, depuis