DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4202#0010
;V-:ss»,
DE8HASHEH.
INTRODUCTION.
(1.) The work of this year has been more
varied than usual, and has fulfilled more the
character of exploration than in previous years.
One of the least known parts of Egypt, the
western side from the Fayum to Minieh, was
completely traversed and examined; and two
sites within that area were excavated.
At the end of November I went to settle at
Behnesa, the Roman Oxyrhynkhos, and built
huts there for our party. Mr. Geere accompanied
me, and Mr. Grenfell and Mr. Hunt came soon
after. The permission to excavate was granted
on November 30 ; but Ave were kept idle, wait-
ing for its official transmission, till December 12,
thus losing a large fraction of the season. On
examining the desert behind Behnesa, back for
four miles, we failed to find any tombs of
importance ; and only Roman tombs were found
near the town. All the town mounds were
Roman and Arabic, and I did not find anything
of importance except the beginning of the great
harvest of papyri. Seeing that the interest of
the place would depend on that line, and not
on Egyptian remains, I handed the site over
entirely to Messrs. Grenfell and Hunt, and went
exploring southward.
The whole edge of the desert from Behnesa
and Minieh was explored; all the ruins and ceme-
teries were noted, and many places examined
in the cultivated land and also back in the
desert. I travelled partly on donkey, partly
walking, and constantly using a telescope to
search the distance; each evening, on camping
by the Arab villages which skirt the cultivation,
I gathered all the information that I could from
the people. One certain result is that the site
for the coloured plaster heads from coffins,
which was exploited a few years ago, is in the
cemeteries a little north of Minieh ; the people
mentioned them, and I saw pieces of them lying
about. The scenery here is unlike any other
part of Egypt. On crossing the Nile plain and
reaching the desert a high sand dune is seen,
which seems to be the beginning of the endless
waste. Ascending it, a long strip of blue lake
of fresh water lies before us, a quarter to half
a mile wide. When the dune behind that is
climbed, another lake is seen, and yet another.
At one point of view I saw six parallel lakes of
blue water divided by high dunes of yellow
sand. These lakes are filled up at each high
Nile, and then gradually dry away during the
succeeding months, leaving rich grassy plains,
on which the Arabs pasture their cattle. The
whole of this side of the country, for some three
or four miles into the cultivation, is held by
settled tribes of desert Arabs. They have
almost ceased to be nomadic, mostly living in
houses ; but they keep up the carrying of arms,
and any man of importance wears a small arsenal,
B
i
DE8HASHEH.
INTRODUCTION.
(1.) The work of this year has been more
varied than usual, and has fulfilled more the
character of exploration than in previous years.
One of the least known parts of Egypt, the
western side from the Fayum to Minieh, was
completely traversed and examined; and two
sites within that area were excavated.
At the end of November I went to settle at
Behnesa, the Roman Oxyrhynkhos, and built
huts there for our party. Mr. Geere accompanied
me, and Mr. Grenfell and Mr. Hunt came soon
after. The permission to excavate was granted
on November 30 ; but Ave were kept idle, wait-
ing for its official transmission, till December 12,
thus losing a large fraction of the season. On
examining the desert behind Behnesa, back for
four miles, we failed to find any tombs of
importance ; and only Roman tombs were found
near the town. All the town mounds were
Roman and Arabic, and I did not find anything
of importance except the beginning of the great
harvest of papyri. Seeing that the interest of
the place would depend on that line, and not
on Egyptian remains, I handed the site over
entirely to Messrs. Grenfell and Hunt, and went
exploring southward.
The whole edge of the desert from Behnesa
and Minieh was explored; all the ruins and ceme-
teries were noted, and many places examined
in the cultivated land and also back in the
desert. I travelled partly on donkey, partly
walking, and constantly using a telescope to
search the distance; each evening, on camping
by the Arab villages which skirt the cultivation,
I gathered all the information that I could from
the people. One certain result is that the site
for the coloured plaster heads from coffins,
which was exploited a few years ago, is in the
cemeteries a little north of Minieh ; the people
mentioned them, and I saw pieces of them lying
about. The scenery here is unlike any other
part of Egypt. On crossing the Nile plain and
reaching the desert a high sand dune is seen,
which seems to be the beginning of the endless
waste. Ascending it, a long strip of blue lake
of fresh water lies before us, a quarter to half
a mile wide. When the dune behind that is
climbed, another lake is seen, and yet another.
At one point of view I saw six parallel lakes of
blue water divided by high dunes of yellow
sand. These lakes are filled up at each high
Nile, and then gradually dry away during the
succeeding months, leaving rich grassy plains,
on which the Arabs pasture their cattle. The
whole of this side of the country, for some three
or four miles into the cultivation, is held by
settled tribes of desert Arabs. They have
almost ceased to be nomadic, mostly living in
houses ; but they keep up the carrying of arms,
and any man of importance wears a small arsenal,
B
i