DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1036#0008
Vlll
INTRODUCTION.
of smoke when the harvest came on, and not a man
could I get to do anything. The six weeks' work
however sufficed to clear up the history of Tell Hesy,
and—still better—to form a series of dated pottery of
the various periods, so laying a foundation for future
explorations on a scientific basis. The results of
this work having been published by the Palestine
Exploration Fund, I need not enter on them here.
After thus obtaining a chronological scale I spent a
fortnight in visiting various ancient sites, and identify-
ing the periods of the remains from the pottery strewn
over them.
3. The costs of the excavations described in this
volume have been defrayed by my friends Mr. Jesse
Haworth and Mr. Martyn Kennard, in continuation
of their liberal assistance of the work which I carried
on during two previous years in the Fayum ; and the
greater part of the objects found have been presented
by them or myself to various public museums.
While I was absent in England the inspector-
ship of the Fayum had been transferred to Major
Brown, R.E.; but he very kindly permitted me to
continue to use the inspection house at Illahun, as
Mr. Hewat had done; when so much was being
discovered it was most needful to have a lodgement
for the antiquities, and but for the use of such a
house the work would have been much hindered.
After I had worked during October at Kahun,
Mr. W. O. Hughes-Hughes came out in November
to take up the excavation of Gurob; I could not
possibly have attended to this in the time available
before I went to Palestine, and it was therefore very
fortunate that some regular work could be carried on
before the natives finally plundered the place. Of
course no sort of guardianship or protection was
given by the Government, and it was only by paying
guards myself that I could preserve the site until
Mr. Hughes-Hughes came. So soon as he left
the rest of the town and tombs utterly perished
at the hands of the plunderers. We are therefore
indebted to his attention for rescuing most of
the information on this site which is in the present
volume.
Again I am fortunate in having the collaboration
of several friends on special chapters here. Prof.
Sayce renews his attention to Greek papyri, and
Prof. Mahaffy has joined on the subject. Mr.
Griffith has begun a study of the series of hieratic
papyri: and the demotic will I hope be worked out
by Dr. Hess. Canon Hicks has given his special
knowledge to the Ptolemais inscription, and Mr.
Spurrell has elucidated much about the use of flint
implements, with his wide information on the subject.
To all these friends my sincerest thanks are due for
attending to what neither my own time or studies
permitted me to take up.
INTRODUCTION.
of smoke when the harvest came on, and not a man
could I get to do anything. The six weeks' work
however sufficed to clear up the history of Tell Hesy,
and—still better—to form a series of dated pottery of
the various periods, so laying a foundation for future
explorations on a scientific basis. The results of
this work having been published by the Palestine
Exploration Fund, I need not enter on them here.
After thus obtaining a chronological scale I spent a
fortnight in visiting various ancient sites, and identify-
ing the periods of the remains from the pottery strewn
over them.
3. The costs of the excavations described in this
volume have been defrayed by my friends Mr. Jesse
Haworth and Mr. Martyn Kennard, in continuation
of their liberal assistance of the work which I carried
on during two previous years in the Fayum ; and the
greater part of the objects found have been presented
by them or myself to various public museums.
While I was absent in England the inspector-
ship of the Fayum had been transferred to Major
Brown, R.E.; but he very kindly permitted me to
continue to use the inspection house at Illahun, as
Mr. Hewat had done; when so much was being
discovered it was most needful to have a lodgement
for the antiquities, and but for the use of such a
house the work would have been much hindered.
After I had worked during October at Kahun,
Mr. W. O. Hughes-Hughes came out in November
to take up the excavation of Gurob; I could not
possibly have attended to this in the time available
before I went to Palestine, and it was therefore very
fortunate that some regular work could be carried on
before the natives finally plundered the place. Of
course no sort of guardianship or protection was
given by the Government, and it was only by paying
guards myself that I could preserve the site until
Mr. Hughes-Hughes came. So soon as he left
the rest of the town and tombs utterly perished
at the hands of the plunderers. We are therefore
indebted to his attention for rescuing most of
the information on this site which is in the present
volume.
Again I am fortunate in having the collaboration
of several friends on special chapters here. Prof.
Sayce renews his attention to Greek papyri, and
Prof. Mahaffy has joined on the subject. Mr.
Griffith has begun a study of the series of hieratic
papyri: and the demotic will I hope be worked out
by Dr. Hess. Canon Hicks has given his special
knowledge to the Ptolemais inscription, and Mr.
Spurrell has elucidated much about the use of flint
implements, with his wide information on the subject.
To all these friends my sincerest thanks are due for
attending to what neither my own time or studies
permitted me to take up.