First revealed in The Age, January 15, 1923.

A GREAT DISCOVERY.

Archaeological Treasures.

Egyptian Royal Tomb.

LONDON, seventh December. Information has been obtained from Egypt of a sensational archaeological “discover,” which eclipses all earlier discoveries on the a part of Egyptologists. For a few years previous the Earl of Carnarvon, who has gained distinction as an archaeologist, has financed excavation of historic websites in Egypt, beneath the path of Mr. Howard Carter, who has spent his life on this work. For the previous seven years Mr. Carter has been excavating within the Valley of the Tombs of Kings at Luxor, the location of the traditional metropolis of Thebes, the place many vital discoveries had been made previously. Many Egyptologists had come to the conclusion that this website had nothing extra to disclose. However eventually Mr. Carter’s efforts have been rewarded by a discovery that’s sensational from the perspective of treasure in addition to archaeology. It’s acknowledged that the monetary worth of the treasure already found will attain a number of million kilos, and it’s confidently predicted that the “discover” is in no way exhausted. Below the regulation which governs excavation in Egypt by foreigners, every little thing found belongs to the Egyptian Authorities, and have to be positioned within the Cairo Museum.

What Mr. Carter has found is a sepulchre containing the funeral paraphernalia of King Tutankhamen, who reigned in Egypt 3000 years in the past. At current it’s not identified whether or not the sepulchre is the tomb during which this King was interred at his demise, or whether or not the dear funerary furnishings it comprises was eliminated right here from his tomb, so as to put it aside from thieves.

“The Valley of the Tombs of the Kings,” writes Mr. Arthur Weigall, who was previously Inspector-Common of Antiquities to the Egyptian Authorities, “lies behind the primary vary of barren hills and cliffs which type, because it had been, the western boundary partitions of the fertile valley of the Nile over towards the city of Luxor, the location of the traditional Thebes, some 450 miles up stream from Cairo. Right here, amongst the desolate and sun-scorched rocks, many of the Pharaohs of the Eighteenth Dynasty (1550-1350 B.C.) brought about themselves to be buried roughly secret tombs hewn out of the hill sides, the place they hoped to be secure from the robbers who, they knew, had plundered the extra accessible sepulchres of their predecessors, searching for the treasures which had been interred with them. The tombs had been every entered via a small and tough gap within the rocks, simply capable of be hid by superimposed gravel and rocks; however this insignificant passage opened out right into a collection of high-quality subterranean corridors, stairways, and chambers, main all the way down to the precise burial corridor, the place the king’s mummy lay in a gilded coffin, positioned inside a stone sarcophagus.

“The tomb which Mr. Carter has found is located just under the later tomb of Rameses VI., a stone’s throw from the however the place the native watchmen have their quarters, and the elimination of floor gravel and particles through the systematic search of the valley which is now being performed revealed its entrance. There was a sealed outer door, and past this some sixteen steps led all the way down to a passage about 25 ft. in size, on the finish of which was one other sealed door. On opening this the excavators discovered themselves in a chamber full of fantastic objects; lots of them inscribed with the title of King Tutankhamen.