The Akaroa mail, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1924. TUTANKHAMEN'S TREASURES

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume XCIV, Issue 5165, 19 February 1924, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1924. TUTANKHAMEN'S TREASURES

0 '- The action of the Egyptian Government in stopping Mr Howard Carter in his work of research at Tutankhamen's tomb at Luxor is remarkable on account of the length of time that has elapsed since the work was started. There is no doubting the cause of the stoppage as evidently the vast treasures , which Mr Carter is finding in the tomb are attracting the cupidity of the Government which objects to Mr Carter participating in the treasure. He states that he is entitled to half the treasure as the tomb had been opened previously by. robbers while the Government says the fact that the seals 7 are intact shows that, no rob" : bers have entered the tomb. The Egyptian Government's attitude is indefensible as the finder is entitled to a share of the treasure. If the modern Egyptian held the same religious views as those held by Tutankhamen the position would have been different. Mr Carter and his men would then be offending the religious views of the Egyptians by examining a tomb. As it is, Mr Carter is carrying on the work in a most scientific manner, taking out all the treasures in such a way as to preserve them and making historical notes of immense value to those* interested in Egyptology. There is no doubt the treasures cannot remain in the tomb as they would be stolen or destroyed. There has been a good deal of comment about the action of Lord Carnarvon and Mr Carter in interfering with Tutankhamen's tomb. Some arguments have ibeen brought forward that even after the lapse of so many years the Paraoh had a right to have his grave saved from intrusion. To this argument has been brought the reasonable statement that no defilement is , intended and in the interests of human research the interference with the treasures is justified. Unfortunately the element of greed enters into the dispute between Mr Carter and the Egyptian Government. Seeing the immense value of the later finds the Government wishes now to take all. It seems unlikely that 'Mr Carter will be dispossessed after all his work and no doubt some bargain will be struck to the satisfaction of both parties. In the meantime the haggling over the treasures in this remarkable tomb is a very sordid affair and ends to dim the romance of one of the most extraordinary discoveries in the Valley of the Kings.