THE FIND AT LUXOR.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 49, 27 February 1923, Page 5

THE FIND AT LUXOR.

TREASURES OF THE TOMB. BUSY TIME FOR EXPERTS. ROBBER VISITS ANTICIPATED. (By Cable.—Press Association.—-Copyright.) LONDON, February 28. Advices from Luxor state that the last visit this season has been paid to Tut-ankh-amen's tomb. Twenty men are now installing an airtight and watertight door in case of cloudbursts, which occasionally occur in the Luxor district. The tomb will then be reburied under 100 tons of earth to keep out robbers. Meanwhile archaeologists will continue the work of examining the treasures already taken out of the tomb and preserving them prior to dispatch to Cairo. This is being done in the abandoned tomb of Seti 11. The work includes the reconstruction of the royal robes end the corselet or links of faience on gold, resembling the chain armour of tlie Crusaders.

Many archaeologists disapprove of the taking of the mummy and other discoveries to Cairo. They say that if the wooden art treasures are kept in the damp air of the Cairo Museum they will be hopelessly decayed in 20 years. They urge that a special museum should be built at Luxor to house the things taken from the royal and other tombis in the Luxor hills.

A vigorous controversy is also proceeding whether proper reepcot is being shown to the dead, especially as their religion attached special importance to the preservation of their tombs. Sir H. Rider Haggard's suggestion that the mummies of Tutankhamen and the other Pharaohs should be reburied in chambers of the Great Pyramid of Cheops, which should be finally sealed from the prying eves of tourist?, is widely approved. Lord Carnarvon is anxious to leave Tut-ankh-nmcn's mummy in its sarcopharrua in the Luxor hills.—(A. and N.Z. Cable.)