KING'S GOLDEN TOMB

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 73, 27 March 1930, Page 26

KING'S GOLDEN TOMB

EXCAVATORS' NEXT TASK

ALEXANDER' THE GREAT

. ''Another season is beginning in Egypt which means the arrivalof..thearchaeologist'1. an!d of ■'. ttie ; tourists ■ -The:■lastnamed ;eomes. to see the treasures of Ancient Egypt which Already have been unearthed; tho; former comes to search' .for.further treasures.' It is always an exciting .gamble, for at any moment there maybe another discovery like the finding of the tomb of Tutankhamen, writesGfl.Waterfielci in the"Daily Telegraph>V ■::']■■ : •.".:■•■ :. .: '. ■■.. / - _ -. :Mr.',Howai:d •Carter, is among' the early comers. He is now in Cairo preparing his: first three volumes, which are, to :giveVa account of Tut-: ankhameh arid his'burial. There is not much more .'work, to 'be . done in the tomb in the Valley of the Kings; all the-relics .will be out by the end of ■1930. -TEe"" four; beautiful alabaster shrines; are" stUf there.. ' : .They can only be moved out! through the tunnel-like ■ entrance if they are taken to' pieces or if the tunnel itself is enlarged. "■ ; Mr. Carter has decided that the;latter course,is.the. less dan-: gerous, buT he canjiot begin work until next September, as h'3 does not wish to have the shut to tourists during the winter, and summer is too hot for the work. ... .. . . ;. . In the" meantime he will! begin work on the five big .scientific volumes on Tutankhamen ;.which' ■he proposes • to .write. - •.' These ..will describe the- numerous subjects in great .detail, and be illustrated with over 400., plates. They will cost from £30 to £40 each. All the expenses are borne by the Carnarvon' Estate and by Mr...Howard Carter himself. ■■•■'. . ' AFTER TUTANKHAMEM-. : . The Egyptian Govcrnmont'. has paid nothing towards tlid bringing of the .Tutankhamen, treasures .to tho museum, and negotiations are nov? pi-oceediug with regard to ..the division of the spoils. A considerable amount of money has been expended, and the Egyptian has benefited enormously by the discovery of this tomb through the increase in the tourist traffic. It has .been: suggested to Mr. Howard Carter that he should look for the body of Alexander the. Great, which is reported by Plutarch to be buriedin agold coffin somewhere under the prosent, town ;.o£ ' Alexandria, which .he founded. Alexandria has never been excavated systematically, and it would be a-sensational and interesting discovery to find either Alexander's body or the, remains ; -of;-.thei -.■-.• famous library which was burnt., .wit is probable there would be. a considerable number of charred Tep^ains.. whiah;. could be deciphered, • .-But there is no chance of Mr. Carter thinking,of undertaking,any new work for. some time after, lie has finished with Tutankhamen. ' * , The "British .Museum has- been given a concession ten, kilometres in .length near Matmar. When this stretch of desert has been excavated about thirty miles of desert edge will have been completely explored. . . '