A GIANT PUZZLE

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 34, 9 August 1934, Page 7

A GIANT PUZZLE

The world's biggest jig-saw puzzle awaits archaeologists as a result of the surprise find of thousands of broken bowls, vases, and dishes,' some of them inscribed in black ink, in the famous "step" pyramid of Sakkara, Egypt. Mr. J. F. Quibell and Mr. J. P. Lauer, who made the discovery while' working for the Department of Antiquities, are credited with tho view that several hundreds of the articles can be successfully reconstructed. The majority of the vessels aro made of alabaster, but thero aro also specimens of quartz, diorite, and porphyry. Nearly all arc in fragments owing to the collapse of tho roof of the galleries during the work of excavation. The total weight, of broken vessels is calculated to bo between 60 and 100 tons and doubtless formed part of tho funeral furniture of members of Pharaoh Zoser's family. This Pharaoh, the first of tho third dynasty reigned about 3000 8.C., and built the "step" pyramid. The find .is | the result of excavating work undertaken to determine the character of the I tomb over which the pyramid is built. Four passages, found cut in the rock, were entered by shafts which started apparently on the ground staere of tho "step" pyramid. In one of these galleries were found two alabaster sarcophagi, in which were the remains of two women, probably members of the royal family. A coffin in one sarco- j phagus is constructed of six-ply ccd.'ir wood, a beautiful 'example of carpenter's work in those early times.