GREAT FINDS IN EGYPT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23375, 17 June 1939, Page 15 (Supplement)

GREAT FINDS IN EGYPT

A N important contribution to the r\ knowledge of the obscure First Dynasty, which dates back to the dawn of recorded Egyptian history, more than 5,000 years ago, is provided by the discovery of a huge tomb at Sakkara, in the Nile Valley, 40 miles south of Cairo.

The tomb was lately unearthed by Mr. Walter F.nierv, the British archaeologist, working with Hizk Saab Fffendi, who is acting on behalf of the Egyptian Government. Their find was made close to the tomb attributed to Alia Menes, first King of the First Dynasty, which was excavated by Mr. Km cry in .January, 1938.

Of similar size, with a superstructure and seven subterranean chambers, the ncwly-tound tomb is believed to be that of Zer, the King who succeeded Mones. The roof, which is timbered as usual, had been burned and the falling rafters had completely destroyed the contents of four chambors. In these rooms only a charred corner ot a large wooden sarcophagus, a wooden bier with copper fittings and a few alabaster and basalt vessels remain.

The fire apparently was so intense that it converted the four chambers into a veritable kiln, the bricks of mud being baked red. The remaining threo rooms are almost intact. Three of them yielded articles fashioned during the First Dynasty, hitherto known through a few small models and inscriptions.

Kvidentlv the fall of the roof extinguished the fire in these rooms. In one of them, under partly-consumed fragments of wooden beds and chairs, were large wicker boxes containing a remarkable collection of rod copper weapons, tools and utensils. These are of incalculable archaeological value and are believed to be the earliest of their kind in existence.

One basket, of knives, swords wild saws for cutting wood remain just as they were when made 5000 years ago. It seems possible that saws like these were used for stone cutting in the building of ancient monuments. In the other intact room the finds include daggers, hundreds of tiny needles, copper and ivory bracelets, ivory gaming pieces, and the remains of a canopied bed with delicately carved legs representing those of a bull. Ritual Theory In addition to the customary meal for the deceased, Mr. Finery found wine jars with the mud sou lings intact. The seal impressions are badly burned, but those which are decipherable bear the name of Zer. » What are believed to be tombs'of the First Dynasty have already been found at Abydos, but these are smaller than the newly-discovered tomb and are more likely to be cenotaphs. Seti 1., whose tomb is at Thebes, is known to have erected his own cenotaph at: Abydos! The burning of the roof of the Sakkara tomb is somewhat of a mystery. This is not the first tomb thus damaged, one instance from the First Dynasty being the tomb of Aha's Queen at Nagada. Dr. Morgan believed that the burning was a religious ritual, but it is more likely that the fire was either accidental while lobbers were plundering the tomb, or deliberate to cover their tracks At any rate, no intact tomb has been found burned.