LUXOR TREASURES

Southland Times, Issue 19173, 18 February 1924, Page 6

LUXOR TREASURES

QUe/r EGYPTIAN LAW. DISPUTE AS TQ THEIR POSSESSION. (By Telegraph--Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, February 15 The Daily Express’s correspondent at Luxor says the Government is considering the legal aspects of the crisis. Mr Carter remains at his home and meanwhile a reinforced guard is protecting Tutankhamen’s Tomb. The correspondent is reliably informed that allocation of the treasures enters into the question. Mr Carter claims that under the Egyptian law, he is entitled to half the treasures because the Tomb has been, previously robbed. The Government maintain that the Tomb has not been previously violated. The seals were found intact when the entrance was discovered, therefore ail the treasures belong to the Government. The Daily Express, in a footnote, says the Tomb was apparently entered by robbers 2000 years ago and was re-sealed by officials of the Theban necropolis. Mr Grafton Smith, the Australian anthropologist declares that there is great risk that objects brought into the light may perish and enormous damage be done to the work generally unless Mr Carter can - continue investigations of the Tomb in his own way. The chance has never before offered of examining a royal dummy which had not been disturbed. Determination of the distinctive traits of Tutankhamen, especially anything throwing light on the circumstances of his death, would be of crucial importance in reconstructing a phase of history which exerted a profound and farreaching influence on the world’s civilisation. A Luxor message states: Messrs Alan H. Gardiner (British) and J. H. Breated and Lythgoe (American), Egyptologists with Profesor Newbury, who are Mr Carter’s collaborators, have protested to M. Lakau, Director of General Antiquities in Cairo, against interference with the work and warned him of the consequences. They point out that the group of scientists with Mr Carter is of the highest ability and has performed a vast amount of costly work of great benefit to Egypt, without costing the Government a penny. The Egyptian newspaper Ahman states that the real issue in dispute between Mr Carter and the Government regarding Tutankhamen’s tomb concerns the proprietary rights to the contents of the Tomb. TOMB A NATIONAL PROPERTY. THE PREMIER’S ATTITUDE. LUXOR, February 16. (Received February 17, at 7.5 p.m.) Mr Carter refused admission when he visited the Tomb yesterday to an Egyptian official, informing him that both the Tombs and the laboratory were closed and at present nobody was allowed to enter. CAIRO, February 16. Mr Carter has ordered the guard over the Tomb to be strengthened. The Egyptian Press demand that the Government should cancel its contract with Mr Carter and continue the work at the Tomb itself. It is understood that the Cabinet has agreed, in the event of Mr Carter defying its order, to continue the work at the Tomb with its own officials. The Premier, Pasha Zaghlul, has written Mr Carter, reminding him that the Tomb is not his but a national property. The Premier also said in the course of a speech at Cairo, that the Government, would not give way to Mr Carter as Egypt’s national pride was at stake in this question.