TUTANKHAMEN’S TOMB.

Te Aroha News, Volume XLI, Issue 6572, 5 February 1925, Page 6

TUTANKHAMEN’S TOMB.

FURTHER EGPLOITATIONS King Tutankhamen is about to engage once more the attention of the world. He had a rare run of publicity up to the time when Mr Howard Carter came to loggerheads with the Egyptian Government over the excavations at the royal tomb, with the result that at a critical and thrilling juncture the sepulchre was sealed up. The sightseers drifted away, and the n wspaper tale of discovery came to an indefinite pause. The right of future investigation was to be tried out iu the courts. But as the Mixed Court at Alexandria ruled that the Government’s withdrawal of its permit for investigation was an act ouside the court's jurisdiction, the Egyptian authorities remained in control of the tomb for the time being and Mr Carter’s hopes rested upon the conclusion of a new agreement under which the explorer and the Egyptian officials could co-operate. The dispute seems now to have been amicably and satisfactorily settled, so that Mr Carter will be able to resume operations almost immediately. It is said that he hopes to reopen the tomb before the end of the present month. The terms of the settlement are possibly not of much interest to the general public. The interest retained in the discoveries by the Countess of Carnarvon by virtue of the leading part taken by her late husband in the operations, began in 1907, which led to the unearthing of Tutankhamen’s resting place, seems to be safeguarded, while it is stated that Mr Carter is to be accorded no rights in connection with the antiquities that may be brought to light, but will be remunerated by the Egyptian Government for his labours. The archaeologist appears to be satisfied with the arrangement and the resumption of his work at the extremely interesting point at which it was arrested will once again divert the steps of many pilgrims to Luxor.

The wonderful things brought to light so far in the tomb of Tutankhamen have provided an abundance of material for descriptive eloquence and pictorial representation. On February 12th of last year took place a culmination long anticipated—the raising of the lid of the royal sarcophagus. To quote from an article by Mr T. G. Allen, secretary of the Oriental Institute, University of Chicago:—“The first glimpse vouchsafed the distinguished company assembled was disappointing. Merely the glint of broken scraps of granite lying on discoloured linen was visible; but when this and a second shroud beneith it had been rolled away Tutanklamen’s resplendent outer coffin appeared. It is of wood in mummy hape, completely covered with gold Mid gilding. Resting on a lower bier if lion form it is so large that it almost fills the great sarcophagus. The Xing’s body is probably protected by it least two other coffins nested within The face of the outer coffin, the mly one yet seen, embodies in one ;olid sheet of gold an exquisite porrait of the youthful King. The eyes ire of inset crystal, the brow is deckid with the vulture of the North, while the hands, crossed upon the chest, grasp the sceptre and flail appropriate to the King as now identified with Osris, ruler of the dead.”

In art the tomb of Tutankhamen has already increased beyond expectations the present day knowledge of, and enthusiasm for, Egypt’s most striking episode of culmination and decline. Sir Flinder Petrie observes that taste and refinement were declining in Tutankhamen’s day, and that the style was much below what it was a century or two before, though far better than it was a century or two later. To quote Mr Howard Carter, himself an artist as well as an archaeologist: “The best Egyptian art embodies refinement in every way. It embodies love of simplicity, patience in execution, and never descends to an un-ideal copy of nature. . . , In this discovery of Tutankhamen’s tomb we find among the immense quantities of material brought to light great purity of style which, in fact, within its convention has a character of its own. Even in utilitarian objects therein where art is not a necessity, refinement has always been the finest consideration.”