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Vol.33.p.747

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Diary Transcription:

page 747

microfilm: begin page 747

Friday, January 20, 1939 (continued)

(5) G 2097c (continued)
G 2097c B. drawing of shaft.

[ILLUSTRATION]

(6) G 2098 a
F. O. Allen was working in the room in removing the plaster fragments. Room not yet cleared.

(7) G 2099
I (Mohammed Said Ahmed) said in my diary of January 19, 1939 that we exposed the lining of the mastaba and exposed all the shafts in it and also room a of the mastaba. I draw the mastaba and the Dr. numbered it. I went in to the excavation early this morning and stand on the top of the mastaba and thinking: It is funny that such a big stone mastaba without a serdab, and all the mastabas beside it with serdabs. I spent nearly more than half an hour thinking and looking for the lining of the mastaba and the shafts. I found that between G 2088 and the face of the room of G 2099a on south a space. The workers were working far away from me. I went myself to the space between G 2088 and the face of the room of G 2099a on south. I start with my own hand to remove some of the sand in the space. I found a very narrow slot window opened into the room. The slot window was very narrow and looks to me and to anybody who sees it that it is a space between two stones from the foundation of the room. I continue removing the sand and I found the lining of the serdab on west and north from the inside. I called one of the boys (Abd el Aziz Mohammed Tantawi) to come and bring a hoe and a basket with him to remove with me part of the sand and to expose the lining I just found on north and west. Then I was very sure that this is the serdab of the mastaba and only one stone from the roofing stones remain on east. After removing the debris (sand, pebble, stones (from the roof) and limestone debris), we found the heads of six statuettes of limestone. One on east facing west and four facing to north (in pairs) and the sixth in front of the four facing to north. We cleaned the heads of the statuettes and ordered Mohammedani to photograph them in position as found. I sent a note to Mahmud Said Ahmed asking him to tell Dr. about what we found and told him to congratulate him for our good luck and also telling Mahmud in my paper to him to ask Mr. Bill to come soon to the excavation. Bill came to the excavation and saw the statuettes in position. Statuettes left in place for drawing and photos. The serdab not yet cleared and I am hoping that we might find more "Inshaallah."
P.S. The statuettes spent the night in their place and I and four guards were guarding them.

Saturday, January 21, 1939

work on
(1) G 2098 a and shaft X
(2) G 2099 serdab

(1) G 2098
G 2098 a: In the room and in the street between G 2098 and G 2099, drift sand and limestone debris. In the street appears shaft X, in the street on north. The lining of this shaft is blocked the street. Found in room debris: plaster fragments, some with inscriptions and some without. Removed the big inscribed stone (man standing with staff and a little boy holding the staff). Street cleared on a mud floor above the bad rock. Room not yet cleared.

G 2098 X: In shaft. Lined with stones and ends at rock. It is the street on north between G 2098 and G 2099. Total depth 1.92 meters, drift sand. Ends at rock. No chamber. Type 7X.

microfilm: end page 747

Details

  • Classification
    Documentation-Expedition diary pages
  • Department
    Harvard University-Boston Museum of Fine Arts Expedition
  • Credit Line
    Harvard University–Boston Museum of Fine Arts Expedition
  • Display Page Dates
    01/20/1939; 01/21/1939
  • Mentioned on page
    Francis Olcott Allen
    George Andrew Reisner, American, 1867–1942
    Mohamed Said Ahmed [Diraz]
    Mohammedani Ibrahim
    William Stevenson Smith, American, 1907–1969
  • Translator
    Mahmud Said Ahmed [Diraz]
  • Author
    Mohamed Said Ahmed [Diraz]

Tombs and Monuments 4

  • G 2088

    • Site Name Western Cemetery

  • G 2097

    • Site Name Western Cemetery

  • G 2097c

    • Site Name Western Cemetery

  • G 2099

    • Site Name Western Cemetery

People 7

Modern People

  • Francis Olcott Allen

    • Type Mentioned on page
    • Nationality & Dates
    • Remarks Archaeologist/Egyptologist for the Harvard University--Boston Museum of Fine Arts Expedition

  • George Andrew Reisner

    • Type Mentioned on page
    • Nationality & Dates American, 1867–1942
    • Remarks Egyptologist, archaeologist; Referred to as "the doctor" and "mudir" (Arabic for "director") in the excavation records. Nationality and life dates from Who was Who in Egyptology.

  • Mahmud Said Ahmed [Diraz]

    • Type Translator
    • Nationality & Dates
    • Remarks Diary translator. Son of Said Ahmed Said [Diraz] (Head Reis 1908-1926). Brother of Mohammed Said Ahmed (Head Reis 1936-1939). Family name, Diraz, was supplied by Said Ahmed Said's grandsons in 2006.

  • Mohamed Said Ahmed [Diraz]

    • Type Mentioned on page
    • Nationality & Dates
    • Remarks Head Reis for the Harvard-MFA expedition, 1936–1939. Son of Said Ahmed Said [Diraz] (Head Reis 1908-1926) and brother of Mahmoud Said Ahmed [Diraz] (Translator) and Ahmed Said Ahmed [Diraz]. Family name, Diraz, was supplied by Said Ahmed Said's grandsons in 2006.

  • Mohamed Said Ahmed [Diraz]

    • Type Author
    • Nationality & Dates
    • Remarks Head Reis for the Harvard-MFA expedition, 1936–1939. Son of Said Ahmed Said [Diraz] (Head Reis 1908-1926) and brother of Mahmoud Said Ahmed [Diraz] (Translator) and Ahmed Said Ahmed [Diraz]. Family name, Diraz, was supplied by Said Ahmed Said's grandsons in 2006.

  • Mohammedani Ibrahim

    • Type Mentioned on page
    • Nationality & Dates
    • Remarks Expedition photographer.

  • William Stevenson Smith

    • Type Mentioned on page
    • Nationality & Dates American, 1907–1969
    • Remarks Egyptologist; Curator, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Nationality and life dates from Who was Who in Egyptology.