Vol.01.p.003

Diary Transcription:

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Thursday, December 16, 1909 (continued)

As shown above, the next piece of sand to be cleared lies along the corridor on the west. The excavation of this piece will show us whether it is necessary to clear further south.
The granite temple by the Sphinx is the valley temple of the second pyramid just as our temple is the valley temple of the third pyramid. The analogy raises the question of another sphinx - a sphinx lying northwest of our temple in the same relation to it as the great Sphinx bears to the valley temple of the second pyramid. The question must be answered sooner or later. If there is such as sphinx, it must of course be much smaller than the great Sphinx. It was probably already buried out of sight in the sand before Dynasty 6; and if there were historical inscription on altar or stela in front of it, they would be not later than Dynasty 6 (2400 BC). The stela at the great Sphinx is of Dynasty 18 (1500 BC).

Friday, December 17, 1909

Work started in the afternoon on strip 2 above the corridor on the western side of the southern part of the temple. The head of a small bronze statuette.

Saturday, December 18, 1909

At the southwest corner of the temple a mound of mud debris. Clearing rapidly along this surface.

Sunday, December 19th to Tuesday, December 21, 1909

All the sand cleared from strip 2. Have begun to clear western corridor. The fallen mud debris slopes away to the west. It has evidently fallen down from the west wall of the temple and rests on sand. The sand on which it rests has drifted up against the western side of the temple.

[ILLUSTRATION]

Wednesday, December 12, 1909 to Thursday, December 23, 1909

Ed-ed-Dahiyan. Festival of sacrifice. No work.

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