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Vol.13.p.284

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Diary Transcription:

microfilm: begin page 284

Monday, March 9, 1925 (continued)

(3) G 7000 X (continued)
Corresponding with the line of this "pit cutting," the face of the western wall has been cut a little deeper on the surface northwards. Thus [ILLUSTRATION] as seen in section. The meaning of this, if there be any, is not yet clear. It is possible the "pit cutting" may be the theoretical floor level, the rest being a "mastaba" or dais for the burial furniture. It is not clear why the coffin should partly stand over this "pit cutting."
The eastern wall is somewhat roughly cut. In it there are two places where the masons seem to have thought of a similar blocked chamber ?? to that on the west, and to have abandoned the plan. The northern one is blocked up by a course of limestone blocks at the bottom and a number of rough stones above.
Little work was done down the tomb today. Arrangements were made in the afternoon for the adequate screening of the door with wood, covered with cloth, to protect from falls of dust etc. the contents of the room and the photographs were taken.

In the morning, acting on instruction from the Under-Secretary of State, Rowe supplied material for an official announcement of the discovery. The first issue of news was made through the Press Bureau in the afternoon and appeared at 4 p.m. in the pages of the "Muqattam." A cable was sent to Dr. Reisner explaining this step, which was necessitated by the many rumors already current in Cairo and even naming Sneferu.
In the evening, a long telegram giving the full details as at present available was sent to Dr. Reisner.

Tuesday, March 10, 1925
117th day of work

In the morning a second fuller statement was given to the government with a view to be issued to the public. This contained approximately the contents of last night's cable to Boston.
Hussein Bey Sirri, Secretary General, was requested by H. M. the King to visit the tomb G 7000 X and make a report upon it to him. His Majesty had been supplied by the government with full information regarding the discovery. Lord Allenby had been also advised of the news at the same time.
The Secretary General visited the works this afternoon and inspected the contents of the tomb chamber.
In the morning a company of Royal Engineers erected a barbed wire fence [ILLUSTRATION] around the whole vicinity of the tomb.

microfilm: end page 284

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
    03/09/1925; 03/10/1925
  • Mentioned on page
    Alan Jenvey Rowe, British, 1890–1968
    George Andrew Reisner, American, 1867–1942
    Hussein Sirri (Bey)
    Lord Edmund Allenby
    Snefru
  • Author
    Thomas Richard Duncan Greenlees, British, 1899–

Tombs and Monuments 1

People 6

Ancient People

  • Snefru

    • Type Mentioned on page
    • Remarks First king of Dynasty 4. Father of Khufu.

Modern People

  • Alan Jenvey Rowe

    • Type Mentioned on page
    • Nationality & Dates British, 1890–1968
    • Remarks Egyptologist and archaeologist. Nationality and life dates from Who was Who in Egyptology.

  • 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.

  • Hussein Sirri (Bey)

    • Type Mentioned on page
    • Nationality & Dates
    • Remarks Secretary General.

  • Lord Edmund Allenby

    • Type Mentioned on page
    • Nationality & Dates
    • Remarks British High Commissioner of Egypt, 1919-1925.

  • Thomas Richard Duncan Greenlees

    • Type Author
    • Nationality & Dates British, 1899–
    • Remarks Thomas Richard Duncan Greenlees, born South Africa, Sivaratri, March 10, 1899. British subject with a Scottish father and an English mother. For a brief period during 1925 he was a staff member of Harvard University--Boston Museum of Fine Arts Expedition, who later joined the Theosophist movement in India. Greenlees received his MA degree in 1922 from Oxford, where he studied Egyptian, Coptic and Arabic. April 2,1925, Greenlees appointed Assistant Curator of Egyptian Art at MFA.