H. Junker Diary, Vol.6, p.1

Diary Transcription:

Diary translation: begin page 1
Sunday, 26 February, 1928

Met 40 people from Coptos with the early train in Cairo and brought their luggage with a special electric vehicle(?) to the Pyramids. Part [of the crew] cleans the residential area on the west of our house, and strikes two tents of people in the vicinity. The other [part] is engaged with the mending of baskets from the past year. After Kerdasse, a message is given to the people that our work begins tomorrow. In the afternoon, some German tourists will be guided through the excavation.

Monday, 27 February, 1928

With sunrise begins this year’s excavation. Our first task is the road that prolongs to the west of the great Mastaba of Hemiwn, and has never been fully excavated to reveal the ground. On the one hand, in the old debris there might still be stuck archaeological pieces, and on the other hand the precise survey and reconstructing the major investment would not otherwise be possible. Similarly, on the mastaba elevation heaped up, old debris must be removed. Today we are working with comparatively fewer people. From Zawiye we take no workers, because it is rumored that typhoid prevails in the village.

Tuesday, 28 February, 1928

Today, 50 more workers were recruited. The work is proceeding well. In the debris on the mastaba were found numerous shards of pottery, which served as an addition, and a beautiful flint knife. In the evening at 10:15…[illegible handwritten note]

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