Arabic Diary, Vol.22, p.1704

Diary Transcription:

Diary Translation: begin page 1704
Monday, January 30, 1933, the Pyramids

Excavation started at 6:30 am and ended at 4:30 pm. Excavation is progressing in (1) shaft 2100 C; (2) shaft 2200 B; (3) shafts 2342 Z and Y; (4) south of Mastaba 2370; (5) shaft 5110 A; and (6) shaft 5230 A.

(1) Shaft 2100 C

Ali Mahmoud and some of the workmen were in this shaft. They dug down to a total of 13.55 m. The fill is boulders fallen from the mastaba, rubble, and limestone chips. They have not yet found the burial chamber.

(2) Shaft 2200 B

Moussa Khalil and some of the workmen were in this shaft. They dug down to a total of 17.40 m. The fill is rubble, limestone chips, and flint. The remains of the stone blockage are uncovered at [the] entrance. Also, inscriptions appeared on the granite box [i.e., sarcophagus] on the south side. A statue was found as well next to the box [i.e., sarcophagus] on the east. The statue is granite. It is a seated statue and missing its head.
Also burial chamber II was uncovered on the east. There are no blocking stones. A ledge was uncovered on the west. There is also a cutting in the floor on the south.
They found loose in the fill of the shaft:
1 alabaster cup
1 broken lid of an alabaster pottery jar [there is a misidentification of the jar. He called it [an] alabaster pottery jar. He means alabaster jar].
1 fragment of an alabaster table [possibly offering table].
They have not yet reached the rock bottom of the shaft, nor have they started excavating the burial chamber.

(3) Shafts 2342 Z and Y

Shaft [2342] Z

Khalifa Abu Bakr and Hussein Mohamed Ibraheim are in this shaft. Only its northern wall is built with bricks and rubble. They dug down to a total of 280 cm. The fill is mud brick fragments, rubble, and limestone chips mixed with bones. The burial chamber is on [the] west. There is no blockage. They cleared it. Here is its drawing:

ILLUSTRATION

End of page 1704