C. Fisher Diary, p.024

Diary Transcription:

Diary Transcription: begin page 24
Thursday, January 21, 1915 (continued)

This again was a disappointing site, mainly because it appeared to have been so wrecked by natives, who like to remove the debris of mud brick walls to spread over their fields as fertilizer as it serves as an admirable renewer of the soil, and is I suppose really the only means which they have of fertilizing. I understand that the natives obtain regular licenses from the government to do “sebbakh digging”, as it is called. Of course there are supposed to sift out all the “antikas” and hand them over to the government guard who is supposed to be stationed at all such sites, but it is impossible for these guards to exercise a carful and intelligent supervision of the work, besides the natives now understand the market value of “antikas” and are very easily able to conceal them and dispose of them later. In the meantime the destruction of walls and buildings which is going on will make it impossible in the future to secure complete plans of the these sites in case any one should desire to dig them scientifically.

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