Egypt's fabulous tombs WHAT
Just a few more inches of digging and-an ancient mummy case under the sand (top pic ture). When archaeolo gists entered King Tut's tomb (bottom picture) they discovered minia- ture ships with wooden figures to "row" the king to the afterlife.
WHY
were the Pyramids built? The sole pur- pose and only use of Egypt's man-made moun- tions was to glorify the Pharaoh-kings and to pre- serve bodies of rulers after death.
Under the enormous weights of stone ran mazes of winkels and rooms leading to a central core. Using engineering know- ledge not rediscovered for thou-- sands of years they built a tomh where the mummied body of the Pharaoh lay surrounded by treasures.
The ancient Egyptians be- lieved that after death the sani needed everything used during its earthly life. Great treasures in gold and jewels were placed in the pyramid tombs so the
- Pharaohs would not suffer want
in the spirit world.
But grave robbing, grew só widespread that whole villages lived by that means. Breaking into tombs became a profession handed dawn from father to' son.. Few of the pyramid-.. puzzles or doorless rooms and nowhere rA- passages leading mained unsolved:
mummies
In-
PARAPET
EARLIER DIGGINGS
KING TUT'S
MUMMY
HERE..
TREASURE ROOM
STAIRWAY
SEALED
DOOR
ENTRANCE TO.
ANOTHER TOMB
HALL
SEALED DOOR
ANNEX-
This is the route that diggers took to King Tut's
tomb.
Because of the robberies the Pharaohs stopped building monument:} mountains. stead, their tombs were hicklen away in lovely desert valleys
were sure. where their
Between 1917 and 1923 brought at night.
Howard Carter and . Lord Slaves who knew the location mervon found the tomb of king. Tutankhamen of the tomb were later killed, the boy Bat in spite of the great pre- (Tut, for short) and one of the clons in almost every case greatest treasures in history.
opened the tumbs thousands of years later, Before moving to another decided to robbers had been there before spot the two men
tear down the ruins of work- men's huts, the only spot they But sometimes the robbers h:d not explored in months of did not carry away the trea- fruitless digging.
when scientists
them.
,
1
Beneath the first hut they (and the entrance to a tomb buried for more than 3.000 years. Stone steps led to A sealed door bearing the sign of
Tutankhamen.
Closer examination brought disappointment. The door had bren opened. As usual robbers | had found it first. But why had the coor been resealed? Rob. bers would not trouble to hide an empty tomb.
When Howard Carter thrust rod through the door and held a ceadle inside all he could see was a blaze of gold. For some reason the grave robbers had
further. gone no
The nighty treasure inside was in- tact.
vases,
Furniture, statues, models of tools and machines all heavily pl:ted with gold and set with jewels crowded the chamber.
Another door led to even greater riches. Within a room- size golden shrine was found the stone cofin where the king's mummy lay. Inside they found a gclčen image of the boy-ruler. Beneath were three coffins, the last made of pure gold.
When the Pharaoh's mummy was' Kyround from
PRICE
GREED?
A WEALTHY indus
trialist called at a local store which sold fine floor coverings, to see a certain imported rug his wife had admir- ed. The rug was actually a rare museum piece, and the industrialist seemed impressed.
A few days later he asked to
see it in the room for which it might be required. The rug merchant was delighted to oblige, and when the rare rug was spread out on the floor of the tycoon's baronial living room he said he would take it if the price was right. The merchant explained why the rug was so valuable, The prospective buyer said he didn't doubt it, but that ha
· had already placed his own valuation on the rug and written a cheque, and that as as the rug, man named the amount on the cheque, he would hand it to him.
soon
Strange
A strange contest followed. The merchant suggested $10,000 The purchaser's expression did not change. $9,500? $9,000? No reaction. He came down to $8,500. Silence. $8,000? The same. The rug man made quite a little speech, pointing out that he was being ruined. $7,000? Still no interest. $6,000? Finally, and practically in tears, the dealer said he would accept five thousand but not a cent less, and meant it. Tho industrialist opened a drawer in his desk, extracted A cheque for $5 000 and every- body seemed very happy. However, as the merchant put the cheque in his wallet, the tycoon reached into his drawer again and withdrew S moré cheques: one for $6,000, another for $7,000 on up to $10,000.
With a smile he showed them to the merchant and gently tore them into shreds. -Credit Card to Robert Bau
MEET THE
folds, 143 pieces of jewellery MEMBERS!
were found. The 18-year-old king was literally clothed in gold and precious jewels.
-Lee Priestley.
JAMES YU, 18, student, 92 Western Police Quare |ters, 7th floor, Hongkong.
is your name
O'Leary?
THE GOOD OLD IRISH NAME O'LEARY MEANS *THE GRANDSON OF LAOGHAIRE THE CALF KEEPER. IT WAS MƏ O'LEARY'S COW WHO SUPPOSEDLY KICKED. OVER AN OIL LAMP AND STARTED THE GREAT CHICAGO FIRE OF 187L
Krigul 11-17
A
Just Fancy That
HUNGRY horse has upset the wedding plans of a dozen couples at Nanno, in Southern Italy. It ate their marriage banns off the town hall notice board. Now, because the law says the banns must be posted for a specified time, nobody knows whether the weddings can go on as arranged.
DE
:
EBATING societies in Malayan schools have found a sure way of keeping speeches brief and to the point. They insist that students stand on one leg while speaking. — and finish before the limb.gives way.
London Express Service.
TALKING POINT
•
I did not possess a pipe. The pipe possessed me.
--A. G. GARDINER.
A platitude is a truth we are tired of hari,
GODFREY NICHOLSON.
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