Word: dahshur
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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Your report on the re-excavation and opening of Egypt's Dahshur pyramids to the public was brilliant [Archaeology, July 22]. I regret, however, the disparaging way in which American archaeologists engaged in the recent work spoke of their predecessor on the site, French archaeologist Jacques de Morgan. One called his methods "very crude." Of course De Morgan's digging techniques of 100 years ago were not up to our modern standards, but no excavations of that time were. Compared with the work of his contemporaries, De Morgan's excavations were certainly outstanding. De Morgan was a pioneer...
...remains of 11 pyramids, some of which were built 700 years after Snefru's reign, and many smaller rectangular mausoleums, known as mastabas. But it is Snefru's spectacular constructions that dominate the horizon. Most Egyptian kings gave themselves only one pyramid; Snefru built five, three of them at Dahshur...
Parts of the Dahshur site were first excavated 101 years ago by French archaeologist Jacques de Morgan, though few visitors ever saw the area. Little was done to build on his work during most of this century, however, and the site fell into neglect. Today Dahshur's pyramids and mastabas are being re-excavated by archaeologists from three countries. "De Morgan's methods were very crude," says Dieter Arnold of New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art. "He was only interested in treasure and the names of kings...
...sculpted-gold Nile shells; and an exquisite belt of gold lioness heads and amethyst beads. But De Morgan didn't uncover all there was. A year and a half ago, the Met's Arnold found a Queen's mummy and some of her royal jewelry at one of Dahshur's later monuments. "You're so accustomed to going over robbed tombs that you don't expect to find anything. It hits you like a thunderbolt," he says...
...wars, assassinations and bombings. So her occasional cultural excursions--like this week's archaeology story about the reopening of the pyramids of "Good King" Snefru--bring her particular pleasure. "You can't compare the dangers of covering a war with those of exploring ancient Egyptian monuments," she acknowledges. But Dahshur's 4,600-year-old pyramids and tombs did provide a few eerie moments. "Snefru's Bent Pyramid is unsettlingly majestic. In nearby tombs the grave shafts are so deep you can't see the bottom," she says. "It may be a cliche to talk about Egypt's timelessness...