Word: niles
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Dates: during 1950-1959
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...deliberate mummification was practiced chiefly by the ancient Egyptians. But when Dr. Mori took the mummy back to Italy and had its age measured by the carbon 14 method, it proved to be 5,400 years old-considerably older than the oldest known civilization in the valley of the Nile 900 miles to the east...
...discovery suggested a clue to one of the great puzzles of Egyptology: Where was the birthplace of Egyptian culture? Although many authorities believe it is the world's oldest, they have been perplexed by the fact that it did not develop gradually in the Nile Valley. About 3200 B.C. the First Dynasty appeared there suddenly and full grown, with an elaborate religion, laws, arts and crafts, and a system of writing. Until that time the Nile Valley was apparently inhabited by neolithic people on a low cultural level. Dr. Mori's mummy provides support for the theory that...
Just as it has for 3,000 years, the miracle of Abu Simbel occurs at break of day. As the sun rises beyond the banks of the Nile, its rays flash like quicksilver into the narrow doorway of the Great Temple, penetrate 180 ft. through halls and passageways dug from the living rock, and burst in splendor in the innermost sanctuary upon the enthroned figures of Egypt's ancient gods. Archaeologist Arthur Weigall pointed out that the temple was cunningly designed for this effect, and he speaks reverently of the hushed moment "when the sun passes above the hills...
...Simbel, which has defied man, time and the desert sands for three millenniums, may soon be drowned by the backed-up waters of the Nile, and its sandstone glories dissolved to nothingness. With it will die the four 65-ft. guardian statues of Ramses II, who built the temple in his honor around 1250 B.C. On one of these seated colossi appears what may be the first "Kilroy was here" message in military history. About 600 B.C., two Greek mercenaries serving in the Egyptian army arrived at the temple and scratched on Ramses' leg an account of their travels...
Bigger Bargains. Egypt, which needs the High Dam at Aswan to help raise the appallingly low standard of living of its people, belatedly hopes to save at least some of its treasure house of antiquities along the Nubian Nile. As a result, it is playing down its habitual nationalist antagonism toward foreign archaeologists. Instead of permitting foreign diggers to take away only a limited amount of their finds, Culture Minister Okasha offers participating governments one-half of all objects unearthed in any new excavations they make in the lands to be flooded.* Further, he promises to give other ancient monuments...