TAA i.2.1.101

Dec./<Jan.> 3^rd.

Made preparations in the morning for opening the nest of

shrines. Burton made photographic records Etc.

At 3 pm in the afternoon, in the presence of Harkness, Lythgoe,

Engelbach, Newberry, Mace, Callender, Winlock, and Burton,

and Lucas, cut the cords of the seal of the 3^rd shrine, of/<op>ened

the folding doors, laying bare the doors of a fourth Shrine.

The doors of this fourth Shrine were bolted but on[?]/<n>ot sealed. After

a little difficulty owing to the sizes and levels of the shrines

was <we were> able to open the doors of the innermost (fourth) Shrine

which exposed the end of a magnificent crystalline sandstone

Sarcophagus intact - for true description of the whole

proceedings see Mace's diary.

Engelbach, who I had asked over for this special

experiment, seemed to be much upset & behaved

in an extraordinary manner.

Newberry continued his Examination of the botanical

specimens discovered in the Sepulchral Chamber.

Dec. 4^th

Photographic records made by Burton of the doors &

sarcophagus as far as the cramped spaced allowed.

Harkness & Lythgoe to dine.

Dec. 5^th

Tottenham visited the tomb and saw the Sarcophagus. He

also informed me of the contemptible proposed action on the

part of the Eg. Gov. regarding founded upon a lying telegram

sent by Bradstreet.

Dec. 6^th

Kept to house feeling off colour.

Mace & the rest continued to work in the tomb.

Dec. 7.

Closed the doors of the various shrines, preparatory to dismantling  } .

them. Commenced removing the first E. section of roof                    }

of the II^nd shrine (237). Found that many of the Tongues fixing

it to the sides were of solid bronze and inscribed with the kings

cartouche. Decided to raise these sections, as well as of the

inner shrines, by means of wooden hinges to be constructed

at the carpenter's shop.

Jan - 8 - 14.

This week has been occupied in dismantling the/<three> parts

of the outer Shrine (207). Which has proved a very slow and difficult

task.

Major Astor and party visited the tomb on the 11^th Jan.

Today was given up to press visits which I fear owing to the

slow progress of the work enabled them to see but little.