TAA i.2.2.47

{12 February 1924, continued}

leading down, Mace on north side of sarcophagus to make

the official notes; Carter directing.

At a given signal the chains were stretched and

the lid slightly raised. Then a pause to adjust tackle

and secure an exact balance. This done the word

was given to raise, and the lid swung steadily upwards.

At first sight nothing could be seen within but a mass

of cloth. Then looking closer we saw that this was a

kind of shroud placed upon the top of a large anthropoid

coffin, covering it entirely except for a few inches at

the top the west end where the upper part of the head

was bare. The raised feet end of the coffin came within

about two inches of the top of the sarcophagus, the

head some few inches lower. The shroud, except for

the small space above mentioned at the head, completely

covered the coffin, and hung down at the sides right to

the bottom of the sarcophagus.

At this point we had to restrain our curiosity

while Burton made some photographs. Then Carter

and I set to work to roll back the Shroud. We found

that it consisted of two sheets of very fine linen.

The first was uppermost was laid loosely over the coffin,

reaching from the ankles to about the eyes. Its

sides hung downwards over the sides of the coffin, and

reached down to the very bottom of the sarcophagus.

Up the centre of this sheet there was a sewn seam.

Resting on this sheet & fallen at the sides there

were a number of fragments of granite from the

crack in the coffin. We may also note here

that beneath the st on the under side of the lid

of the sar[c]ophagus, to hold the two pieces together,

there was a large dowel hole. The actual dowel, <was not there but>

had presumably fallen to the side of the coffin. The

hole was coated with red cem plaster.

Starting from the head end the first shawl

was carefully rolled down & over the feet

The second sheet had been laid over the body

with a slight excess at the foot end, this excess