TAA i.2.3.33

{24^th October, continued}

lid of the Second Coffin, and even at this stage it is as
much as six <eight> strong men can lift. The Coffin, (for the third
time,/<)> proves to be in the likeness of the King symbolizing Osiris,
enveloped in the wings of Nekhbet and Buto. The main
position portion of the lid - that is the lower part such as the legs -
is beautifully chased and engraved, while the neck, breast
and two protective goddesses are inlaid with carved semi-
precious stones, but the most part of the detail is hidden
by a black lustrous coating due to pouring over the coffin
a libation in great quantity. As a result this
unparallelled^sic monument (coffin) is stuck fast to the
interior of the Second Coffin - the consolidated material
of the libation filling up the space between the two <(Second & Third)> Coffins
almost to the level of the lid of the third one.
To extricate this Third Coffin will be a very tedious and
arduous task.

Through the black coating one is able to see that
<the> parts of the design <over the breast and body> are raised and comprise a heavy
auxiliary overlay of gold. A new feature in the
coffin is the presence of two moveable massive gold
and faience necklaces fixed to the throat of the King.

The libation referred to is doubtless the principal
cause of humi the signs of humidity encountered in the
various outer Coffins already dealt with. Again the
covering cloth & floral collarette had likewise suffered,
and though appeared <to be> in fair condition was <they were> found to be so
very brittle. that they their material broke to the touch.

It will be seen that our next problem,
which is by no means an easy one, is to remove
the Third Coffin firmly cemented by the libation to the