TAA i.2.3.61

Nov. 11. 1925

Today has been a great day in the history of

archaeology, I might also say in the history of archaeological
discovery, and a day of days for one who has longed to
see i after years of work, excavating, conserving & recording
has longed to see in fact what has only been previously has only
been conjectural.

At 9.45am H.E. Saleh Enan Pasha, U.S.S. P.W.M.; M. P.
Lacau D.G. Depart. Antiq.; D^r D. Derry, Prof. Antq. School
of Medc., Kasr El Eini, Cairo; D^r Saleh Bey Hamdi, formerly
Dir. of the same school; H.E. Sayed Fuad Bey El Kholi,
Mudir of Keneh; M^r A. Lucas; M^r H. Burton; Tewfik Eff.
Boulos, Chief Insp. Up. Eg. for the Antiq. Depart; Mohamed
Eff. Shaban, Ass. Cur. Cairo Mus.; Hamed Eff. Suliman,
Tech. Sec. to the U.S.S.; and the Egyptian Staff attached
to our expedition; arrived in the Valley of the tombs of the
Kings.

As afore mentioned the mummy of the King could
not without damage without considerable damage
be removed from the Coffin, the Examination had
necessarily to take place as it lay.

<10.35am> The outer layer o In consequence of the fragile <and powdery> nature
of the outer layers of the wrappings, the whole of the
exposed surface of the Mummy except the Mask, was
painted over with melted paraffin wax of such a temperature
that it chiefly congealed as a thin coating on the
surface and this did not penetrate the decayed wrappings
more than a very short distance.

As soon as the wax had cooled, D^r Derry made a
longitudinal incision down the centre of the outer wrappings
to just below the depth to which the wax had penetrated, thus