TAA i.3.23.9

                                       (VIII)

There it says:- “It is important that a joiner’s work

shall be constructed of sound and dry materials, and 

on such principles as to allow of movement due to

changes of temperature and humidity.” Now the

condition in which the woodwork of these shrines was

discovered, notwithstanding infrequent moisture having 

filtered into the tomb chambers, exposing the timber

to periods of intense humid atmosphere, followed by 

long intervals of drought, (1) demonstrates that such precautions

<(1)

cf. The Tomb of Tut.Ankh.Amen,

Vol. III, ch. V.>

were taken into account. And although shrinkage did

take place, causing the boards to become smaller and

come away from one another, there were practically

no signs of their warping or twisting. This suggests that

the tendency of wood to warp and twist was provided

against in the construction of these shrines: <that> the wood was

evidently carefully selected, and in all probability “the

direction of the annular rings in alternate boards

reversed” before joining them up. “In joinery, strength

depends to a large extent upon the rigidity of the joints.”

The different joints employed in the construction of these

shrines, although of not great variety, nor of very complicated

nature, They do show, from their adaption, that their value

in joinery was thoroughly understood. In some instances

“to obtain an increased width of material” the simplest