Mummy of Seti I

Mummy of Seti I
Scrapbook page including a photograph of the mummy of Seti I, an Egyptian ruler from the XIX dynasty, and is annotated with information about the discovery, excavation, and looting of the ruler's tomb. There are also drawings of two cartouches

XIX Dynasty M. 1462 l. 1443 W. 1340 Discovered by M.M. Emile Brugsch July 1881 in a pit near Deir-el-Bahara which is near the hills containing the Tombs of the Kings and on the opposite side of the Nile to Karnak and Luxor. The alabaster sarcophagus of Seti I is in Soane Museum, London. Seti I. The longest tomb in the Valley of Tombs of Kings is that of Seti I over 500 ft long and descending 180 ft. It was opened by Belzoni but had been rifled long previous to his time. As early as 1871, Egyptian explorers felt sure that there were royal tombs in the neighborhood of Luxor which the Arabs refused to make known. In 1876-1877-1879 rolls of papyrus were purchased which confirmed that view. At last in 1881 those who had sold the antiquities were discovered Moustapha aga Ayad vice consul of England and Belgium at Luxor and Abd-er Rassoul Ahmed de Sheikh Abd-el-Gourmah. The latter was arrested by the chef de la police of Louxor and examined by Maspero, Brugsch, and M de Rochemonteix. He denied everything. He was sent to Queneh with his four brothers. Neither promises nor threats would induce him to speak. The chief men and officials of Gournoh rallied to his defense giving him an immaculate character-"one who had never excavated and never would excavate and one who was incapable of appropriating the smallest object of antiquity." After two months of imprisonment he was released under bonds. Between Abd-el Rassoul and his four brothers arose disensions [sic]. Some of them thought all danger of detection was over, others thought best to make terms with the government.