Chapter XV

Did ancient Crete dominate the world like modern
Britain?—The Mediterranean civilization—Brilliant
discoveries of Sir Arthur Evans—The Throne Room
at Knossos—Some Cretan cameos—The problem of
the unknown writing of Minoa and what we may
learn from it 183

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Excavating at Thebes _Frontispiece_

FACING PAGE

The Rosetta Stone 4

Temple of Karnak 12

The Tomb of Tutankhamen 24

Temple of Luxor 26

The Avenue of Sphinxes at Karnak 36

A Scene from the Book of the Dead 50

The Pyramids of Gizeh 56

The Colossi of Memnon 69

A partly-hewn Obelisk in a Quarry 73

The Noble Ruins of Philæ 77

Temple of Queen Hatshepsut at Thebes 88

Two Marvellous Coffins 100

The Cuneiform Inscriptions at Behistun 105

The Sculptures of Darius the Great 117

Nineveh in Desolation 124

Excavating at Knossos 124

A Winged Lion from an Assyrian Palace 134

A Quaint Spelling Book of Clay 146

A Clay Letter and Envelope 146

Babylon To-day 156

Ruins of Troy 170

Where the Treasure of Mycenæ was found 174

A Digger’s Camp in Crete 183

The Palace of Knossos 184

Giant Store Jars of Minoa 189

THE ROMANCE OF EXCAVATION

THE

ROMANCE OF EXCAVATION