Naqada and Ballets. By W. M. Flinders Petrie and J.
E. Quibell, B.A. (Bernard Quaritch.)—The excavating work of Professor Petrie and Mr. Quibell was carried on in the neigh- bourhood of Thebes and on the west bank of the river. This volume contains an account, copiously illustrated, of explorations in the burial-grounds of these places. The most important dis- covery recorded is that of a race, hitherto unknown, which appears to have invaded Upper Egypt. The period assigned to it is somewhere between the VIth and XIth Dynasties. We should like to give all the publicity that we can to a statement by Pro- fessor Petrie which goes to prove how little fit the Egyptians are to be left to themselves :—" As soon as we left, a native dealer— without any delays about permissions, or any tribute to the Government Museum—went to work with a gang of men, and continued for many weeks to turn over the outskirts of our work. Whatever we left behind was absolutely lost to all record. Such destruction goes on all over the country, the native Administration favouring the plunderers whenever they are accused by European officials ; and it is only by pushing on the scientific excavations and record as quickly as may be that we can save such results as are here recorded from being hopelessly destroyed." Of course these things are not of supreme importance ; but the favour that is shown to " plunderers " of antiquity would certainly be shown to plunderers of the peasantry if our restraining hand were with- drawn. Of course, if we were to leave Egypt, the French would step in next day, and might carry on our work. Whether they have a better title than ours is not a question for these columns, but that either we or they must be there is beyond all doubt. This absolutely unintended and non-political testimony goes a long way to prove it
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