883.927/30a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Egypt (Howell)
10. Legation’s March 29, 1923, 5 p.m., and previous correspondence. The question of a further extension of its right to excavate and to keep half of the antiquities discovered has recently been taken up with the Department by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Department desires telegraphic report as to whether the Egyptian Government has recently arrived at any decision in this matter affecting the rights held by American archeological institutions under article 12 of the Egyptian law of 1912.
The difficulties respecting the tomb of Tutankhamen reported between Howard Carter13 and the Egyptian Government lead the Department to believe that this may not be the best time to make representations in behalf of American institutions. Pending further instructions, therefore, you should not make formal representations. A telegraphic report on the situation is desired, however, to enable the Department to take the most timely and effective action in behalf of American institutions of learning which are interested in archeological enterprise in Egypt.
- Director of expedition excavating tomb of Tutankhamen under concession granted to Lord Carnarvon and later renewed to Lady Carnarvon.↩