THE EGYPTIAN SUDAN shrines was begun, and had collected the materials necessary for making a thorough examination of the system on which the pyramids were built. Sir Reginald Wingate approved of the suggestion that, if necessary, one or two of the smaller pyramids should be taken down layer by layer, and the base uncovered, and the ground on the east side thoroughly dug through, in order that we might arrive at a correct view about the statements of Ferlini, who asserted that in Pyramid No. 6 (Cailliaud F, Hoskins R, LepsiusNo.15) near the top he had seen a chamber six or seven feet long, and about five feet high. The first pyramid chosen with this object was No. 15 (Cailliaud P, Hoskins D, Lepsius No. 15), which is one of the most northerly on this site. Its sides at the base measured twenty feet six inches, and it belonged to the class called " step-pyramids," and it seemed to have been intended to match No. i, the most southerly pyramid of the group on the hill. The upper portion was in a half-ruined state, and the work of clearing it away only occupied two days ; the lower portion was well built, and its removal gave a good deal of trouble. Finally we reached the bed-rock, and found that the hill had been scarped in order to obtain a good foundation for the pyramid. We cut down into this to a depth of from two to three feet, but found nowhere in it an entrance to a shaft. On the east side there remained in situ the lower stone blocks of the chapel, but there were no inscriptions on them, and the style of the reliefs which remained suggested that this pyramid was not so old as the large ones on the hill. When these stones were removed we began to dig down into the hill, at the place where the chapel had stood, and it was found that we were cutting into stiff reddish clay, which must have been brought there. At all events it was not natural soil, and this fact was proved by our finding at a depth of three feet some fragments of a green glazed, red earthenware table of offerings, and some pieces of pottery. A foot or two lower down another and larger fragment of the table of offerings came to light ; it was a corner piece of the object, and had on it signs in the Meroitic character. Both fragments are now at Khartum. When we had dug down to the depth of twelve feet, marks were distinctly traceable which showed that a trench had been made, and that it had been filled up, and it was quite clear that the 348