European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 21, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Scientists seek Sample of 4,600-year-old air egyptian and american scientists recombining space age technology and archaeology to try to capture something potentially As precious As the rarest of Egypt s antiquities. They re alter a Sample of 4.600-year old air. Scientists said they believed the air was trapped in a burial chamber that was also Likely to House a More tangible treasure a solar boat built in about 2,600 b c. To transport the soul of the pharaoh Cheops to heaven. The boat would almost certainly be the sister at one discovered in 1954. 12 feet from the current site the first boat a 130-foot-Long wooden vessel in Superb condition was found in a chamber 25 feet from the Southern face of the great Pyramid of Giza. Its discovery is widely regarded As one of the most important finds of modern egyptology. Scientists Are even More enthralled however by the Prospect of capturing air almost 5,000 years old. Or. Omar e. Al aril an  chemist and the egyptian coordinator of the project said the huge Limestone slabs that form the Selling of the chamber about to be examined were believed to have been sealed with Gypsum Cement. Or. Farouk Elbaz. A Boston based geologist of egyptian origin who Heads the american team said this was the first time that scientists from several disciplines and countries had agreed to work together to try to understand the demands and problems of conservation before an archaeological excavation was undertaken. He said it was Ilso the first time that the latest technology would be applied to archaeological investigations in Egypt. Physical scientists and archaeologists said they hoped the captured air would be a Boon to both disciplines. For archaeologists and museums it might provide vital information about the environmental conditions in which organic matter can Best be preserved. For physical science. Baz and Arini said. They hoped to learn about changes in the Earth s atmosphere since ancient times it the air can be properly captured and stored. Even 20-year-old air is considered a prize by the National oceanic and atmospheric administration Arini said. Noaa has already expressed interest in participating in the analysis of air samples said Baz who worked Lor six years in the National aeronautics and space administration s Apollo program. The team Hopes to use equipment designed for u s. Space missions to penetrate the chamber without introducing extraneous elements the 96-loot-Long chamber is covered by Limestone slabs Lour to six eel Hick. Preliminary exploration of the site has started already. A Sample of the Limestone slab from the pit nearby that was opened in 1954 is to be sent to the Massachusetts Institute of technology to be Analysed by prof. Nali Toksoz a geophysicist to determine its Basic properties such As porosity and permeability. From this Arinin said the team Hopes to be Able to determine the Thermal gradient of the Stone that is How Long it will Lake heat irom drilling to dissipate. This will provide guidance about the kind of Drill bits that should be used at various layers of Stone to penetrate the cavity without altering its Interior temperature or introducing outside air. The site will then be inspected with radar and sonar to learn what the pit contains. Two engineers irom California state University at Sacramento who Are not associated with Baz s project have begun an ultrasound scan of the roof slabs to test equipment that they Hope might also shed Light on the chamber s contents alter the radar and sonar scans drilling is to begin. Biz said he hoped to borrow a Drill and bits developed by Black & Decker co. Lor inking co e samples irom Tho Moon. To Mcvoid the introduction of extraneous  into the pit no drilling timid can be used and the residue from the drilling will have to be sucked out continuously. Once a Hole in drilled he said several Sampler of air will be withdrawn into specially designed bottles similar to those used Lor Nasa s space shuttle experiments. Gases in the air Are to be Analysed and the pressure temperature and relative humidity at various Levels of the pit Are to be measured by fiber optic sensors. What we a e particularly interested in is the amount of Carbon dioxide and Carbon monoxide in the air said Baz. This could throw some Light on the controversy Over whether there is a greenhouse effect. A hot topic  some scientists believe the burning of Fossil fuels raises the percentage of Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere leading to a gradual heating of Earth which they believe is Likely to have drastic effects on climate. Monday october 21, 19b5 All participants in the project stressed that there was no Way of knowing whether the chamber cont ipod a solar boat. But almost All egyptology its inter Vir Eccl in Cairo said they believed it did. Maryellen Lane an Egypt Logist with the american research Center noted that the  pit was almost identical to the pit that contained Iho first solar boat. Mona Rah Houma director of the Cheops boat museum which houses the 12-Oared boat with its perfectly preserved Linen ropes and Straw mat covers predicted that the second boat would have a sail and Mast. She said Cheops also called Khufu. Would have had one boat built to carry his Mummy upriver that is South in the direction of the source of the Nile. This is the boat we found the one with the oars. But according to their religious beliefs there should have been a second boat to carry him  some egyptology its maintain that the boats were used to transport the soul and its Mummy up and Down the Nile literally. The original solar boat had been put in the water in ancient times a act that tends to support this theory. Ahmed Kadri director of the egyptian antiquities organization said no decision had been made about whether to excavate the second chamber. The organization s permanent committee on Phr tronic monuments unanimously approved the nondestructive exploration project formally proposed by Baz. Arini and the National geographic society which is helping to finance it. The project is expected to Cost about $1 million most of which was Likely to be contributed by the team members institutions. Baz said. The two pits apparently escaped the ravages of weather and Tomb robbers because they were covered with More than 10 feet of rubble which was cleared away when Kamyl Al Malakh began building a Road Lor tourists 30 years ago. So gentlest Are encouraged by Malakh s account of the penetration of the first pit. Immediately alter initial penetration he recounted he smelled Vapours perfumes of the Wood sacred Wood of the ancient religion. I could smell cd Dar and incense. But i was not smelling Vapours. I was smelling time history 5,000  the stars and stripes Page 13