By nameBy date

Jan. 26, 1963

Translated from the German

Dear Dr. Velikovsky,

Yesterday I received your letter, which worries me a good deal: what do you believe / can do for you in this matter, if Prof. Butrus Abd el Malik is unable to get something from museum to museum for the purpose of a radiocarbon test? What do you imagine I can do for you? Urge Dr. Zaki 1. Hanna to intercede in this matter with the Director of the Cairo Museum? Do you really trust me to be the right person for a matter of such importance? It goes without saying that I wish to help you as far as it lies within my very modest capabilities; only you must indicate to me much more precisely what I am to discuss with Dr. Zaki 1. Hanna. I would have to have your letter in my hands by Feb. 16 at the very latest.

The study group we are touring with has changed its plans, in order not to run into the too-hot season at Abu Simbel. As a result only one day is scheduled in Cairo at the beginning of the trip for visiting the pyramids and the necropolis. Only at the end of the trip, from March 12 through March 15, will we be back in Cairo, and then it would be possible to look up Dr. Zaki 1. Hanna ...I should call your attention to the fact that all letters are censored there—friends of mine who wrote in some detail had the experience that their mail never reached the addressees! -so that you would only be able to give me instructions couched in quite general terms, which I would nevertheless surely understand. Better to write me while I am still in Munich and outline in detail what I am to discuss with Dr. Zaki 1. Hanna. He will surely be able to speak English, and I do have enough self-confidence for that.

Is the mummy of Ramesses III the only object from the period in question from which something should be requested for C-14 testing? I can imagine that it is considered so inviolable by the Museum officials that they will say no in advance. Are there mummies of his officials or officers which would satisfy the same requirements’? Perhaps you could discuss this possibility with Dr. Federn, so that I could at least try to let the University of Pennsylvania have something from one of the less precious pieces. Isn’t there anything in any of the other museums that might yield you the desired result if Cairo turns out to be a failure-e.g. British Museum, Louvre, New York? . . .

  Ilse Fuhr