The short memoir by Capt. H. G. Lyons, R.E.,[8] published in 1894, brought together a number of observations on the geology of the Libyan Desert generally, and his discovery of fossils, referred to Exogyra Overwegi, for the first time established the Upper Cretaceous age of the clays and sandstones forming the floor and lower part of the scarp in the northern end of the depression.
In 1897 the Geological Survey carried out its examination, the results of which are set forth in the following chapters.
Since the survey expedition, Baharia has been visited by Steindorff,[9] who during his five days’ stay in the oasis made important additions to our knowledge of its antiquities. These will be further referred to in the chapter on the topography of the oasis.
[1]This ruin was described by Cailliaud (Voyage à Méroé. etc., vol. I, p. 183) who records that in his time (1820) only the central arcade remained standing. Steindorff found in 1900 that even this last fragment had fallen.
[2]Narrative of the Operations and Recent Discoveries within the Pyramids, Tombs, and Excavations in Egypt and Nubia, and of a Journey to the Coast of the Red Sea, in search of the Ancient Berenice, and another to the oasis of Jupiter Ammon.—London, 1820, pp. 395-433.
[3]Voyage à Méroé, au Fleuve Blanc, an-delà de Fàzogl dans le midi du Royaume de Sennàr, à Syouah et dans cinq autres Oasis. Paris, 1826. The work consists of four volumes, accompanied by numerous maps and plates illustrating the antiquities.
[4]Relation d’un voyage dans la Marmarique, la Cyrénaique et les Oasis d’Audjelah et de Maradèh. Paris, 1827. (This date is probably wrong, as a reference is made in the work, (p. VII) to the suicide of Pacho on Jan. 26th, 1829).
[5]Modern Egypt and Thebes. London, 1843, vol. II, p. 357-371.
[6]See G. Rohlfs, Drei Monate in der libyschen Wüste, Cassel, 1875; Jordan, Physische Geographie und Meteorologie der libyschen Wüste, Cassel, 1876; and Zittel, Geologie der libyschen Wüste. Cassel, 1883. Jordan appears to have been the only member of the Rohlfs’ party to actually visit Baharia. He left the other members at Lake Sittra (N. lat. 28° 42′ 40″, long. 27° 4′ 23″, E. of Green.) and entered Baharia from the N.W. of El Qasr; after passing about 1½ days in Baharia Oasis he journeyed southwards via Farafra to rejoin his colleagues in Dakhla.