The American Museum's 1907 Faiyum expedition party is busy excavating in two quarry pits (A & B) left by earlier British explorations. A north-south wadi (later Wadi Markgraf) separates the two pits and proceeds south southeast to a larger north-south wadi (later Wadi Granger) that courses toward the bottom of the Faiyum depression. Three easily distinguishable buttes -- then called Lyon's, Josephine, and Fairfield -- served to create a triangle which placed the quarries and Granger's camp at the midway point along its hypotenuse. Granger figured that Lyon's Butte and Fairfield Butte were about 4 miles apart and that each was about 2 miles away from camp. (See map below.)

Vertebrate fossils were being found in the quarries both as isolated specimens and in clusters ("pits"), many separate items having been brought together apparently by water action. The finer skulls were found as isolated specimens, the water action which brought bones together into clusters serving also to break up any skulls among them. The bones were not well preserved since, as Granger reported later, there was little chemical change and, other than a loss of animal matter, petrification had not taken place (even though equally ancient wood found with the bones had silicified). In addition to working the quarries (Granger sometimes calls it "stripping," or removing sand in layers), the fossiliferous benches (termed Fluvio-Marine Beds) of the El Ekwaht el Talata and the Qasr el Sagha escarpments nearby were prospected. The surfaces of these benches were barren, paved with smooth, wind-polished pebbles and crusted sand which needed only to be scraped and brushed away wherever a bit of fossil was spotted above the surface. Scraping and allowing the wind to brush, or carry away (erode) the loosened sand also served to reveal fossils lying just below the surface and was a method used by a local collector named Richard Markgraf. Granger later termed this "sandlensing". Granger's narrative continues:

Wed. Feb. 6:
Prof. O. down to the quarries this A.M. [I] started the men at work moving surface sand and began taking up the bones they have already uncovered. They are careless workmen and have been badly trained -- rip bones out as soon as discovered. One fellow brought me a fine palate of Saghatherium broken into many pieces. Bones are very soft and crumbly. Gum is almost useless and the shellac we brought does not dissolve well, possibly poor spirits. Two large quarries here, one on either side of the draw [Wadi Markgraf]. We call them Quarries A & B.-- A the westerly one.

They appear to be having trouble at the upper camp [Osborn's and family] over water. Have been obliged to send down for 3 fanitas [fantasses] of our water. Friend Mickawi is apparently just learning that he hasn't an ordinary tourist party on his hands. His water preparations were ridiculous. His donkeys can get water at pools 2 miles below here. New fanitas [fantasses] should be here in a few days.

Thurs. Feb. 7:
Olsen at work in Quarry A. With Daoud as guide, Prof. O., Mr. W[eigall], Ferrar and I walked westward toward other bone pits [later quarry C]. Mr. W. found first prospect.-- an Ancodon Jaw. We also located turtle shell and Arsinoitherium limb bones. Daoud showed us where the fine adult skull of Arsinoitherium in Cairo was found.

Quarry promises fairly well.-- best layers appear to be worked out. The strata are so uneven and irregular that it is difficult to follow them. There are alternating layers of clay and loose sand: the bones are in the sand -- only certain layers.

Invited to the upper camp for dinner. Overcoats still comfortable in the evening.

Fri. Feb. 8:
The worst feature of this camp is the fleas. I have been in misery for two days. Olsen appears to be immune. Ferrar suggests Keating's Powder and Prof. O. has ordered 1/2 cake (1 1/2 lbs.) from Cairo.

Both Olsen and I in the quarry A all day. Native method of work is exasperating -- dislike to use shovels but prefer to carry out dirt in baskets on their heads.

Faiyum quarrywork, 1907 (Granger standing, right; Olsen sitting, center).

Prof. O. and Ferrar prospect to the westward. At Ferrar's suggestion we sent two camels back to Giza. Camels in tonight with new fanitas [fantasses].

Twelve men from Mr. Quibell arrived about Sunset from Tamia. Had no shelter for them and they were obliged to sleep in one of Ferrar's tents. Question of wages settled. After much argument we sign agreement to pay.

Daoud & Ali -- 12 piasters each per day} - Every other Friday off and one sheep per month.

Ibrahim Salim -- 10 [piasters per day]}"

Hassin (boy) -- 5 [piasters per day]}"

Others -- 8 [piasters per day]}" - Ali (from Quft) to 9 pt. if work warrants.

Daoud

Ali

Ibrahim

Hassin

Sat. Feb. 9:
Olsen took the 12 Quft men today and began work on the north end of Quarry B. Discovered rodent incisors. The first indication of this order of mammals in the Fayum. Quibell men show more skill and care than those from Helouan.

Stripping [methodically removing sand in layers] by Daoud and his men continued in Quarry A.-- Slow progress -- have requested more shovels from S.D. Still having trouble with shellac -- shall have to order some from Cairo.

Am making fairly good progress with Arabic. Quibell's men speak no English. Daoud and Ali very little.

Sun. Feb. 10:

Strong wind with considerable dust in the air. Work on the Quarries. Quarry B seems more barren than A and bones are in very poor condition -- one good rodent jaw just found. Daoud with Prof. O. to the Eastward to see the Middle Eocene locality beyond Qasr-el-Sagha.

Mr. Ferrar has loaned us one of his tents for the Quft men.

Mon. Feb. 11:
Intermittent showers in afternoon -- men worked only in forenoon. Air seems full of fine dust .-- probably from yesterday's wind. Had lunch with Mrs. O.

Daoud prospected in forenoon -- reports "timsali" (crocodile) jaws.

Prof. O. with Ferrar went in search of westerly bone pits.

Tues. Feb. 12:
Weather pleasant -- Olsen's outfit stopped work on north end of Quarry B and moved over to extreme south end -- uncovered several badly preserved bones and a jaw of a young Arsinoitherium with good teeth. In quarry A the men stopped stripping and began prospecting. Good Ars. vert[ebra] on north side and a good lower jaw of a new genus of creodont and two good jaws of "far" (mouse) in S.E. corner of quarry.

I went with Daoud in morning to gum a lower jaw of Tomistoma which he found yesterday 1 m. East of camp. Prof. O. down [from Upper Camp to fossil worksite] both morning and afternoon. Talba in with camels late tonight.

Wed. Feb. 13:
Osborn's camels returned this morning from Tamia. Brought us eggs and live chickens -- the latter we turn loose with hobbles on and they remain about camp because there is no where else to go.-- one of the Quft men claims to have been robbed of £2 last night by one of his fellows. Mr. Ferrar adjusts by promise to pay one half the loss if the man works well, the other half to be paid by the leader of their party.

Olsen continues to find bones in the south end of Q[uarry] B but in soft state of preservation. With Daoud's men I went over to an old bone pit of Beadnell's near what Prof. has termed Lyon's Butte [now Tel Agrab]. We shall call this quarry "C". The sand is white -- also the bones -- fragty [fragmentary], but hard. About 2 miles west of camp. Josephine Butte [now Tel Markgraf] 1/2 m. N.E. [of camp]. Ferrar Butte [now Tel Homar] 2 m. W. of Lyon's[,] and Fairfield Butte [now Tel Talib] 2 m. E of camp. All good landmarks.