CHAPTER VII. 
THE OLDEST TIMBER IN THE WORLD. 
Where Found, and Uses to which Put.—Its Present Preserved Condi- 
tion and Sacred History.—The Ancient Trees of America, Where 
Found.—Petrified Relics.—Evidences of Ancient Tree-growth in 
Nevada.—Indian Tradition on the Tree-growth of Nevada.—Car- 
bonized Tree-trunks. 
Propasiy the oldest timber in the world, which has 
been subjected to the use of man, is that found in the 
ancient temple of Egypt in connection with stone-work, 
which is known to be at least four thousand years old. 
This, the only wood used in the construction of the tem- ' 
ple, is in the form of ties, holding the end of one stone 
to another at its upper surface. When two blocks were 
laid in place an excavation about an inch deep was made 
in each block, in which a tie shaped like an hour-glass 
was driven. It is, therefore, very difficult to force any 
stone from its position. The ties appear to have been 
of the timarisk or Shittim wood, of which the ark was 
constructed—a sacred tree in ancient Egypt, and now 
very seldom found in the valley of the Nile. The dove- 
tail ties are just as sound now as in the days of their in- 
sertion. Although fuel is extremely scarce in the coun- 
try, these bits of wood are not large enough to make it 
an object with the Arabs to heave off layer after layer 
of heavy stone to obtain them. Had they been of bronze, 
half of the old temple would have been destroyed years 
ago, so precious would they have been for various pur- 
oses. 
The oldest timber in America undoubtedly existed in 
