The true story about the greatest discovery in the history of Archaeology!

Did you know that the famous Egyptian pharaoh, Tutankhamun, ruling from 1332 to 1323 BC, was known as the boy king because he became the pharaoh of Egypt at the age of nine?

Hello, I am back! At school at the moment, we have been studying the ancient Egyptians. We have been learning about the discovery of the pharaoh, Tutankhamun’s tomb which was discovered by an English archaeologist named Howard Carter in 1922.

 

We found out that it was actually discovered by a poor young boy who was helping them and I guess Howard Carter took all the credit, which is why nobody knows who it actually was. It got me thinking ‘how would the little boy feel?’ He was the one that deserved all of the credit! So when I got home I sat down with my dog Cooper and started to write a story from the little boy’s perspective, so here it is for you!

 

The sun rises. I see the light come through the curtains and I look at the clock on the wall. It shows five o’clock. The sun rises very early and I know I must get up. I gaze around my bare little room, the ugly beige paint peeling off the wall in most places. I reluctantly lift myself out of bed and pull on a worn out, grey shirt. It is very itchy, and it feels as though there are thousands of tiny spiders running round and pinching me inside.

 

I go into the kitchen to find mother. We own a very small bungalow, it has barely enough space for two people. “Good morning mother” I say. Mother is a grey haired woman (she claims that it is grey because of me). She has thin, dry lips that never seem to smile properly and she always wears the same brown pinafore dress with an apron round her waist covered in old stains. She is sitting at the table with a mug of steaming hot tea. It is just the two of us living here.

 

I wish I had a sister, I would play with her all day and we would spend hours together in the playground near our house. To be honest, it is more like a death trap than a playground, with the concrete ground and the smashed glass next to the slide, and the wooden swing which feels as though it will cave in beneath you at any moment, giving you a million splinters in your bottom!

 

Mother sets a plate of plain, greyish toast in front of me with the tiniest bit of margarine spread on top of it. “Thank you” I mutter, and then, “Mother, could I not have something like jam or marmalade on my toast?” I ask meekly. Just the thought of sweet strawberry jam makes my mouth water! 

 

“Oh for heaven’s sake!” she says under her breath. “You know very well that we cannot afford anything like that!” Ok, no need to bite my head off!” I think, but I don’t say that because I know that won’t go down well!

 

When I finish breakfast, I have to meet Uncle Howard. Uncle Howard is on a search in the Valley of the Kings. They are trying to dig up all sorts of Egyptian treasures. I find it all very exciting but unfortunately, I don’t get to help with the actual searching and digging, I’m just in charge of getting them water. Anyhow, I still think that it is very exciting!          

                                                                 

Soon I find Uncle Howard and all of the other workers riding on camels to get to the work site. They were all wearing dull, grey suits. I do not know why because it is going to be especially hot today. The sun is already making me feel like I am in an oven, sizzling and overcooking like one of mother’s sausages. 

“THERE YOU ARE BOY!” bellows one of the workers with what looks like a big scarf bundled around his head. I feel very sorry for the poor camels, trudging along in this heat.

 

It has been hours now, I am running back and forth, panting, and getting the men water and other things that they need. A rattle snake slithers menacingly across the desert sands and an eagle flies over my head, gliding against the glowing sun. ‘That rattle snake won’t survive’ I think to myself as I run back again, getting Uncle Howard a tool that he needs. I have to jump up every few seconds to stop the scorching sand burning my bare feet. I must look like an absolute lunatic doing this.

 

I sit down for a moment on the dry, cracked ground, out of breath. I start to picture that I am a great explorer, out on a mission to discover the majestic tomb of Tutankhamun, king of ancient Egypt. I grab a stick. ‘This is no longer a stick’ I tell myself. I picture that it is a special device used to dig through the sand. I find myself digging very deep into the golden sand. “OI, BOY! STOP DILLY DALLYING, GET BACK TO WORK!” calls an angry worker.

 

Then all of a sudden, ‘Thump!’ I hit a hard surface. I use my hands to uncover some more and there it is, a stone step! “Uncle Howard! I think I have found something, come quick!” I shout, running over to him. But Uncle Howard looks extremely underwhelmed. “What is it?” he demands. He is dripping with sweat. “Please, come and look what I have found!” I plead and I run towards my little discovery, Uncle Howard trailing behind.

 

We stand for a while, then after a few seconds of examining it he jumps up. “It really is something!” he cries. The other workers come to investigate. I’m very proud of myself going home. In fact, I practically skip. When I get back the next day at the crack of dawn, I see how much they have uncovered – a whole staircase! I stand, rooted to the spot, dumbfounded. 

“Come!” calls one of the workers, “Look at this!” I don’t know whether I’m supposed to follow but I am very glad I do! I am very curious about what’s inside!

 

There is what looks like a long wooden box with all sorts of intricate little patterns carved on to it “This is it!” breathes Uncle Howard, “The tomb of Tutankhamun!”

 

A man with the biggest, bushiest beard I have ever seen drills a hole into the wood. “You may do the honours Mr Carter” he says, gesturing with his hands. Uncle Howard steps forward and peers through the hole. “Can you see anything?” asks a guide, shivering with excitement. “Yes” he says, “Wonderful things!”

 

Little did I know that I had just made one of the greatest discoveries in the history of Archaeology!