The discovery of Ramesses’ new tomb generated almost as much media coverage as an American Presidential campaign with a veritable swarm of journalists, television crews and commentators invaded Egypt. Political leader’s opinions were sought at their press conferences and every documentary produced about Ancient Egypt commanded prime time on television networks.
Cranks had a field day because they thought they had proof positive of alien intervention. ‘No Egyptian could have built the sinister crypt’, ‘Too cunning for human hands’, ‘Too complex for simple Egyptian architects’, ‘Burial place of alien ruler discovered’ exemplified screaming headlines in the tabloids. Typically, the American National Examiner published a four page article stating unequivocally, when the crypt was opened, archaeologists would find bodies identical to the humanoids at the Roswell space ship crash site. Books on the healing powers of pyramids, the curse of the pharaohs and the wisdom of ancient Egyptian astrologers were urgently re-published and torrents of new works on ancient mysteries flowed from the presses. It was ‘Chariots of the Gods’ all over again. Given enough time, we would have Druids camping in Luxor.
Within the scientific community, opinions were just as fervent, though couched more intelligently, even when proponents of various viewpoints became almost vicious in their intensity. Debate became hot and hostile in academia with professional journals filling hundreds of pages on the issue of whether or not the sarcophagus should be opened or remain untouched. Once technical details were published by the CEA, engineering and architectural magazines devoted themselves to trying to unravel the question of the tomb’s construction methods whilst moral issues got lost in a declared need to expose, for study and comment, ancient techniques.
Strident opinions were voiced in France, where some archaeologists argued vociferously that, as Jean-Claude d’Argent and his team had made the discovery, they owned exclusive rights to open the tomb. An English tabloid claimed there was serious dissension between the British and French project leaders which led to one French newspaper printing a story claiming Jean-Claude and I had been involved in a punch-up in a Cairo nightclub. This fiction then made it to television screens throughout the world. Jean-Claude rang, asking if he could he come over to our site cabin. When he called, Richard and I were engaged in working out, with his engineers, the least damaging method of breaking into the storage rooms. Richard poked his head outside our cabin and gave Jean-Claude the all-clear sign. The Frenchman sprinted over, closed the door behind him and slumped into an empty chair.
“Mon Dieu, Dennis. What are we going to do?” he asked, clearly exasperated and pointing to a television playing silently in a corner. Everyone involved in the project was following the media coverage, initially with amusement when the alien’s stories appeared and then, with a growing sense of despair as the reporting became more ridiculous and increasingly intrusive. No matter where any of us went, we were besieged by reporters, had cameras and microphones stuck in our faces and saw our private lives turned into a shambles. One of the French archaeologists complained there was a TV van parked outside his house in Luxor and his wife was at the point of fleeing back to Paris.
Tamaam could not go to the shops without instantly attracting attention from the Egyptian media, all of whom clamoured for her views on their ardent claims about the foreign domination of the project. After a particularly nasty and explosive argument in a supermarket, she broke into a meeting I was having with Jean-Claude, sobbing her heart out. Clearly embarrassed, he left the office whilst I calmed her down. That incident occurred the same day the punch-up story broke. Yousef rang and said he was on his way over.
He was clearly agitated when he arrived. “You have seen this rubbish in the media? It is time all this is stopped so Abdullah is discussing a response with the President. You will soon see the advantage of living in a country that does not enjoy freedom of the press. We can control these idiots and I am hopeful that, by the time the President has made our country’s policy clear, some of the heat will go out of the debate. Is your wife still upset?”
“You know about the shopping incident?”
“I have spies everywhere! No, seriously, my wife was in the supermarket and she is disgusted with what she witnessed. The reporter involved has received a new assignment in the Sinai, one designed to keep him busy for a few years.” he said with relish. “My colleagues in the Communications Ministry do not take kindly to reporters harassing women. Jean-Claude, please tell Jacques the TV van parked outside his house is no more. We have expelled the journalists and we will throw out anyone else who interferes with people working on this project.” We both thanked him.
“The President will issue a directive under which any media representative found in the Valley without government accreditation will be expelled. More police are being assigned today to protect you from harassment. KV7 is now off-limits to the public until we decide what has to be done about the treasure rooms and the tomb itself. I expect President Kamal will issue a statement on key issues within the next few days.” He paused to take a phone call and briefly left us. Returning, he continued,
“That was Abdullah. The President is calling a press conference to make it totally clear that under no circumstances will the basalt sarcophagus be opened by anyone now or in the future. This is an Egyptian government sponsored project and the decision has been made to leave the crypt as we found it. President Kamal will stress that Ramesses, an Egyptian king, who resolved to remain untouched in death, as amply demonstrated in the manner of his entombment, will have that intention honoured. Any speculation in the press or the scientific world about opening the basalt vault will be condemned as idle conjecture.”
“Bravo, my congratulations on your government’s fortitude.” exclaimed Jean-Claude.
“Thank you. Now, to more practical matters. What progress on opening the treasure chambers?”
Richard said “As expected, there was another time delay mechanism in the second shaft employing the same devilish principle. It’s been isolated for later investigation. We have decided that the best way to get into the treasury is through this secondary shaft as it is just wide enough to allow men to descend with lifting equipment and lights. If successful, it means we don’t have to cut through any walls. As far as we can tell, most of the sand behind the main portcullis has drained out of the holes drilled through it.”
I added my observations. “We know the basalt door sits in a grooved housing. If we drill holes in its top, insert eye bolts and attach cables, it can be drawn up using a frame mounted electric winch. It’s probable all the internal doors operate on the same principal. Once the main door is open and the area cleared of sand, they can be raised.”
Jean-Claude said “We expect to find the treasury stocked with artefacts similar to those found in Tutankhamen’s tomb. If that proves correct, the CEA will have to decide whether the contents stay and are made accessible to the public or are removed and shipped to the Cairo Museum. There is another issue concerning the second tomb. At the moment, access is either by ladder from the top of the hill through the sand chute or via the well shaft. Limestone in this section of the Valley is poor quality and this militates against the idea of any further quarrying so we won’t attempt widening the chute as this could bring down part of the roof and I doubt anyone would approve modifying the well shaft entrance.”
I said, “We discarded the idea of driving a shaft through the hillside direct to the burial chamber as that would destroy part of the basalt cladding and buttressing. If the double tomb is going to be opened to the public, access should be strictly controlled by high entrance fees and restricted numbers of people, as it is in Tutankhamen’s tomb”
“How long before the protective canopy is installed?” asked Yousef. I replied “Tamaam’s team should have it in place in a few months.”
Yousef responded. “Good. So, until then, use only the top shaft as I do not want any damage to the first tomb seeing Jean-Claude has laboured hard enough already and he still has much work to undertake without our impeding his progress. I agree there should be absolutely no new quarrying in either tomb. The idea of a limited number of tourists paying a high fee is, as you would expect, tantalising. It’s our view that everything found should be moved to the safety of the new museum but let’s see if there is anything in the rooms. Remember, it took Carter’s team years to catalogue, photograph and conserve the contents of Tutankhamen’s tomb. No-one is in a hurry. Ramesses and his possessions have been lying there for a very long time and a few more years will make no difference.”
The task of opening the treasury door was given to the French team. The shaft was very narrow and, given my aversion to small dark places, I was quite happy to see others make the descent. Marc and his colleague, Jacques, kitted themselves out with lights, ropes and walkie-talkies, abseiled down the main shaft, reached the side tunnel slanting down towards the treasury and disappeared. It only took a few minutes before Jacques confirmed our thoughts about the construction of the door. We sent down a winch and frame with equipment to anchor eye bolts. Jacques set up a video camera to show us what they were doing. Whilst we waited, I wandered around the burial chamber, now well illuminated with high intensity lamps.
Another mystery had been solved. Henri rang from the Sudan and said,over the crackling of a bad connection. “I need a small vacation and can get to Luxor in about a week with some specialised equipment. I have an idea about the problems in prising up the basalt plating and you need some more French élan.”
True to his word, Henri and his colleague, Thierry, arrived toting a small sonar unit and a portable high intensity x-ray machine. “We liberated the x-ray device from our engineering workshop for a few days. It is used to detect cracks in steel and our mechanical engineer, who showed us how to use it, says it may work on stone. If I am correct in my assumptions, you will be buying us a lavish dinner tonight.” Thierry traversed the floor with the sonar scanner and Henri positioned the x-ray machine over several joints. It did not take long to get images on their computer screens.
“It is as I thought, Dennis. Look at this.” Henri pointed to a fine line running across the screen. “You see a short darker object at right angles to the main joint line. They appear in every scan of the tomb cladding and floor. Now look at these. Thierry, a floor x-ray image, please.” Thierry opened another folder on his laptop. A black and white image showed two short, thin objects bisecting a joint line. “A wall image, Thierry.” The picture was replicated.
“Do you know what you are looking at yet?”
“No, not really unless it is an x-ray of a modernistic painting by some obscure Parisian.”
“Thierry, show us a mosaic. I told you Dennis received his engineering qualifications from the Internet.” Thierry ungraciously laughed as he brought up another image showing six irregular outlines. Along the edges of each outline, I saw the same short bisecting lines.
“Et maintenant, mon ami?”
“Enough, Henri. What am I looking at?”
“Each outline is the edge of a paving block. The bisecting lines are what I believe to be metal locking pins. What metal I don’t know, though probably copper as this, I understand, was the only metal available to the Egyptians. All the floor, wall and sarcophagus plates were locked in place with short metal pins which explains why you cannot prise them up. With modern tools, it would easy to cut through the pins holding one of the plates which would lead to the rest coming out like pieces from a jigsaw puzzle being dis-assembled. For a tomb robber years ago, working with nothing better than non-ferrous chisels, that would have been impossible.”
Thierry said “The only way you can get the flooring up is to either bring in a rock breaker or a laser cutter. As the sarcophagus is made up of interlocked pieces like the floor, just how many months would you need to cut through four and half metres of plating to get to its centre? That is irrespective of the difficulty of re-constructing the pattern once you dis-assembled it and we cannot discount the use of some form of adhesive having been applied to the pins or the plates. The Egyptians are right. Leave the thing as it was found. The man who conceived this idea was, how you say, ‘un genie formidable’”
“Formidable genius” translated Jean-Claude.
“Oui, a formidable genius. Of that I have no doubt.”
Over a very expensive dinner, Henri and Thierry revealed to the rest of our group what their equipment had revealed earlier in the day. Yousef’s reaction was immediate. “All the more reason for us not to attempt to disrupt the masonry. I wonder if we will ever find out something about the man who built the tomb? So far it seems every possible eventuality had been foreseen and guarded against in the planning and execution of this work and there may be more clever surprises within the sarcophagus itself which we will never learn about.”
Richard commented “I have been trying to work out how Ramesses, or rather his builder, transported the big granite statue from Aswan to the Ramesseum. I have no trouble working out how to move such an object around on land or manoeuvre it to its feet, even with primitive equipment, but can someone explain how it was shipped? Everything I have learnt about Egyptian water craft tells me it was impossible to move something as large and heavy in the conventional vessels of the time.”
Yousef offered some information. “I don’t know about what type of boats were used but there is speculation there were two colossi at the Ramesseum. The remains of one now lie in pieces but there are two granite bases flanking the entrance and a few fragments indicate they come from a second statue. A German archaeological team working there unearthed sections of logs of a unusually hard nature. Samples were sent to Dr. Hussein’s laboratory for analysis and they were found to be from a tree native to modern day Tanzania, thousands of kilometres to Egypt’s south. The Germans suspect these logs were used as mechanical timbers for moving and placing very heavy stone objects as they bore traces of palm oil which we know was used to lubricate hauling ropes. These logs could have been used to assist the architect moving these enormous statutes.”
“I have another snippet of information.” said Tamaam. “There is a broken stela from the Delta recording a narrative written by the king’s son, Ramesses, the commander of the royal navy at the time. Pieces are missing but what is left tells of a naval mission to Aswan with five warships. These were heavy ships manned with oarsmen but I can’t see them being used to carry masonry as they were not built as transport vessels. There is no logical reason for warships to be anywhere except in the Delta and Red Sea ports and their voyage up the Nile is enigmatic”
“Think about this.” I offered. “Throughout history there was no shortage of massive buildings. Consider some of the seven wonders of the ancient world - the Pyramids, the Mausoleum of Artemisia, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and the Pharos at Alexandria. Many other buildings or structures can be added to the list but, in most instances, they were just large buildings and large does not necessarily mean clever. Pushing the limits of available technology, yes, though maybe not ingenious.”
“I see what you are leading to.” said Tamaam. “Many ancient buildings were impressive in size and architectural beauty but did they show the hand of genius? I am immensely proud of the pyramids but my fascination concerns the mathematics involved in getting the design and engineering parameters right, not the tonnage of stone. Load computations for building foundations, soil mechanics, complex lifting problems and buttressing dynamics all calculated without the benefit of mathematical formulae and computers were clever but probably no more than the application of incremental experience to a given project.”
“The truly creative men were those who met what was seen to be an impossible task in their time and place, or those with vivid imaginations, men who could see something in their mind and then develop an outcome. The man who moved the colossi from Aswan to Thebes and built the fortress for the king’s body was such a man. To the architect, Sennefer, I offer a toast to his brilliance. He would have been a fascinating man to know.”
The following morning Abdullah flew down from Cairo for the opening of the treasury door. We waited in the burial chamber, heard the faint whirring of the winch motor and watched as the door slowly rose. Jacques jumped down from wherever he had been perched and shook hands with Jean-Claude, who was the first to enter the now open corridor. The photographer moved in and began to document the structure whilst Jean-Claude called for labourers to come down and shovel out the remaining sand.
The ceiling, with the same granite support pillars, was lower than in the main chamber. The corridor revealed a niche, carved out of the back wall, in which stood a statue of Osiris in his traditional mummiform pose, arms crossed over his chest and his hands holding the crook and flail. Just inside the doorway, flanking both sides of the corridor stood two guardian Ka statues facing each other, their feet still lost in sand.
Jean-Claude said to Abdullah “It will take about two weeks to remove all this sand and check the chamber for structural stability. Can I suggest you post armed guards at the entrances around the clock? I don’t want robbers thinking they can get in now we have opened the treasury. Word will soon spread that we have begun work in this section of the tomb.”
“Soldiers are already on their way from the Luxor barracks. I am torn by a desire to remain here or the unfortunate necessity of attacking paperwork in Cairo. If I was a few years younger, I would stay and ask for a shovel but duty calls. When you are finished with the clearance, please call me and I will fly down for the opening of the storerooms. Clean your shoes, gentlemen, and get a haircut as I must warn you, I will probably arrive in the company of President Kamal, who demands daily updates on your progress. Until then, I must away and again, congratulations. From the President down, we are all impressed with your commitment to this work.”
Armed with this warning, we decided that eye bolts should be locked into every storeroom door and sufficient lifting equipment would be on hand to open them all in the presence of the President. We would either be totally embarrassed if the rooms were empty or display to him one of the greatest treasures the world would ever see. As the treasury was cleared,we had confirmation that all the doors had been let down by the sand hydraulic system, with pottery shards and shattered clay cones providing tangible evidence of the technique. Unusual for a Ramesside monument, the walls offered no decorations or inscriptions though we did uncover two beautiful recumbent figures of Anubis, guardian of the dead, positioned above the storerooms. Both statues, shaped like crouching jackals, were painted black; ears pricked, ever alert with their jewelled eyes staring fixedly at us while we laboured.
One afternoon, as we sat in the burial chamber eating sandwiches, Jean-Claude said “I am a little confused, Dennis.” “I thought confusion was the natural state of all Frenchman.” I replied.
“Very droll, Dennis. May I continue? There is one significant difference between both tombs which I cannot reconcile. My team has spent years digging out flood debris from the first tomb from multiple episodes of severe water penetration. Naturally, the wide open entrance allowed water to flood down into the lowest levels. This tomb has a shaft straight up through its roof which should have created a natural funnel for water but I see absolutely no evidence of the ingress of water here. Why is this so? Flood water must have struck both entrances with equal force and we do not consider the shaft backfill an impervious barrier.”
“Richard mentioned the same thing a few days ago. Two things are of interest. Firstly, there are scant signs of water penetrating Tutankhamen’s tomb despite it being cut down into the Valley floor where water should have produced extensive damage. The two unbroken plaster coated walls across the entrance appear to have prevented the entry of water. It is probable that one or two episodes of heavy rain compacted the chute filling into a similar masonry obstacle. That fairly solid mass may have minimised the absolute volume of water that could have physically run into the tomb.”
Taking a sip of coffee, I continued. “Secondly, keep in mind our builder’s talent. I am certain he did not plan to rely on the mass in the shaft forming an absolute barrier. He would still have to contend with limestone fracture and a degree of natural porosity. Let me show you something.” I called the foreman over and asked him to bring in four buckets of water from the tanker parked outside. These arrived and I instructed him to tip them on the floor. He looked at Jean-Claude, who nodded in approval. The effect was spectacular. Almost as soon as the water hit the floor and began to pool, it vanished. The foreman looked startled.
“What magic is this, Dennis? Basalt is not porous. Where did the water go?”
“The floor looks solid but in reality it is not. All the paving blocks have edges through which water drains. As we have seen elsewhere, if a large volume of water flooded into this tomb, it should have pooled on the floor, risen up the walls and then drained out slowly yet there is no indication of a water mark on the walls. Water probably did infiltrate but it drained out almost as fast. I think an analysis will show some water borne salt deposits on the surface of the floor paving”
“Bon, but as I know from bitter experience, limestone is only marginally porous and this tomb sits on solid limestone. So where did the water go and why does it dissipate so quickly?”
“Ah, if you and Henri had spent more time talking about rock mechanics and his sonar results and less time discussing Egyptian women, you would have learnt more about what he thought was under this whole chamber. You remember the images on the screen? Beneath the chambers, there is an area of great discontinuity in the limestone. Obviously, the architect made allowance for subterranean reservoirs to receive sand flowing out beneath the lower block as the mechanism worked and I suspect he also dug drainage shafts beneath the entire structure. Henri told me his sonar equipment cannot distinguish, in sufficient detail, any evidence to support my suspicions but this water test is fairly convincing.”
“Hmm, an interesting theory and probably a correct interpretation. Maybe something occurred to him about the prospect of water damage from the time he built the first tomb early in Ramesses’ reign and the commencement of this tomb years later? I am still surprised we have found no record of the builder’s name anywhere. If he was half as good as the evidence suggests surely Ramesses would have allowed him to put his name somewhere on this monument? At the moment, we are assuming his name was Sennefer from a brief notation on a temple pylon at Luxor.”
“Yes, it is a bit of mystery. Maybe Sennefer was an unassuming chap. On another, somewhat delicate, matter. You remember Lord Carnarvon almost ordered Carter to open a hole in the sealed doorway leading into Tutankhamen’s burial chamber before the official opening in the presence of government officials? What do you think about doing the same thing down the corridor? Should we open one of the storerooms before the President arrives to save ourselves possible embarrassment?”
“My young friend, you have little faith. This entire tomb is untouched and for that matter, unbreakable. We have not detected the slightest sign of an attempt to force an entry. I think you will find whatever is in the treasury is still intact and just as it was on the day the tomb was sealed. I doubt if Ramesses filled his treasury with old clothing, a few biscuits and spoiled wine, do you? Dennis, you are an enthusiastic young man. If you are to mature in the field of archaeology, you must learn some patience and begin to train yourself to think of time as a continuum. Think of time this way. If the average lifespan of people since this tomb was sealed was, say, forty years, then over eighty generations have lived and died since. When you are a student of archaeology as I am, the measure of time becomes almost meaningless.”
He looked around. “Your principal field, civil engineering, is one based on getting the job done on time and within a budget. You come from a discipline that uses explosives to remove obstacles, heavy equipment to displace thousands of tonnes of material and huge drilling rigs to make foundation footings. The archaeologist uses a trowel to excavate, brushes to sweep soil away and dental tools to dislodge crumbs of matter from artefacts. You know, when my engineers drilled holes to emplace rock bolts I had to leave. The noise destroyed the silence of the grave so profoundly I found it offensive. Listen to the silence, Dennis. It can speak volumes to those who wish to understand it.”
A little offended I said “You don’t approve of our work?”
“On the contrary, mon ami. The work you and your colleagues have done and will continue to do is essential. Left alone, the tombs you have repaired would have fallen further into decay and, ultimately, all would be lost. That would be an incalculable tragedy. The best archaeologists are those who combine the quest for knowledge with the desire to restore and conserve. You have the ability to be a fine archaeologist. Just let your mind dwell on the historicity of what you are doing.” He looked me directly and said quietly “If you do, you will see the gilded falcon more frequently.”
His remark startled me. “You know about the falcon?” I said in some amazement.
“He and I have been watching each other for some time. Casual remarks to my colleagues indicate they have never seen the bird but I believe you have? Am I correct?”
“Yes, but I thought it was just an aberration or my imagination.”
“No, it is no aberration. If you make the right decisions about this tomb and how it is to be managed, you may be fortunate enough to see the golden raptor again.”
Our discussion was interrupted by an excited cry from the corridor and the intimacy of the moment was fractured. The Osiride figure had just been fully revealed and we had no chance to discuss the falcon again.
A few days later, we watched the Presidential arrival in the Valley, a spectacle I am sure Ramesses would have savoured. Two trucks crammed with soldiers preceded his convoy of limousines, which approached in billowing clouds of dust. Heavily armed security men jumped out of cars and moved to surround President Kamal. Obviously, the assassination of Anwar Sadat remained fresh in the minds of security chiefs. We greeted the President, who had not previously seen the first tomb and courtesy allowed that Professor Dief and Dr. al-Badawi provide commentary as we began our tour. He surprised us all when he asked, in fluent French, for Jean-Claude to explain the nature of his restoration and, as we descended to the lower levels, they carried on an animated discussion. After surveying the burial chamber, the President said, in English.
“I think I can dispense with my guards and our coats now. I understand you have some surprises for me, gentlemen. Lead on.”
We walked up the passageway to the well shaft. The President’s guards left the tomb and only a small group made the descent to the second tomb with Jean-Claude and me explaining how we had discovered the false wall and the unfolding of our exploration. Before entering politics, the President had been an army engineer and he asked several pertinent technical questions. When he first saw the sarcophagus, he expressed amazement.
“This is truly incredible” he said, as we walked around it. “You really think Ramesses and Nefertari are encased in this?” He peered at the twin cartouches as Jean-Claude and I explained our theories on the entombment mechanism and the principles behind the monument’s structure. He asked for a repeat of the water test and a flustered labourer very carefully poured buckets of water onto the floor, making sure not to splash the presidential shoes.
“Ingenious. Can you send me a full report on your engineering assumptions as I will find great interest in your deductions? Now, let’s have some theatre. May I admit to a sense of excitement?” he said, walking into the treasury corridor.
“My young English friend here is somewhat concerned we will not find anything behind these doors and, although I believe we will open a great treasure house, I apologise in advance if there is nothing but the usual scene of disaster.” said Jean-Claude.
“Mr. Dunlop, have no fears. I am a politician and frustrated objectives are part and parcel of my life.” President Kamal laughed heartily. “Go ahead, let’s lift these doors and see what Ramesses has left us.”
Electric winches on lifting frames stood above each basalt door. Jean-Claude gave a signal and a winch took the strain as the first slid upwards revealing the gleam of gold. There was not the confusion and disarray Carter found when he entered Tutankhamen’s tomb. Everything had been carefully positioned and no human hand had touched the artefacts since the room was closed. Chests were neatly stacked on top of each other, furniture was arranged in a semblance of a living area but it was not the arrangement that created exclamations of surprise. Everything was made of solid gold inlaid with semi-precious stones and rare wood. Dust had not penetrated, so everything gave the appearance of goods fresh from the artisan’s workshop.
We stood, hardly daring to breathe. The contrast between polished black basalt surfaces and gold gave the room an almost austere aspect. Tamaam clutched my hand, Richard whistled in awe, Jean-Claude crossed himself and the Egyptians murmured imprecations amongst themselves.
‘And I have felt a presence that disturbs me with the joy of elevated thoughts; a sense sublime of something far more deeply infused, whose dwelling is the light of setting suns’
“What was that?” I queried my father, who had spoken.
“A line from a poem by Wordsworth, Dennis, as my own words would inadequately describe my feelings at the moment. Gentlemen, let’s move on as I believe there is much to see that will astound us.”
The second room was an arsenal of weapons and hunting equipment. In front of racked lances, spears and staves stood two complete chariots. Ox hide shields complemented bronze and rare iron swords and daggers. Soft leather quivers, full of arrows, hung next to rows of various styles of bows. I opened a flat square box to find birding nets, its companion held fishing lines and a third, a variety of iron hooks and weights. The next chamber yielded metal banded chests fashioned from ebony. President Kamal asked if one could be opened and he was handed a pair of surgical gloves.
“Which one do you suggest?” he queried Abdullah.
“As you please, Excellency.”
Long rectangular cases were stacked three deep, three high against the plated walls. The President carefully lifted a hinged lid to reveal layered robes in gold embroidered fine linen. Another held gold ornamented leather footwear. A third contained full length dresses fashioned in some gossamer like material, a fourth offered white linen kilts. We perspired freely, all affected by the heat and conflicting emotions. I felt stunned, any sense of rational comprehension long gone. Apart from muted orders to the hoist operator and exclamations of surprise as seemingly endless riches were revealed, we were mostly silent, almost overwhelmed with disbelief.
The fourth door rose. As it went up, Richard and I positioned another set of site lights, causing the contents to blaze in the radiance that is unique to gold. Before us lay small inlaid chests and cabinets which, when opened, displayed jewellery nestled in royal blue linen – bracelets, pectorals, necklaces, arm bands, earrings, belts and rings in profusion. On cedar shelves, mounted on alabaster representations of the king’s head, were the ultimate symbols of a pharaoh; kepresh, red and white crowns, the double crown, nemes head clothes in blue and white striped fabric, Atef and plumed headdresses. Opposite these were calcite heads of Nefertari, bewigged and surmounted by diadems, coronets and tiaras in filigree gold and electrum, studded with jewels and faience. A distinct fragrance filled the air.
Jean-Claude said “What is that bouquet? It seems familiar.”
Yousef and Tamaam were examining a cabinet lined with alabaster jars. Reading labels,Yousef replied. “These pots, which may contain cosmetics in their original condition, hold perfumes, powders and creams. I detect cedar and juniper oils, myrrh, sandalwood and others our laboratory can identify.” Tamaam said “There is a complete beauty set here – copper mirrors, tweezers, ivory combs, gold hair clips and even a nail file. There are jars of face powders, kohl and what may be rouge and look, this could be a box of perfumed cones.” She held open a chest for our inspection.
Abdullah said “This little collection alone is worth a king’s ransom.”
The fifth door rose, revealing shadowy figurines lurking in the gloom. Thinking I detected movement I stepped inside and instantly recoiled as the bizarre figures radiated a faint menace. Richard brought up lights. Standing shoulder to shoulder were effigies of the gods, feathered headdresses rustling in the slight movement of air.
“Ma’shalla. Who are these?” asked the President in a breathless whisper.
Abdullah replied, pointing to each figure in turn. “Montu, god of war, Neith, goddess of the hunt, Khonsu, the moon god, Hapi, god of the Nile waters, Meretseger, guardian goddess of the Valley, Shu and his sister, Tefnut who separate earth from sky, the goddess Werethekau, who protected a Pharaoh against his enemies,Sobek, god of fertility, Khepri, a god associated with Re-Harakhty, Nut and her brother Geb, personified earth and sky, Isis, who bridged this world with the next, Osiris, Lord of the Underworld, Hathor, goddess of the sun and moon, Horus, son of Osiris and Isis, Ptah, principal deity of Memphis, Nephthys, reviver of the dead, Sakhmet, another goddess offering protection to the Pharaoh, Seth, a deity well favoured by Ramesses, Thoth, god of writing, measurement and Master of the Divine Scales,Anubis, supreme guardian of the dead, Amun and Re, the sun gods, and Mut, a goddess regarded as the Pharaohs heavenly mother.”
In the midst of the celestial coterie, gazing outwards into eternity, sat two enthroned figures. Ensconced on an ornately carved granite throne was a life statue of a youthful king, holding the imperial regalia. Beside him, on a slightly smaller throne, sat a young Queen Nefertari. Both wore crowns, he the double crown, she an elaborate vulture cap and each was adorned with opulent jewellery. The flesh of the royal couple and deities was painted in flesh tones, except for Osiris whose face was in traditional green, whilst their garments, ornaments and head-dresses displayed vibrant colours. Amun’s hands were placed firmly on the king’s shoulders and those of Isis rested on Nefertari’s shoulders. The assembly was a tour de force of ancient divinity. However the glistening intensity radiating from so many sightless eyes was unnerving.
Abdullah murmured. “This is the most extensive and best preserved set of deity statues in the country.”
“I prefer the other rooms. This one leaves me unsettled.” said the President.
We retreated to the corridor. Another door ascended, revealing a miscellany of model boats, musical instruments, writing equipment, hundreds of papyrus scrolls in cedar wood racks, more cosmetics in inlaid chests, fans, pillows and piles of folded linen. Rugs carpeted the floor.
“I have not seen ancient textiles before” said the President.
“They are extremely rare as woven material is perishable. We only have one or two fragments of rugs in the Museum but look at the number of papyrus scrolls. Such a collection is unique and of inestimable value. Forgive me, as I am almost on the point of tears, this is so completely overwhelming.” said Yousef, dabbing his eyes with a handkerchief. The next room offered us another surprise. It was full of shrines, each one different from the next but all in gold foiled wood, covered in figurines moulded into the sheet gold and exquisitely inscribed with hieroglyphics. Abdullah could read hieroglyphs and he was studying the inscriptions when he exclaimed “My God, have a look at this,” pointing to one specific rectangular cabinet. In raised relief, an image of Thoth presented various instruments to a male figure dressed in a kilt and wearing a bag wig.
“This is not a shrine in the formal sense. It is similar in style to a stela making an announcement but I have not seen one like it before. Patience, please. Let me interpret what is inscribed.” He got down on his knees and studied the icons on each panel. He offered us surgical gloves and asked me to help him take the top off the shrine. We lifted out a model of the basalt tomb made from wood and polished stone which we laid on the floor for the President to examine. Then followed a small basalt box holding two miniature basalt boxes, what looked like a rectangular lid and leather pouches of what proved to be sand. These he carefully handed to Jean-Claude and Yousef.
“This is an artefact of singular importance. Briefly, Ramesses offers his thanks to Sennefer, his Royal Overseer. He records Amun and Thoth specially endowed his Overseer with unusual skills and dedication. The king stresses his deep personal friendship with Sennefer and refers to him as, unbelievably, the equal of an elder brother. The inscription goes on to say they will meet in the Second Life to discuss toys, hunting and desert fortifications. I don’t know of a single instance where a king thanked a noble for anything, admitted to a friendship or alludes to meeting anyone other than a god in the Second Life. Absolutely unique. Phenomenal! The hieroglyphs do not describe the toys or fortifications and I have no idea what the king meant by these remarks, although I detect some inference of humour.”
I had placed the model on top of a shrine. President Kamal said “I think this is one of the toys and this box and lid another. When they reach Dr. Hussein’s laboratory, I believe we will find the model works and these boxes and lid represent the sarcophagus and coffins that Ramesses and his queen are interred within. If this is correct, we have no need ever to open the king’s resting place. The pharaoh and his wife lie a few metres from where we stand and they will remain there, never to be disturbed.” This last statement was emphatic. Reverently, he put the models back into the shrine and closed the lid. Briefly looking around, he turned to address us.
“Gentlemen, Madame Dunlop, I have seen enough. There is no need to open the other rooms at the moment. Let us leave this place. I ask you all join me for lunch as we have serious matters to discuss. Jean-Claude, please tell your men to leave this part of the tomb after they have re-closed all the stone doors. None will re-enter without my written authorisation.”
Having given this instruction, he left the crypt, climbed back up the ladder and we followed. At the entrance, he called the soldier’s senior officer, gave orders in Arabic and got into his car. His aide de camp escorted us to a limousine, we were whisked away to a riverside dock, the cars put aboard a barge and, when we reached the eastern shore, we drove in the motorcade to the Grand Hotel. During this rather sudden change of pace we had all been silent, lost in thoughts about the discoveries. When an aide de camp escorted us to a private dining room, Richard said.
“If I had known I was to lunch with the President I would have followed your advice, Yousef, and had a haircut”. His comment produced a strained laugh from us. Being surrounded by armed soldiers and security guards did little to reduce the tension. We sat and awaited the arrival of the President. Jean-Claude received a call on his cell phone and quickly left the room. He was away from a few minutes and returned solemn faced. The President followed. He strode into the room, very business-like, sat and called for the waiter, gave instructions, asked if we had ordered and saw a nodding of heads. “We will wait until lunch is served and I will have the door closed.” The President and Abdullah spoke together quietly in Arabic. Waiters arrived, served the food and withdrew.
“Firstly, thank you for joining me. I am sure this luncheon was not on your agenda today but what I saw this morning presents a number of issues we must handle and I do not intend to, ahm,” he said a few words to Abdullah in Arabic, who suggested ‘dither’ which I had to translate for Jean-Claude. “I do not intend to dither around. Let me explain what I propose and then you can comment.”
“First, I have ordered a Special Forces guard be mounted at the tomb. The soldiers will try to be as unobtrusive as possible but the treasure must be protected. Second, I have just spoken to the Director of the Cairo Museum. He, Dr. Omar Hussein and the head curator will assemble the best team of specialists they can find as swiftly as possible. The director will head this team. I have instructed everything in the treasury be photographed, catalogued and transferred to Cairo under military escort. Third, I have told our new museum’s director to clear one entire wing in anticipation of establishing a display along the same lines as the Tutankhamen exhibition but under much heavier security. Fourth, as soon as the artefacts have been fully assessed, I want replicas made of the furniture, statues, chests, military equipment, in fact everything except the contents of the chests. The copies will be faithful reproductions without actually using solid gold. The original artefacts will remain on display in Cairo.”
He paused to consult a note pad. “Fifth, when finished, the reproductions are to be taken to the tomb, arranged as they were found and bullet proof glass installed across each storeroom entrance. Sixth, I asked Jean-Claude d’Argent to join me a few minutes ago. I sought his approval to permanently seal the sand chute so water and intruders may never enter the tomb. Mrs Dunlop, please proceed with this as I understand you have expertise in this area. Seventh, I will introduce legislation into Parliament this week. A statute will prohibit any modification to the fabric of the structure and ensure the sarcophagus is never to be opened. Finally, as soon as Professor Dief and M. d’Argent are satisfied that work in both tombs is complete, they will be opened to the public under very strict controls. I think this covers the matters that have come to my mind in the last hour. Your opinions, please. You don’t seem to be eating – is there some problem with the food?” he asked innocently. None of us had moved whilst he spoke.
It took the French team another two years to complete their work in the original tomb and return its management to the CEA. The contents of the second tomb were removed, in its entirety, to the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities where it now constitutes the greatest collection of ancient world artefacts. Authentic reproductions were crafted by an international team of specialists and moved to the treasury and today, the exhibition and tombs of Ramesses the Great are the major attractions in Egypt.
The papyrus scrolls constituted the most comprehensive body of information about life in the New Kingdom so far known and an analysis of this data will takes years of review before the set is fully interpreted and published for public consumption.
However, for those of us in the group who were there at the beginning, the conclusive identification of the Royal Architect ranked as one of the most fascinating outcomes. The models Ramesses preserved worked and allowed us to fully appreciate just how ingenious Sennefer had been in the construction of the sarcophagus and the vault mechanism.
As for the players in the game. Jean-Claude and his team moved onto a major restoration project at the Ramesseum. His assistant, Marc, married Elizabeth, the BEAS was granted additional projects in the Valley of the Kings and we are now working in the Valley of the Queens. Tamaam and I have two delightful young children and a wonderful marriage. My father continues to squeeze corporate wallets, Professor Dief was nominated Minister of National Heritage by the President and Yousef al-Badawi took over his job at the CEA. Dr. Hussein, in conjunction with Professor Schadlich, published the first in a series on the results of the DNA tests conducted by the Institute but admits he has opened a giant can of worms which is guaranteed to keep him and members of his staff busy for years. And, incidentally, he married Marie-Therese after her divorce was finalised.
Just before the tombs of Ramesses were declared open to the public, Jean-Claude and I climbed to the top of the escarpment and sat looking overlooking the Valley, reminiscing. Late in the afternoon, with the sun well into its descent, we made to leave. As we looked to the west to take in the splendour of the sun setting behind the Theban Hills, a falcon and an ibis appeared on the horizon, wings majestically beating in unison. They flew straight towards us and, on reaching the escarpment, they wheeled together, circled the Great Place and alighted just metres from where we stood, motionless.
Sunlight gleamed off their golden feathers. The birds looked down upon the tomb of the Pharaoh Ramesses and turned to look at us. Briefly they dipped their plumed heads in salute, spread wide their great wings before soaring high into the sky, flying towards the solar barque of Amun-Re and the House of Eternity.
THE END