Mick Gowar - Historical Heroes

History lessons are full of kings and queens, arent they? And all of them dust off the same old mouldy facts about when they lived, who they married and when they died. If only there was some juicy gossip and riveting revelations about them. After all, who wouldnt want to be a king or queen? Surely it must have been great fun to be a member of royalty and enjoy red carpet treatment wherever they went.

Or was it? What was royal life really like? Learn how Tutankhamun and the other pharaohs of ancient Egypt actually lived. Discover the good bits, the bad bits and the downright ugly bits. Youll find out how Tutankhamun came to the throne, how he spent his days, and youll even have the chance to get under his skin literally as we investigate a suspected case of Mummy murder.

While Tutankhamun and the pharaohs are the stars of the ancient world, we wouldnt know about their lives if it wasnt for the hard work of historians and archaeologists. Films with characters like Indiana Jones make archaeology look incredibly exciting, but the reality is often very different. Most archaeologists spend many frustrating and difficult years working with small clues but just occasionally, years of study and hard work can pay off spectacularly. Nowhere was this more the case than during one hot dusty day in 1922.

Howard Carter was an archaeologist who had been working in the Valley of the Kings for many years. He had already discovered several tombs but all of them had been robbed and were almost empty. However, Carter wasnt going to give up. Years before, a small cup had been found with the name Tutankhamun on it and Carter was sure that the tomb of this little-known pharaoh was somewhere in the valley.

His sponsor, Lord Carnarvon, was not an impatient man but even his deep pockets were beginning to reach their limit. Excavating was an expensive business and he had very little to show for his work so far. Carter knew that he was on the verge of running out of funds and was working feverishly

Mr Carter, Mr Carter!

The archaeologist straightened up to trace the source of the call. He saw a crowd of workers running towards him in a cloud of dust. What is it? he asked above the babble of excited voices. Just one at a time. Talk slowly.

His Arabic was not fluent but there was no mistaking the urgency and sign language from the men. He followed them out of the camp and down into the valley. There, in the rocky rubble, they stopped and pointed to a step.

Carters heart leapt and he ordered his workers to clear away the rubble. Grabbing a shovel, he joined in and helped them as they uncovered more steps leading to a blocked doorway. With his heart pounding, Carter made a hole in the doorway. Then he noticed something very special on the plaster and stopped. He raced back to his camp and sent a telegram to Lord Carnarvon saying,

TELEGRAM:

HAVE MADE A WONDERFUL

DISCOVERY STOP A MAGNIFICENT

TOMB WITH SEALS INTACT STOP

Carter ordered the tomb to be resealed and posted armed guards beside it. He waited in a fever of excitement and anticipation for Carnarvons visit. It took almost three weeks for him to make the journey but finally he arrived.

The steps to the tomb were cleared once again and the duo made their way down into the gloom. Aware that nobody had walked this way for millennia, they came to a passageway leading to a door. Carter made a hole into the doorway and held a torch up to the gap.

Well, hissed Lord Carnarvon. Can you see anything?

At last, Carters eyes grew used to the darkness beyond and his voice trembled as he replied, Yes, wonderful things.

What they were about to find wasnt just Tutankhamuns final resting place, but a time machine. The journey that the duo had started would take them back over 3000 years to a time when an extraordinary civilization flourished, a time when the pharaohs ruled with absolute power.