A Time Traveller's Field Notes and Observations of ANCIENT EGYPT.pdf

8/10/2019 A Time Traveller's Field Notes and Observations of ANCIENT EGYPT.pdf

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This edition published in Great Britain in 2010 by Top That! Publishing plc,

Marine House, Tide Mill Way, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP12 1AP, UK

www.topthatpublishing.com

0 2 4 6 8 9 7 5 3 1

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by

any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Neither this book nor any part nor any of the illustrations, photographs or reproductions contained in it shall be sold or disposed

of otherwise than as a complete book, and any unauthorised sale of such part illustration, photograph or reproduction shall be

deemed to be a breach of the publishers copyright.

ISBN 978-1-84956-307-9

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, incidents and dialogues are products of the authors imagination or are used

fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

Creative Director Simon Couchman. Editorial Director Daniel Graham. Art Editor Matt Denny.

Written by Gordon Volke. Illustrations by Neil Reed and Robert Nicholls.

Consultant Editor Dr Neal Spencer.


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4

December 25th, 1915Happy Christmas to my new journal and friend.

White Christmas

We are having a white Christmas this year but without anysnow! The frost this morning was the thickest I have ever seen. It

covered everything with a freezing layer of dazzling white, turning

the leafless trees into icy skeletons and spiders webs into glittering

patterns of enchanting beauty. The breath from the horses

bringing people to church hung in the air like clouds.

Reverend Thomas, who has taken over Fathers duties whilehe is away at The War, came striding out of the vestry and slipped

over. I saw his legs go right up in the air in front of him before he

hit the ground. Fortunately, he was wearing so many heavy robes

that he did not hurt himself. He is such a boring man, I could not

help but laugh at his misfortune.

Mama and my twin sisters, Lydia and Kate, clubbed together

to buy me a special Christmas gift. It is a brand new set of artmaterials, complete with its own carrycase. I am thrilled with it.

Drawing and painting are very important to me. As well as being

my hobby, I use this method to illustrate my scientific findings

and keep a record of all the things I see and do.

Mama with Lydia and Kate.

The choirwere in finenging voice athis morningshurch service.

NOTE:I dont know Mamas age.She will never reveal it!The twins are almostseventeen. They think theyare very superior to mebecause I am only fourteen.


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Children from the village called after church this morning,

singing Christmas carols. It is an old custom that has been

carried out since the Middle Ages. Cook, as always, had

prepared some special treats for the carollers (plus one or two

extra for my younger brother, Tom, and myself). When I heardour little visitors singing these words, I felt the past

coming alive:

Talking of the past coming alive, I have a secret to reveal to you,

my new journal and friend. I will write more tomorrow. I am

fatigued from todays festive frivolities.

My ten-year-old brother,Tom. I have much

more in commonwith him than I dowith my sisters!

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head.The stars in the bright sky looked down where He lay,

The little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay.

This is my house inLittle Waltham. It lvery festive covered

thick layer of frost.


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6

December 26th, 1915Visiting the past is a highly dangerous business!

A New Adventure

Before he went off to France to serve as an army chaplain,Father used to conduct scientific experiments in the summer

house at the bottom of our garden. I used to help him. We are

both passionate about knowledge and learning everything we

can about this amazing world in which we live.

One day last summer, experimenting on my own in Fathers

absence, I found a strange machine, powered by a mysterious

green crystal, hidden in the shed adjoining the summer house. It

is a TIME MACHINE! Father built it and left it there for me to

discover when he went away. I have already used it to visitdifferent periods in the past and have recorded first hand what I

have seen. Tom comes with me on these exciting journeys. He

stumbled on the secret by accident, and the price of his silence is

to allow him to share my adventures. (I do not mind. He is a

bright and cheerful companion.)

Dearest Father and the summer house - my favourite place in the whole world.

The shwhich

time m

is sto

ImissFathermorethanwords

candescribe.

Morning


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Other than my little brother, however, I do not want

anyone to know that we have the ability to go time-travelling.

If news of Fathers amazing invention ever leaked out, its

unique knowledge-gathering powers would be lost forever.

A telegram arrived just after breakfast this morning, brought by

an army courier. My blood ran cold as we assembled in the

sitting room to read it. Was it one of those terrible messages that

every family dreads, informing them that their loved one had

been killed in action? Mercifully, no! Father was due to come

home on leave in the New Year, but the fighting has greatlyintensified and he cannot get away. We are all heartbroken.

They said this war would be over by Christmas. I fear they are

wrong and it will drag on for years.

Recruiting posters like this can be seen all overthe village. Men are joining the army in droves.

Soon, there will not be enough left at home towork on the land and in the factories. Women whave to do their jobs. That will upset a lot ofpeople, including Mama. She believes ladies shoulladies and do very little. I do not agree. Womenthe equal of men and should be treated as such!

A recruiting poster for the war.Tom keeps pestering me to go time-travelling again duringthese Christmas holidays. I promised him we would visit the

wonders of ancient Egypt. But, at the moment, I am having second

thoughts about this promise. Visiting the past is a highly dangerous

business and I am fearful something dreadful might happen!

WAR NOTE: Poppies are abundant on the killing fields that surround the trenches.Mortar shells expose the seeds, giving them the light that they need to germinate.

Afternoon

Poppi


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8

December 31st, 1915The greatest danger of time-travelling is getting stuck in the past.

New Years Eve

Uncle George is coming to visit us tonight. He is Fathers twinbrother (twins run in our family). The two of them look very

alike, but they have very different characters. Dearest Father is

gentle, rational and passionate about science. Uncle George is

lively and funny and mad about history. In fact, he is a professor

of ancient history at his university. I expect, as it is New Years

Eve, he will drink too much of Mamas finest port and have tostay overnight.

Here is a portrait of Uncle George. It makes you smile just to look at him. If hewere a nursery rhyme character, he would be Old King Cole.

REMEMBER!

Chargecrystal!

Morning

Uncle George


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The greatest danger of time-travelling is getting stuck in the

past. The crystal that powers the time machine comes from

another world. I imagined this would make its powers infinite,

but it is not the case. After being stranded on a previous time

travelling expedition, I learned that the crystal needs an electric

charge to maintain its potency. So, this afternoon, I will take

steps to make sure that Tom and I do not get caught out again.

This afternoon, I arranged a method for charging the crystal

using some of Fathers equipment. I am pleased to report that it

appears to be working. The pulsating green light emitted by the

crystal is growing brighter and stronger by the hour.

I have learned a great deal about the capabilities of the time

machine since my earlier explorations. By studying Fathersscientific notes I have compiled the following technical

instrument instructions:

The circular disc must be turned to specify the following:MYA = Millions of Years Ago;BC = Before Christ (a date that

comes before the date of Jesus birth);AD = Anno Domini (a date thatcomes after the dateof Jesus birth).

This is the crystal. Father saw it fall to Earth one night andpicked it up from the ground next morning. Fully charged,it is immensely powerful. It can transport the timemachine through eons of time in a matter of seconds.

Midday

Earlyevening

Success!

Calendar dates within a specific year can be entered onthese smaller dials for date sensitive time travel.

Any location on Earth is described bnumbers latitude and longitude. S

these coordinatesthe larger dials

navigate to pregeographical lo

These number dials represent the year.


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Lydia and Kate were allowed to stay up and see in the NewYear, but I was banished to bed along with Tom. We were

deemed too young to stay up until midnight. If only they knew

what we get up to when we go time-travelling!

Uncle George came down to breakfast this morning looking

as if he had been run over by the omnibus that goes from the

village to town twice a week.Are you all right, Uncle George? I asked, mischievously.

I drank far too much of your mothers finest port last

night, he groaned.

Mama tried to change the subject by reading from the

morning paper. The article remembered the much-loved

poet, Rupert Brooke, who died in April last year.

With tears f illing her eyes, she recited thebeginning of his poem The Soldier:

If I should die think only this of meThat theres some corner of a foreign field

That is forever England.

Balderdash and piffle! There is nothing romantic about dying in

a war. It is horrible and sad and totally avoidable. I cannot

understand why our king, the German kaiser and the Russian

10

January 1st, 1916 - New Years DayWar is horrible and sad and totally avoidable.

Balderdash and Piffle!

Tomsnew kite.

I copied picture

poet RupBrooke fthe newsp

HappyYear

The front line.


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tsar cannot get together and sort out their differences instead of

expecting millions of ordinary people to die on their behalf.

Theyre all part of the same family, after all!

By late morning, Uncle George had recovered sufficiently to

take Tom kite-flying on Old Oak Hill. Then he made a date tomeet me at the summer house after lunch.

I have something to show you, he whispered, mysteriously.

It was a beautiful Egyptian artefact, a model boat made out of

wood and complete in every detail.

It was found in a tomb, explained Uncle George. People in

ancient Egypt believed they needed things from this life to help

them in the next. This boat would have enabled the dead tojourney across the river to the sacred city of Abydos.

Why are you showing me this, Uncle? I asked, curiously.

I just thought you might be interested, he answered, casually.

Ive been made Head of Ancient Egyptian Studies at the

university and so I gain access to these magnificent treasures from

time to time.

As Uncle George departed this evening, he gave me a shabby

leather-bound book on ancient Egypt. I think Uncle George

knows about the time machine and is hinting it should be used to

visit ancient Egypt!

The ancient Egyptian model b

Uncle George isvery cunning. He

knows that a gentlehint can be far

more persuasivethan instruction!

Lateentry!


12/97

In the aftermath of the Christmas and New Year festivities thehouse was very still this morning. Lydia and Kate were still

recovering from their late night and Mama was visiting an

elderly friend, with Tom, in the village. I decided to take

advantage of the peace and quiet to set about reading the old

leather-bound book that Uncle George gave to me last night.

I took the book to the summer house and upon opening itwas surprised to discover a considerable amount of sand in

between the faded pages. Stranger still, the detailed descriptions

that adorn every page are in Fathers distinctive handwriting!

Over the next couple of hours, I pored over the contents

of Fathers book. Although I have only scratched the surface, the

level of detail is outstanding! (The book contains far more

information on ancient Egypt than the history books I use atschool.) Most interestingly, I have learned that Egyptian

civilisation lasted for 3,000 years. Thats over a thousand years

longer than our own civilisation! I had no idea that there were

so many interesting people and places to see.

We had school exams at the end of last term. According to my

report, I was outstanding at mathematics, science, history andgeography but poor at Latin. I hate Latin! I know it is the

key to the past and the language of scientific classification, but

somehow I cannot get my mind to cope with its stupid word

order and ever-changing word endings. Mama now expects me

to spend the remainder of the Christmas holidays revising my

Latin and trying to catch up. How can I escape?

12

January 2nd, 1916Egyptian civilisation lasted for 3,000 years!

Fathers BookWhywastheresomuch

sandin

thebook?

Midday

IhateLatin! Ireally

hateLatin

Evening

p g

p

Itmusthavetakenhim

years

tocompilethismanyfieldnotesandobservations.


13/97

Not to scale

A map of the River Nile, showing some of the important places built beside it.I copied it from Fathers book to make a nice page for my journal.

A Map of Ancient Egypt

Luxor

Aswan

Philae

Giza

Western Desert

Eastern Desert

Mediterranean Sea

Red Sea

Abydos

Valley of the KingsThebes Karnak

Alexandria

Abu Simbel

CairoHeliopolis

Memphisand Saqqara

UPPEREGYPT

N

S

W

LOWEREGYPT

The River Nile


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14

With Toms constant nagging, my own aversion to Latinrevision and a new-found desire to know more about ancient

Egypt, I have made up my mind to go time-travelling again!

1. Be prepared for visiting a strange environment. I shall need food, water,camping equipment and many other items essential for survival.

2. Keep a record of everything I see. Fathers invention gives me unique accessto the past. I will be experiencing history at first hand. I must preserve allmy findings in the form of notes, sketches and paintings so I can discussthem with Father when he returns.

3. Make sure Tom and I always get back safely!4. At all times, everything must be kept secret!

The time machine is fully equipped, the crystal is pulsating like a

tiny green star and Tom is strapped into his seat. So this is it!

Ancient Egypt, here we come!

January 3rd, 1916

Shopping reminder :

It is the twins birthday soon and I must buy them both a decent present I completely forgot last year!

First light

Time Travel - The Golden Rules

3.05pm

Foodprovisions:Christmascake,tinnedmeat,chocolate,biscuits(assorted),water,tinnedsoup,

driedfruit.

Kit items:

Art materials Matches Rope Tent Tin opener Compass Mallet

Water canteen Tinderbox Lamp Fuel Penknife Cooking pot Emergency flares

AmIfollowingFathersfootsteps


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The First Journey

to Ancient Egypt2648 BC

Notethelong,falsebeardhewearsonhischin.Itisasignofhiskingship.


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16

Day 1, Saqqara, 2648 BCToday we witnessed the final stages of construction of the very first pyramid.

Djosers Step Pyramid

We landed with a BUMP on the outskirts of a place calledSaqqara in the year 2648 BC. After concealing the time machine

with a wigwam framework of large palm leaves, Tom and I both

wanted to witness the final stages of construction of the first

great Egyptian monument, the Step Pyramid.

The scene before us as we approached the

pyramid construction site was awe-inspiring!Thousands of people were toiling

together, pulling ropes and sliding

wooden rollers under enormous

blocks of limestone to move them

across the sands.

Field Notes & Observations:The Egyptians are willing workers.Tom and I watched in amazement asthe great lumps of stone weremoved about by sheer humanstrength and determination.

Ibis birds

re abundantin ancientEgypt.

A shaduf -an early Egyptian

lifting device.

MYSTERYNOTE:

The

landing

dislodge

dapiece

ofpaper

tuckedawayinanookoft

hetimemac

hine.I

tread:

Rememberyoucannot

change

thecourseof

history

!an

dwaswri

ttenin

Father

shandwri

ting.

ApproximatePyramid

Dimensions:

Height:60metres

Area:121x109metres

Workers building the enclosure wall thatwill eventually surround the pyramid.


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Day 7, Saqqara, 2648 BCOh, how foolish can you be! Tom and I travelled back toancient Egypt wearing our everyday clothes. As soon as we

stepped out of our time machine, we stood out like sore thumbs!They do not like outsiders here, so we were soon arrested by the

Pharaohs soldiers and sent to work on the pyramid site!

Despite being prisoners, we are not being badly treated.

They want us to work hard, so it is not in their interest to starve

us or beat us. During rest periods, I have managed to sketch this

picture of the construction site.

The pyramid is being built for King Djoser. He is a rich and

powerful pharaoh and this is to be his tomb when he dies. The

person in charge of this massive project is a man called Imhotep.

According to Fathers book, hes a genius a royal official, a

doctor, a priest, a far-seeing philosopher and, above all, a

brilliant architect.

We must try tescape but thaeasier said than

I amworrieTom

only a thes

hours in theare mhim

The Step Pyramid

Addappropriate

attire togoldenrules

oftimetravel.


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18

Mercifully, we were sent to work inside today. We weregiven the job of clearing up after the stonemasons, who are just

adding the finishing touches to a huge statue of Pharaoh Djoser.

It was no fun sweeping up the choking dust and rubble, but at

least it was cool. Tom brightened visibly out of the glaring heat.

No wonder this country worships Re,the sun, as its chief

god. It is an all-dominant presence. Either side of the Nile, theexpanses of burning, arid desert go on for miles and miles. It is

only the flooding of the river every spring and summer that

allows Egypt to exist at all. The floodwater leaves behind a rich

deposit of mud and silt, which keeps the valley fertile and allows

a wide variety of crops to be grown.

Unlike my sisters, who eat very little in order to preserve

their hourglass figures, I am very fond of my food. Cook says Iam her best customer. Lydia and Kate say I am a glutton and a

dumpy little thing. Whoever is right, I am on a prisoners diet

now and growing thinner by the day. But there is a good side to

this sad state of affairs. The shackles around my wrists, used to

restrain me overnight, are becoming looser as I lose weight.

Soon, I shall be able to slip my hands out of them and escape

like that man, Harry Houdini, whom Uncle George so oftenmentions.

I saw Imhotep, the pyramid architect, today. He was pacing

up and down along one side of his pyramid, deep in thought and

looked very agitated. I wonder what problem is troubling him?

Day 18, Saqqara, 2648 BCToday we had some relief from the burning Egyptian sun.

The Statue of Djoser

The donkey isn importantad carrier inncient Egypt.

y

g

onsunnysitesthroughouttheregion.

Blue LotusAbundant inwell-drainedareas. Theshape and

rm of thesebeautifulflowers

remind meof Cooksdumplings!

Papyrus: The ancient Egyptians use this tall plant to make paper.It grows on the banks of the River Nile.

p

foliagelikethesupportingribsofanumbrella.

Ancient EgFlora


19/97

My fellow workers are amazed by my ability to draw and paint

the things around us. Although we cannot understand each

others language, they point and smile excitedly at my pictures. I

would like to give them some as keepsakes, but I barely have

enough time and energy to do these for my journal.

There is an abundance of plants and flowers in the areas close to

the Nile. If my dwindling energy levels permit I will attempt to

identify and illustrate the most common species for my journal.

The River Nile is the lifeblood of ancient Egyptian civilisation.The yearly flooding enabled farmers to grow crops and plants close to its banks.

Day 19

Day 22

Stonemasons at work on thelife-sized statue of King Djoser.

Interesting Fathers b

says that o90% of E

is deser

Statue of King Djoser.


20/97

Ithink Imhotep is having trouble positioning the topmost layerof his pyramid. Earlier today I saw him squinting upwards with

his hands shielding his eyes. He looked very frustrated. I do not

think he can see the summit clearly.

Unfortunately, we are working outside again now and poor

Tom is visibly wilting in the heat.

Wish Id never mentioned going time-travelling, he moaned.I want to go home to see Mama and Bruno (our dog) again.

Clearly, I shall have to resort to desperate measures tonight.

I just hope what I have in mind will work.

It worked! We are both free. Here is what happened

In the middle of the night, when our guards were asleep, Imanaged to wriggle out of my shackles in the way I had hoped.

Taking my field glasses from my bag, I sneaked away and

hid behind one of the huge stones until the sun came up

next morning.

Imhotep appeared soon afterwards, peering up at the top of

the pyramid again. Summoning all of my courage, I walked over

to him, bowed and gave him the field glasses. At first, he did notknow what to do with them. So I showed him. When he looked

through them properly for the first time, I have never seen

anyone look so amazed! He literally jumped for joy at being

able to see distant objects so clearly and hugged me as if I was

his daughter.

20

Day 23, Saqqara, 2648 BCI shall have to resort to desperate measures tonight!

Escape!

Lateafternoon

FieldglassessaveTomandmefromalifeinshackles!

Day 25, Saqqara, 2648 BCHollyhock

Mandrake

Safflor

Delphinium

More ancientgyptian Flora:


21/97

Seizing my opportunity, I led him to the prisoner compound

and pointed to my brother. Imhotep understood immediately what

I wanted. He ordered the guards to free Tom and took us both to

the pharaohs court. Having worked for weeks as prisoners, we

are now living a life of luxury as guests of King Djoser.

This is the second time I have drawn and painted this scene. King Djoser greatly admired the firstpicture and demanded that I give it to him. He seems to be very impressed by my artistic skills.

This is a picture of the royal gardens, which are beautiful.Tom has recovered his health already and I am putting on weight again.The food here is delicious, especially the honey cakes!

King Djoser

Fig trees are plentiful inroyal gardens and attract

local baboon populationThe animals bare bottomsend Tom into hysteri


22/97

The ancient Egyptians are very fussy about being clean andsmelling sweet. Almost every day, a servant brings us freshly

laundered clothes and scented oils, which we have to rub all over

our bodies. I think this is lovely, but Tom is not so keen. He says

it is very girly.

Pharaoh Djoser has not been seen for the last few days. I

imagine he is busy attending to state business or could be awayinspecting his army.

My brother and I are really enjoying our new luxurious

lifestyle. It is like staying at a top class hotel on permanent

holiday. However, when we do decide to go home, we cannot

arrive back in England wearing Egyptian robes. Our modern

clothes are dirty, so I am going to wash them today

and then store them in the time machine, ready for oureventual departure.

I had the most terrifying ordeal that took me completely by

surprise. I went down to the River Nile with our dirty washing.

Looking around, I wondered why it was only men doing the

same thing either side of me.

22

Day 33, Saqqara, 2648 BCA terrifying ordeal took me completely by surprise!

The Beast

Evening

Morning

Tomssocksremainunwashed.

Hewilljusthavetowearthem

homedirtyandsmelly.Iam

notgoingneartheriveragain!

Theystink!

TodayIhavehadaluckyescape!

The jacontafragrathat Tdis


23/97

I soon found out! Just as I was rinsing my dress, a dark

shape appeared in front of me. It was a huge crocodile! The

beast reared up out of the water, opened its terrifying jaws and

made a lunge for me. Luckily, I pulled back just in time and the

creature missed me. I picked up a sharp stick and poked thecrocodiles nose with it, driving the creature back into the river.

It submerged with a snort of anger and rage. Now I know why

the men do the washing in this country!

When I returned to the royal palace, I was shaking with fear.

I could not get the terrifying image of the crocodiles jaws out of

my mind. So I have illustrated the scene. I have always found

that painting is the best way to clear my memory of something

really dreadful.

The beast that attacked me was over 5 metres long. Fathers book states that Nile crocodiles arefamed for their ferocity and eat animals much bigger than themselves and human beings! Thecrocodiles method of hunting is to lay submerged and motionless, just breathing through the nostron the top of its snout, and then rear up to snatch its prey, which it drags back underwater anddrowns.This species is typically 3.5 metres in length, but can grow to be 6 metres!

A Nile crocodile.


24/97


25/97

Have the feeling I am being followed by the Pharaohs

soldiers. They seem to be keeping an eye on me. I cannot

understand why. Perhaps it is time for us to leave?

In the middle of the night, I was seized and taken away fromTom. I do not know what is going on and I feel very frightened.

The mummified body of Pharaoh Djoser was brought to his

pyramid today. So was I! It would seem that the King wants me

to serve him in the Afterlife!

I have been walled up alone in a barren, torch-lit room with

my paints and other meagre possessions. Obviously, I am to bethe Pharaohs court artist for all eternity. I have precious little

water in my canteen and I feel thirsty already.

Spent all night shrieking and banging on the door. Nobody

answered. Nobody came.

Discovered and ate the (now melted) chocolate that I

packed in my provisions and finished the last of my water.

Slept fitfully for a few hours. Have woken up feeling slightly

stronger and determined not to give in! I shall keep myself

occupied for as long as I possibly can, recording in my journal

every detail of my imprisonment. Maybe, when the tomb is

excavated in the far distant future, people will learn about the

overwhelming vanity and cruelty of a man who thinks he is a god.

Oh, what I would give for a drink of Cooks home-made

lemonade. It is cloudy grey and bites the back of your throat!

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6


26/97

There is nothing to draw in my place of imprisonment. So, topass the time, I have copied a Book of the Dead scene from

Fathers book and made notes as to what it all means. While

studying Fathers notes I made the life-prolonging discovery

of an ornate jug, half-filled with water. I presume this was

intended for me to use to mix my paints in the Afterlife.

26

Funeral Week: Day 7, Saqqara, 2648 BCI wonder if I shall face the final judgement of Osiris?

Lord of the Underworld

This figure is Anubis, the God of Death. Hehas the head of a jackal. He takes people whohave died to face the judgement of Osiris.

The sinner is eaten by thisterrifying creature, Ammut the

Gobbler. He is part lion, partcrocodile and part hippopotamus. AmmGob

Anubis Judgement scales

IMPORTANTNOTE:ThescenethatIhaveillustrated

isnotfromthisperiodinEgyp

tianhistory(pyramidswereneverdecoratedwithsuch

pictures

).Thesceneis

from

the

Boo

kof

the

Dea

dand

wascopiedon

topapyrusro

llsan

dplacedin

the

tom

bsofwealthypeop

lea

thousand

years

fromnow.A

san

artist,

Iwou

ldhave

liked

tovisit

this

high

lydecora

tiveperiodin

Egypt

spast.


27/97

Every weighing is recorded by Thoth,the Record Keeper, who has the head

of an Ibis bird.

I must leave this entry unfinished. I cannot paint or write any

more because I feel so tired and weak. My head is pounding and

I have finished the last of my discovered water. I wonder if I

shall also face the final judgement of Osiris?

Osiris is Lord of the Underworld. He decides whethersomeone should be allowed to enter paradise or not.

The judgement is made by weighing the dead persons heart against a feather on the scales.If the heart is lighter, the person has not sinned and enters paradise. But if it is heavier,it is tainted by sin and a terrible fate awaits !

Osir

Thoth


28/97

28

Funeral Week: Day ???What shall I draw for my final picture?

Goodbye World

People say that when you fall over a cliff or drown in a lake,your whole life flashes in front of your eyes. Sitting here on my

own in total silence, my life has passed in front of my eyes at a

snails pace! For hours, I have thought about my family, my

friends, my work, my passions and the future I will no longer

have. I shall miss them all dreadfully.

My mouth and throat feel as dry as the desert surrounding the

Nile. And my stomach keeps gurgling like water running out of

the bath. Here is what I would like to eat and drink:

1. Cooks Sunday lunch with lots of roast potatoes and gravy2. Treacle pudding and custard

3. Cheese and biscuits4. A jug of ice-cold water or a cup of tea. No, sixteen cups of tea!

HopethatTomisgettingonokwithoutme.

Never has my home seemed

so far away as it does at thismoment. I would give anythingto be there now!

Home, sweet home.


29/97

Itisnofunplayingnoughtsandcros

ses

onyourown.

I have finished my final sketch and the torches that light my

final resting place are starting to fade. I do not have the strength

to do any more. My head is aching as if it is being hit by a

hundred hammers. I am going to lie down and sleep.

Goodbye, dearest Journal. You have remained my friend and

confidante right to the end.

Goodbye, sweet world.

What shall I draw for my final picture?I know, I will try to finish a picture of

Osiris. Perhaps my efforts will help me topass into paradise after the judgement.

My lastentry

H.Gray

OurFather,whichartinHeaven,hallowedbethyname;thykingdomcome;

thywillbedone,inEarthasitisinHeaven.

Giveusthisdayourdailybread.Andforgiveusourtrespasses,asweforgivethemthattrespassagainstus.

Andleadusnotintotemptation;butdeliverusfromevil.Forthineisthekingdom,thepower,andtheglory,

Foreverandever.Amen.

Osiris

NOTFAIR!

No

Wm

Help me!


30/97

My ordeal is over! I was saved at the eleventh hour! Here ishow it came about ...

I lay on the cold stone floor, barely conscious, waiting

for oblivion. Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my chest. In my

dehydrated, dream-like state, I thought it was Anubis searching

for my heart so he could take it to be weighed! Then I came

round a little and realised that I was being prodded by a long

stick. Thank God! Toms smiling face was staring at me through

a small, secret panel in the ceiling and he was lowering down a

rope ladder!

Jumping up, I seized the ladder and began climbing towards

my little brother. It was hard work, especially in my exhausted

state, but I found the energy of a madman. The secret panel was

just big enough to crawl through and Tom helped to drag me to

the other side. We then made our escape down a narrow tunnel

that led to the outside world.

Imhotep had helped Tom to plan and conduct the rescue.

He was waiting anxiously behind a pillar as we emerged from

the pyramid. He returned my field glasses and gave us both a

hug to say goodbye. Despite his high rank, he could not be seen

to be obstructing the will of the Pharaoh.It was all plain sailing after that. Under the cover of

darkness, we made our way to the time machine, which nobody

had touched. We changed our clothes, set the dials and here

we are, back in the present once again.

30

January 3rd, 1916

Saved at the eleventh hour!

Saved!

Lateafternoon

Thetimeanddateinthepresenthavenotchandespitethefactthatw

havebeengonefornearly

fourmonths.


31/97

Bruno was there to greet us when we emerged from the shed

behind the summer house, with the wall clock showing 3.06 pm.

His tail wagged so hard, I thought it would fall off. It is so lovely

to see him again. He is a symbol of home.

This is Bruno.

I felt very ill after my near-death experience in the Pharaohs

tomb, so Mama has ordered me to bed for a couple of days. I am

to be built up by Cooks finest cooking and do no Latin revision.

Oh, joy of joys!

Sitting up in bed, looking through Fathers book, I realise we

have experienced only a tiny fraction of ancient Egypts long and

colourful past. When I have recovered, I think Tom and I mustreturn for another visit. It cannot possibly prove as perilous as our

recent adventure.

It is the twins birthday soon. If I had a shilling for every time

Mama has reminded me to get them a present, I would have

enough money to buy them something really expensive!

Evening

IMPORREME

TOBTWI

BIRTHPRESE


32/97

I plan to buy the twins a present today and get it wrapped up.

Otherwise, I will not hear the last of it from Mama. Fortunately,

the omnibus goes from the village square to town this afternoon.

My trip to town turned out to be a total fiasco and through

no fault of my own. My Aunt Harriet and Cousin Millicent were

there! They are the most objectionable human beings evercreated and I cannot abide to be in their company. This is what

happened:

Saw them approaching down the high street. Tookevasive action, ducking down a dark alleyway. Nearly fell head-first into an open dustbin.

Spent a very unpleasant half an hour wandering the

narrow backstreets and grubby passageways of town. Finally, Istumbled out onto the high steet only to find my relatives

coming straight towards me again!

Dived into a milliners shop to avoid meeting my ghastlyrelatives. The sales lady was very pushy and tried very hard tosell me a hat. It was a pink creation that looked like a strawberry

blancmange on my head. I escaped to the nearby department

store and who should walk through the doors two minuteslater but my aunt and cousin!

32

January 6th, 1916An encounter of the worst kind!

Fiasco

Morning

Evening

YUK! - The awful hat

hat I tried on.

WhydoIfinditsodiffi

cultto

buypresentsformysi

sters?

resent ideas:

Hat?

Scarf?

Chocolates?

Jewellery?

?????

Gloves? Make-up?

Theatretickets?

Book?

An o

traveour vthe

townwee

drivecheerfcalled

and cfor

retur


33/97

The next hour was spent playing hide-and-seek inside the

store. At one point, I thought I had time to buy the twins a

pretty headscarf each, but Aunt Harriet and Millicent appeared

from the lift and I had to abandon the purchase.

When the shop closed at 5.30 pm, I still had not boughtanything suitable. Mama will be most upset when she discovers I

have nothing for Lydia and Kate for the second year running.

The odious pair followed the omnibus home in their

ridiculous motor car. I almost died with embarrassment when

they overtook us, honking their horn as if they owned the road!

To make matters even worse, they have come to visit! I had

better go now as Mama is calling for me to come and entertainMillicent. (Latin revision would be preferable!)

Aunt Harriet and Millicent. Why do I dislike them so? Because they aresnobbish and self-centered. Their only concern is to feel superior to other peopleat every opportunity. It is a trait I cannot abide!

Aunt Harriet

Cousin Millicen


34/97

Mama was not satisfied with burdening me with my cousin allevening. She erected a camp bed in my bedroom and invited

Millicent to spend the night with me too. Mama means well. She

thinks I spend too much time on my own. But I would rather

share my room with a baboon than my cousin.

Feigning tiredness, I switched the light off early and went to

sleep. This was a big mistake. I had a vivid nightmare about myterrifying experience in King Djosers tomb. More importantly, I

appear to have talked in my sleep.

When I awoke Millicent was upon me in a flash.

What machine were you talking about? she asked, sharply.

Ive no idea, I lied.

Anubis is an ancient Egyptian god. What made you dream

about him?Uncle George was here at New Year, I answered, a bit

more truthfully. He aroused my interest in the subject.

Sounded like a very real dream to me, she commented.

Anyone would think you had been there in person!

Dont be so silly, Millicent, I said, turning over and going

back to sleep.

I thought the matter was closed. But, earlier this morning, Ifound my nosy cousin had borrowed the key to the summer

house and was snooping around inside. A most unexpected turn

of events saved the day. A huge scorpion, which must have

travelled back with us from Egypt, crawled out from under the

shed door. Millicent took one look at it and fled, screaming.

34

January 7th, 1916I would rather share my room with a baboon!

My NightmareThe wretched campbed that affords Millicenta place to sleep.

Mid-morning

IMPORTANTNOTE

:Incase

Millicentgives

thegam

eaway,

Toman

dIhave

decidedtoresume

our

time-

travellingas

soonaspossib

le.W

earegoing

tosee

the

Great

Pyramidat

Giza.


35/97

I hate you and your revolting scientific work!

she shrieked. I caught the scorpion and put

it carefully into a small, makeshift

vivarium. I will return it to the

desert as soon as we return toancient Egypt.

Tom frightened the life out of me tonight. I looked into his room

at bedtime to make sure he was ready to leave for Egypt at first

light next morning. The room was in complete darkness and I

thought Tom was asleep. Suddenly, he switched on the new

flashlight Mama had given him for Christmas. He shone it

upwards from under his chin, illuminating the ghastly gurning

face he was pulling. He looked hideous! I screamed out loud and

Mama came running along the landing to see what was wrong.

We apologised for disturbing her and she told us both to get into

bed immediately.

Bring that flashlight with you tomorrow, I whispered

to Tom, as Mama closed her bedroom door. It might come

in useful.

What do you think I wanted it for? Tom replied.

0.00 pm

The scorpion is the most ancienttype of arachnid and is revered inancient Egypt. The one that travelledback with us is very docile due tothe change in temperature.

Tom is so proud of his flashlight, he asked me todraw a picture of it in my journal. This is thelatest invention from America. It has electricbatteries in the tube and a small electric bulbat the front. Mama calls it a torch.

Toms Flashligh

This is the scorpion thatpreserved our priceless sec


36/97

36

My Experiences

in Giza2475 BC

Field Notes & Observations: There is a network of canals linking the River Nile to the site of thegreat pyramids. These man-made waterways would have been essential for transporting heavybuilding materials closer to the construction sites.

The first canals in Britainwere built in the 16thcentury. I find itamazing that the ancientEgyptians managed this

engineering feat fourthousand years earlier!


37/97

We set the dial for 2475 BC on January 8th at 5.47 am and, amatter of seconds later, found ourselves near the site of the

Great Pyramid at Giza. We had landed in a hollow surrounded

by sand dunes which suited my little scorpion friend admirably

(and perfectly concealed the time machine from passers-by). It

scuttled off and disappeared without even a goodbye wave of its

powerful pincers.In the early morning sunshine, the Great Pyramid was a

magnificent sight.

Do you want to paint this scene, Netty? asked Tom.

Id love to, I replied.

Good! he said, lying down on the sand dune and closing his

eyes. Ill take a nap. I went to sleep very late last night!

Pyramids were developed from low-rise mud brick tombs called

mastabas. King Djoser created the first pyramid by placing six

mastabas of decreasing size one on top of another. (Tom and I

visited the resulting Step Pyramid during our f irst expedition to

ancient Egypt.) The Great Pyramid is the greatest example of

pyramid architecture in the world. Such was the difficulty of

building the largest-ever pyramid that the feat was neverrepeated on such a grand scale.

Day 1, Giza, 24 75 BCThe whole place looks like one of those colourful picture postcards.

Arrival in Giza

Earlymorning

Tom

returnstowscorpion

natenviron

NotesfromFathers

book

FOLLOWING IN FATHERS FOOTSTEPS:As with my previous time-travelling expeditions, I feel sure that I am followingin Fathers footsteps. His book on ancient Egypt contains information that is notyet known in our time and contains detailed records of buildings that have notbeen discovered or excavated in 1916!


38/97

38

I am grateful to Tom for giving me time to complete this sketchand the accompanying notes.

The Great Pyramid is the one on the right. It was built for a

pharaoh called Khufu and is often called The Pyramid of

Khufu. According to Fathers book, it covers an area of nine

acres! Unlike the Step Pyramid we visited previously, this

pyramid has smooth sides. It is one of the most amazingbuildings I have ever seen in my life.

Pyramids were built to protect thebodies of the pharaohs buried inside them.

Midday

Khafres Pyramid Dimensions:Height: 143.5 metresArea: 215 x 215 metres

Menkaures Pyramid Dimensions:Height: 66.5 metresArea: 102 x 104.6 metres

Khafres Pyramid.

TheGreatPyramidcontainsmorethantwo

millionlimestoneblocks.

Cap stone.

Menkaures pyramid.

Day 1, Giza, 24 75 BCThe pyramid of Khufu.

The Great Pyramid

Khafres causeway.


39/97

The pyramids of Khafre and Menkaure are to the left. These two

pharaohs were Khufus sons (or possibly one was a grandson).

The three pyramids face the rising sun and were intended to be

stepladders to the stars. These pharaohs believed that when

they died they would travel upwards from their pyramids and

join Re, the sun god.

Khufus pyramid took thousands of labourersover twenty years to build. It is the largest of

all the pyramids and is one of the SevenWonders of the Ancient World.

Great Pyramid DimensionHeight: 146 metresArea: 230 x 230 metres

The burial pyramids ofKhufus three chief wives.

The Great Pyramidof Pharaoh Khufu.

SPECIAL NOTE: Khafre built his pyramid (the one in the middle) on high groundto make it look bigger than his fathers pyramid (The Great Pyramid).

The area surrounding the Great Pyramid is dominated by gridded streets of stone mastaba tombs.


40/97

Just as I was putting the finishing touches to my notes andillustration of the Great Pyramid, three men raced around the

corner and almost knocked Tom and I over.

Theyre in a terrible rush, commented Tom.

I have a feeling they are up to no good, I added.

We watched the f leeing men disappear in the direction of the

Sphinx (another famous landmark on this site) and witnessedone of them drop something in the sand. It was a little bag. We

picked it up and found it contained a beautiful f inger ring.

Finders keepers, eh Netty? said Tom with a grin.

Certainly not, I replied, snatching the bag out of his hand.

Those men are tomb robbers and this is stolen property. It must

be returned at once!

With that, I marched my protesting little brother straight overto the Great Pyramid. A guard stood in the entrance, holding a

spear. I expected him to look pleased that the amulet was being

handed back, but instead he acted very strangely. Putting his

fingers to his lips, he ushered us into a small room and indicated a

low door with a dark passage beyond. Then he left us alone.

That guards a traitor, said Tom. Hes working for the

tomb robbers.Youre right, I agreed. Because we showed him this stolen

ring, he thinks were part of the gang!

Trembling with fear, we ducked through the low door and

crept down a dark passage that led deep into the pyramid.

40

Day 1, Late Afternoon, Giza, 2475 BCTom and I thwarted tomb robbers.

Tomb Robbers

NOTE:Fathers booksays the

finger ring isan amulet.These are

given topeople in thislife to wearin the next,ringing themgood luck.

Finger ring.


41/97


42/97

42

An Unplanned Expedition

to Deir-el-Medina1440 BC

Tom has gone off to play with a boy, about his age, called Paheri. This has left meplenty of time to draw and paint this bustling place.


43/97

Day 1, Deir-el-Medina, 1440 BCOn this trip I hope to observe and learn about normal Egyptian people.

Everyday Egyptians

Returning to our time machine, Tom and I felt very pleasedwith ourselves. I set the dial for 1916 AD and then strapped

myself into my seat. We took off in the normal way, and I sat

back to watch the dial whizz round at breakneck speed.

Somethings wrong, sis! gasped Tom. The dials turning at

a snails pace. At this rate, it will take weeks to get home!

Eventually, the numbers stopped turning altogether and welanded with a THUMP in 1440 BC. I jumped out of my seat and

looked at the dial.

No wonder the dials not working properly, I shrieked.

Its full of sand!

In Giza, the time machine was surrounded by dunes, so it

was not surprising that some sand had got into the dial

mechanism. Tom and I took it in turns to blow the sand out ofthe dial. When we were satisfied that it would work properly

again, we opened the door and went outside.

The time machine has landed on a rocky outcrop that is

strewn with large boulders. The boulders provide adequate

cover, so we did not have to worry about hiding the machine.

After setting up camp, we went on a short walk and

unwittingly stumbled across a village called Deir-el-Medina.What excited us about this place was that it was full of

ordinary ancient Egyptians. Having experienced the discomfort

of being pisoners and the luxury of the Pharaohs court, we now

hope to learn about everyday Egyptians.

Replenfood

provisio


44/97

44

Toms new friend, Paheri, insisted on taking us to meet his family.Although we could not speak to each other directly, we made

ourselves understood by a system of smiles, nods, hand gestures

and simple pictures. The family were very kind and gave us a

simple meal of bread, fish, fruit and water (we were also offered

beer, but I declined much to Toms disappointment!).

Afterwards, we learned each others names. The father is calledAmeny. He is a craftsman employed by the pharaoh to build

coffins. His wife is called Seniseneb, and the other children are

called Neferu and Ahmose. Neferu is only six and has her head

partly shaved so that her hair curls down on one side. Fathers

book says this is called the side-lock of youth.

Day 3, Deir-el-Medina, 1440 BCTheir special community is a haven of order and civilisation!

Egyptian Family Life

The Pharaoh, King Tuthmosis the Third, looksafter the residents because they are building histomb. Instead of making more pyramids,which take a long time and are easily brokeninto, the kings of Egypt are now hiding theirtreasure-laden, mummified bodies insidesandstone caves. Were in The Valley ofthe Kings!

Deir-el-Me

haveyettoseeanyoldpeopleduringmytimeinthevillage.

The sidelock ofuth hairstylea celebrationthe youth ofthe wearer.


45/97

Ahmose is fifteen, a young man in training to be a stonemason.

Like me, he is somewhat shy and awkward in company, so we

have not really spoken to each other yet.

After our meal, we were shown round Deir-el-Medina. It is a

busy little place, packed with other skilled craftsmen and their

families. They all seem very pleased to be living here. Their special

community is a haven of order and civilisation.

Ordinary ancient Egyptians do not wear fancy clothes. In

fact, they do not wear many clothes at all. The men just wear

kilts or loincloths and the women wear simple gowns made of

white linen. Young children wear nothing at all. Good job Mama

is not here to see it!

This is a happy place. The families in Deir-el-Medina have

work, food and each other for company.

Seniseneb Egyptian famportrait.

Ameny

NeferuAhmose Paheri

Field Notes & Observations: The village is home to lots of skilled workmen, who are employed bthe pharaoh of the era, King Tuthmosis the Third. Men appear to be the head of the household, buthe women I have seen are not treated as second-class citizens as in many other countries(including my own!). The village does not have its own water supply or means of growing food.Everything is brought in for the residents on donkeys.

Typicclo

Tyfemgo


46/97

Ahmose went for a long walk with me today. We crossed thevalley to the tomb of King Tuthmosis the Third that he is helping

to build. This pharaoh has been very successful and has plenty

of money to spend on an elaborate burial chamber. He wants it

to be cut deep inside a mountain of rock, concealed from the

outside world for all eternity.

I have just related todays events to Tom. He sat up in his bed

opposite me, looking very concerned.

Youd better watch yourself, Netty, he said. Ahmoses

getting sweet on you. You dont want to end up a young

Egyptian housewife, do you?

Dont be so silly, Tom, I scoffed.

46

Day 5, Deir-el-Medina, 1440 BCTom thinks that Ahmose is getting sweet on me!

1.00 pm

Bedtime

Field Notes & Observations: The workmen are divided into two groups, those that work on the righthe Pharaohs tomb and those that work on the left. The men work for ten days and then have two off. Ameny conveyed to me that they only work for about six months of the year. They are not paiwages. Instead, they are given a house, food and clothing.

Typical Egyptian homes.

The empty hou


47/97

I hate to admit it, but Tom is right! There is an empty house at

the end of the street. Ahmoses parents took me to look at it

today. There was no point in this. The house is exactly the same

as the one they live in, so they must intend that we should live

there together. That is the equivalent to getting married inancient Egypt!

A family party is being planned for tonight. Tom was all set to

stay in the hope of getting some beer, but he changed his mind

when I told him he would be expected to wear eyeshadow and

make-up along with the other men. So we have decided to go

home. Rude though it seems, we will sneak away when everyoneis busy getting ready for the party.

Ahmose must have seen us leaving. He ran after us and reached

our time machine before we had a chance to depart. I could see

through the window that he was very upset and looked fearful of

our time machine, so I told Tom to abort take-off.

I opened the door and Ahmose stood there, his face all

crumpled up and his eyes brimming with tears. He thrust a thin

linen bundle into my hand and ran off in a cloud of dust.

This time, the dial worked properly and we returned to the

summer house in a matter of minutes.

This is what was in the bundle

given to me by Ahmose. It is pretty necklace, which heintended to give me as a weddgift. I cannot be seen wearing itSo what am I to do with it?

Day 7

Day 10Morning

My wedding gift.

Back home


48/97

48

Because we always arrive back in the present at exactly thesame moment we departed, it is still very early in the morning.

Tom has sneaked indoors to go to bed, but I am fearful of being

discovered if I try to do the same. So I intend to while away the

hours until breakfast by catching up on some of my drawings.

There! I have spent the last three hours working on a full colourpainting of the Sphinx. Actually, there are lots of Sphinx statues

in ancient Egypt, but this is the largest and is known as The

Great Sphinx.

January 8th, 1916My illustrative study of The Great Sphinx.

The Great Sphinx

There are secret tunnels under the Sphinx.

Ritbear

The fa

4 mewid

TheGreatSphinxguardsthethreepyramids

(Khafre,KhufuandMenkaurestombs)

behindit.

The Sphinx faces due east, so it lines up with the rising sun eachmorning. This makes it a holy place.

Over time the sphinx was buried deep beneathEgypts constantly shifting sand.

6.15 am

9.30 am


49/97

The sacredcobra.

The eyesare 2

metres wide.

The Sphinx will not be fully uncovered foranother nine years. This makes my sneakpreview even more special!

This picture shows the Sphinx as it waswhen I saw it.

Carved out of solid bedrock andenlarged with blocks of limestone,it is the largest statue in theancient world.

Built by Pharaoh Khafre, The GreatSphinx, at Giza, has the body of a lionand the head of a man.

MeasurementsofTheGreatSphinx:72metreslong20metreshigh


50/97

50

After breakfast I returned to the summer house to preparefor another time-travelling journey. Our last adventure had

been exciting and fun, and I was keen to make another

before the end of the Christmas holidays.

Having put the green crystal on charge again, I tidied out

the time machine and then unpacked the little rucksack that I

got for Christmas. Guess what I found? The finger amulet ringthat we tried to return! I must have stuffed it in my bag when

we became involved with the tomb robbers. Now I have two

Egyptian artefacts that I dont know what to do with!

Tom returned home with some bicycle oil he had bought in

the village.

Lets put some on the time dial, he suggested. It might helpthe numbers to spin round more smoothly.

As we lubricated the moving parts, we noticed a small f lap

that we had not seen before. We lifted it up to reveal a button.

Wonder what its for, Netty, murmured Tom.

Lets be scientific and find out, I replied, pressing it firmly.

The time dial clicked loudly and the right-hand number

wheel moved round once. A second press moved the nextwheel round and so on. There was also a plus and minus

lever above.

I know what this is for! I cried. Its a nudge button. We

can use it to move forwards or backwards in time by one, ten, a

hundred or a thousand years or any combination in between.

January 8th, 1916Cooks porridge has never tasted so good!

The Nudge Button

10.30 amMy

green rIt w

very usmy t

travadven

11.30 am

Myfavouriteporridgetoppingsare

brownsugaran

dhoney-yum

!


51/97

How does that help us? asked Tom.

It means we dont have to waste the crystals precious power

by coming home every time! I exclaimed, excitedly. We can stay

for longer in the past!

The omnibus was cancelled today, so I could not get into town to

buy essential supplies. This meant that I was forced to

trudge to the village shop. What was I going to tell Mr Givens,

the nosy shopkeeper, I wanted these

things for? Although it is unseasonallymild for this time of year I could hardly

say I was going camping in January!

Luckily, Tom was in the shop with his

friend, Daniel, buying sweets. He said

they were making a den and the stuff I

was buying was to stock it up. He can

be very quick when he wants to be, my

little brother!

At dinner, Mama asked me how I am getting on with my Latin

revision. I think she suspects I have not yet done any. She also

gave me a hand mirror and told me to keep it. Mama is hinting

that, unlike my older sisters, I do not take enough care with my

appearance. She is right. I am not the least bit bothered about the

latest fashions or what I look like. I have far more important and

interesting things to occupy my mind these days.

Tom was in his element today, playing with Daniel and

building dens in the nearby woods. I am not so happy.

Oh, for another taste of the blazing Egyptian sun!

January 9th, 1916

5.00 pm

The hand mirror that Mama gave me.

BedtimeIn conMr his wveryand her p

this

Thevillage


52/97

My latin revision hangs over me like a suffocating ghost, but Icannot bring myself to start the tedious task. Instead, I will

spend my time researching the picture symbols that the ancient

Egyptians use in their writing and on their buildings andsculptures. They are known as hieroglyphs.

52

January 10th, 1916

Morning

The discovery of the Rosetta Stone, in 1799, enabled scholars to decipher hieroglyphs.

a b c,k d f

g h i j l

m n o p q

r s t u,v,w y

HIEROGLYPH NOTES :I ve paired some decorative hieroglyphic signs with the modern letter soundsthey represent. Hieroglyphic writing is not like our alphabetic system as one sign often represents acombination of two or more consonants. Many other hieroglyphs were not spoken at all and only servedto clarify meanings.


53/97

Mama knocked on my bedroom door and told me the twinswere going to be opening their birthday presents at breakfast. I

had completely forgotten again. What could I give them? I had

nothing or did I? Suddenly, a brilliant idea flashed throughmy panic-stricken brain. I grabbed some coloured tissue paper

from a drawer and hurried down to the summer house. I had the

perfect presents for Lydia and Kate in my rucksack!

Lydias gasp of delight when she put on her delicate finger

ring was only outdone by Kates when she held up her ornate

Egyptian necklace.

Where did you get these, Henrietta? asked Mama.Lets just say I picked them up on my travels, I replied,

with a smile.

Here is what Lydias finger ring and Kates necklace looked like.

January 11th, 1916

Midday

ge

geeyemeeygeyeeme

god,soanything

resemblingitisholy.

Morning

Todays newspaper says that Mr Howard Carter, the well-knownarchaeologist, is still trying to raise funds to find the tomb of

Tutankhamen, the boy pharaoh, who is buried somewhere in

The Valley of the Kings.

We shall beat him to it! Tom and I are ready to go. We shall

meet the real king, face-to-face, before the day is out!


54/97

54

An Accidental

Adventure in Thebes1347 BC

The royal couple on their

ill-advised walkaboutthrough the streets.


55/97

Tom has joined the Boy Scout pack that has just been formedin the village. Now he does not want to do anything that is not

connected with Scouting! It took me quite a while to persuade

him even to come on this time-travelling journey.

Whether Toms mind was still running on matters

Scouting, or whether he just made a mistake, I shall never know.

The fact remains that, when I asked him to work the time dial,he set it for 1347 BC instead of 1327 BC. So we have arrived

twenty years too early, landing in the desert near the court of

King Akhenaten and Queen Nefertiti at Thebes. This pharaoh is

Tutankhamens father. The young man we have come to see has

not yet been born!

This pharaoh is very unusual and liked to break with

traditions of the past. He was certainly doing that as we arrived.Instead of remaining aloof in his palace, he had decided that he

and his queen should mingle with his subjects by walking

through Thebes. It was not a good idea! Crowds of excited

Egyptians surged forwards and threatened to overwhelm the

royal party.

Guess who saved the day by being prepared! Tom took a

an old policemans whistle from his rucksack and blew it hard,indicating that the crowd should move back. Nobody had ever

heard such a peculiar noise before and so obeyed

immediately, thinking Tom had some kind of magical

power. Toms actions saved the pharaoh and his

queen from being mobbed!

Day 1, Arrival at Thebes, 1347 BCThe young man we have come to see has not yet been born!

The King and Queen

Tomswhist

Tom insistedn bringing hisucksack filledwith various

bits andieces so that,to quote hisnew motto,

he willbe prepared.

g

yy

gy

Thiswillmakea

pleasantchangefromcam

ping

intheinhospitabledesert!

Them


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King Akhenaten is a splendid fellow! But there are many aspectsof his life of which I dont approve. He has more than one wife,

for example, and Queen Nefertiti just happens to be his favourite.

However, he is not a war-loving pharaoh. Quite the opposite.

He is a philosopher and art-lover with a gentle disposition. We

get on very well together, despite the fact that we cannot talk

directly. We communicate through the medium of my pictures.Akhenaten really is an unusual pharaoh. As well as changing

Egypts art style, he has completely reformed the countrys

religion and is about to move the capital from Thebes to a new

city some 480 kilometres upstream. These drastic reforms are not

going down too well with his subjects. I suspect it will all be

changed back when he is gone.

The King loves the fact that my pictures look just like thepeople or things they represent. Egyptian art is not like this.

For the past two thousand years, everybody and everything has

been shown sideways on. Akhenaten hates that. From now on,

the King has ordered that all images of himself and his court

should look natural. And he wants me to paint a special portrait

of Nefertiti.

Yesterday, at the bequest of the King, I spent all day painting a

portrait of the Queen, (a copy of which I made for my journal).

Akhenaten was so pleased with the picture, he took it straight to

his chief sculptor and demanded that a bust be made of it.

Day 5, Thebes, 1347 BC

He really is a very unusual pharaoh.

Art and Religion

Afternoon

Day 7morning

Present-day fact: This very same bust was excavated five years ago, in 1911!I distinctly remember that Uncle George was most excited by the disovery.

ng Akhenatenes unnatural ideways-on

Egyptian art.


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The day of the big move has arrived. The Pharaoh, his variouswives and children, and everyone in his huge royal court are

leaving Thebes in a grand procession.

The city of Akhetaten, to which everyone is going, is a brand

new settlement on the banks of the River Nile. Among many

other splendid features, it has a grand royal palace and a massive

statue of Aten the god that the Pharaoh wants everyone toworship to the exclusion of all the others. The pharaohs subjects

are not happy about this.

This entry in my journal is being made from the safety of our

time machine. How did we find it? It came about in the most

extraordinary way

Tom joined me at my roadside easel to say that a sandstormwas fast approaching. I did not take much notice, thinking it

would just pass by harmlessly, but a huge swirling sand cloud

came veering round the city walls and hit the procession. Total

chaos ensued! Everyone (including the Pharaoh) was forced to

take cover from the choking darkness.

As the sand clouds started to clear, Tom yelped with delight.

Look, Netty. Its back! he shrieked.The sandstorm had uncovered our time machine! Not

wasting another second, we ran to the machine and locked

ourselves inside. This time, I will work the time dial and move us

on twenty years to the latter part of Tutankhamens reign.

58

Day 12, Thebes, 134 7 BCThe grandeur of the procession made me realise just how rich and powerful the Pharaoh is.

A Grand Procession

7.00 am

Lateafternoon


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The Grand ProcessionAkhenaten is holding his hook and aflail. Along with his false beard anddouble royal crown, these are thesymbols of his kingship.

Field Notes & Observations on Thebes: Thebes is an ancient city on either side of the Nile near the modern town of Luxor. The main part of the city is situated on the east bank. The west bank houses all the royal tombs and is known as the city of the dead. It is the site of the famous Temple of Karnak. Not to be confused with Thebes in Greece, often mentioned in Greek literature.

Double royal crown False beard

Hook

Flail

Akhet

Maprelo


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60

NOTE: Ancient Egyptian hand mirrors were made of bronze and didnot give a very clear reflection.

Our Second Journey

to Thebes1327 BC


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With plenty of power still left in the crystal, it took less thanthree seconds to travel this tiny morsel of time. The time

machine is no longer in the desert outside Thebes. It is now

inside the city, hidden behind some trees in the garden of the

Pharaohs magnificent palace.

It was obvious from the busy preparations that were going

on that a big party or feast would be held later tonight.Servants were rushing in all directions with huge platters of

delicious-looking food, and a troupe of dancing girls were

practising their routine on the lawn. Through a window

brightly lit by f laming torches, we could see Tutankhamens

queen, Ankhesenamen, putting on her brightly coloured make-

up with the help of her handmaidens.

She doesnt seem very happy, whispered Tom, listening tothe young queens shrieks of annoyance and frustration.

Its that hand mirror shes using, I added. She cant see

herself properly in it.

Suddenly, I remembered the mirror that Mama had given

me before we left. It was in my rucksack. Taking it out, I

tiptoed into the dressing room, gave a polite curtsy and handed

the mirror to the Queen. Ankhesenamen squealed with delightas she saw, for the first time, exactly what her face looked like.

I was asked to stay at the royal make-up session and,

afterwards, Tom and I were invited to join the feast.

We had found our way in!

Day 1, the royal court at Thebes, 1327 BCAll done with mirrors!

Mirror Magic

Earlyevening

Whowouldhavethoughtthata

mirrorcouldprovetobesouseful!

Red andgrape va

ycamore figs.

nquet foodshat I saw:

Bread mfrom b

Pomeg

Dates.

DuckOryx

Goat

Gazelle

Melon

Cucumber

The

thatgave

Even by modern standards the banquet food was varied andimpressive to behold.


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I hate to appear smug, but my predictions about Akhenatensreforms all seem to have come true. The country has reverted

to its old religion; the capital has returned to Thebes and official

art is back to being sideways-on again. Tutankhamen is

responsible for these changes. As a result, he is a very popular

young pharaoh.

Tutankhamen is head of the Egyptian army. But all thefighting is done for him by his soldiers. Recently, they defeated

Egypts old enemy, the Hittites, in the north of the country. All

the new wall paintings show him leading his troops into battle,

but he never actually left the royal palace.

Tom and I had a fabulous time today! Tutankhamen went for a

days sport in the desert and he took us with him! Aftertravelling to the desert by camel, Tom tried his hand at archery.

The Pharaoh is very skilled with a bow and arrow, having

practised since he was a little boy.

Later in the day, Tutankhamen and his friends went ostrich

hunting. Im glad to say they did not catch anything. A chariot

race followed the hunt. Tom and I were with the Pharaoh. It was

incredibly exciting and we won by a whisker! The royal dogshad a wonderful time, racing alongside.

The day ended with a delicious feast in the moonlight with

musicians playing and singing.

This is the life!

62

Day 11, the desert, 1327 BCThis is the life!

Tutankhamen

Final entry

or the day

Thewarleaderwhonevergoes

towar!

First light

Thankthe osevadedhunttod

A stuancieEgyp

instrum

Bone Thi

instr

is playcast

Bronze cymbalsMade an awfulmetallic din!

FluteMade of wood and very melodic.

acred rattleThe discs inthe centrerattle whenshaken.


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Important note: Tutankhamens special advisor, a man called Ay,

has also had a hand in returning Egypt to its old ways. He is an

elderly official who has guided the boy pharaoh, helping him to

rule the country when he was too young to do it alone. Tom does

not like Ay. He says he looks shifty and is not to be trusted.From my point of view, Ay has always been very polite but I

know what Tom means. Maybe, having effectively been in power

for so long, he is jealous that Tutankhamen has come of age and

can now do the job himself?

Notes on Tutankhamen: Tutankhamen was born around 1342 BC in the new city of Akhetaten. His mother was called Kiya. She was King Akhenatens second-favourite wife. Enjoyed a happy childhood amid the splendour of the recently-built palaces and gardens. Became pharaoh at the age of nine.

Tutankhamen inpursuit of ostrich.


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This is very interesting. I looked up Tutankhamen in Fathersbook and there is very little information about the latter stages of

his life. It also says that his tomb has never been found. Maybe

Mr Howard Carter will succeed in unearthing this, in which

case a great deal will then be learned about the young pharaoh.

In the meantime, my journal will be the only accurate record of

Tutankhamens reign.

Tom has just arrived with some appalling news. He saw Ay push

the Pharaoh down a steep f light of stone steps!

I am numb with disbelief. Tutankhamen is dead! Everyone

thinks his fall was a terrible accident, but Tom saw what

happened he was murdered!

Tom sobbed his way through the night. I kept him hidden

behind my bed and gave him frequent hugs. I fear we are

now in great danger and must leave as soon as possible.

Tried to take advantage of all the wailing and lamenting going

on in the palace, but found our way barred by a soldier outsideour door. He pushed us roughly back inside without so much as

a smile. Is this normal behaviour at such a time or are we under

house arrest?

64

Day 17, the royal palace at Thebes, 1327 BCI fear that we are in mortal peril!

Murder!

2.00 pm

1 1.15 pm

8.15 am

Day 186.00 am

Midday

Mypictureof

MrHowardCarter.


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Decided to record in words and pictures exactly what

happened here last night. It may be the only way that future

generations will learn the truth.

Disturbing Notes & Observations :This is what the murder scene looked like according to Toms eyewitness account.He confirms it is accurate in every detail. We must make sure this picture isnever seen by Ay. It would be our death warrant. As it is, Tom suspects theevil councillor saw him witness the murder. The guard is still at the door,preventing us from leaving.

Is Ay proposing to murder us, too?


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Ay does know we share his terrible secret. He is keeping watchon us, twenty-four hours a day. Wherever we go, whatever we

do, there is always one of his soldiers not far away, following us

from a distance. There is no doubt about it Ay is after us. But

he cannot be seen to be after us, so he is biding his time.

Poor Ankhesenamen is devastated. She is still the queen, but

she cannot rule Egypt on her own. I know that there have beenfemale pharaohs before most notably a woman called

Hatshepsut, who successfully ruled the country for fifteen years

about a century ago. Unfortunately, Queen Ankhesenamen is not

dominant or forceful enough. She is gentle and loving. I really

dont know what is going to happen to her.

Ay is very cunning. Because he is an old man, his tomb in

The Valley of the Kings is ready and he has given it toTutankhamen. This makes him appear very generous to everyone

in the land except us! He allows us to witness all the elaborate

preparations for the boy pharaohs journey to the Afterlife, and

makes sure we are supervised at all times. We are in great danger,

but there is nothing we can do about it. It is very frightening.

This afternoon we were taken to the royal workshops to seeTutankhamens death mask being made. It is exquisite! Even Tom,

whose idea of something beautiful is a giant knickerbocker glory

ice cream, said it took his breath away. I asked if I could paint it

and, to my surprise, permission was granted. My picture can only

hint at the splendour of the real thing!

66

Day 25, Thebes, 1327 BCMy picture can only hint at the splendour of the real thing!

The Mask of Tutankhamen

Morning

Lateafternoon

Mustthinkofanescape

plan!


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Other things being buried with the boy pharaoh :Food and drink, lamps, jars, chests, beds, headrests, chairs, a beautifully decorated wooden throne, boardgames, necklaces and pendants, a bow and arrow, a rare iron sword, a chariot, boats of various sizes almost anything he would be likely to need as he travels to the next world!

Measurements:The mask is about

50 centimetres high andweighs around 10 kilograms.

The Mask of Tutankhamen.

The mask is made of solidinlaid with coloured glass asemi-precious stones. It wbe placed in the innermoscoffin in Tutankhamens to

The forehead of the mask includes a royal ura(a spitting cobra) and a vulture's hThese are symbols of the

guardian deities of and Upper Egy

Wadjet andNekhbe

Above the golden cheeks, the maskfeatures blue petals of lapis lazuli inimitation of the kohl make-upTutankhamen wore in life.


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A statue of theliving god, NetjerAnk. The Kingbelieved Netjer Ank

would help him inhis passage throughthe underworld.

Ecclesiastical chair.

Statue of Anubis.

68

This statue is a depiction ofTutankhamen in a papyrus boatin the role of Horus, son of theSun God. It is made of marbleand is covered in gold leaf.

Canopic jars.

Some of the treasures buried with Tutankhamen.The number and variety of valuable possessions that were buried withTutankhamen is breathtaking! I have drawn some of my favourites.

I hope to discuss the items with Uncle George when I return to the present.

Afterlife Provisions


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Golden throne.

Alabasterboat.

Abust of theSun Godemerging froma lotus flower.

The sarcophagus of KingTutankhamen. It held histhree coffins, one inside the

other. At each corner thefigures of the four goddessesSelket, Isis, Nephthys andNeith are depicted with wingsoutspread and arms circling thesarcophagus as if to protect the body of the king.

A gold-leafed statueof the GoddessMenkheret carryingthe body of KingTutankhamenwrapped in a shroud.

King Tutankhamroyal sceptre.

Gold-leafed falcon.


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Since the tragic death of her young husband, Ankhesenamenhas become very close to me. We have developed a system of

hand signs and sounds by which we manage to communicate

with each other quite successfully. The Queen showed me a

desperate letter she has written to a Hittite prince, asking him to

marry her and become pharaoh in Tutankhamens place. Ay will

never allow this to happen. He is not going to hand over hispower, especially to an enemy of Egypt!

Days 41-45, the Nile, 1327 BCThe river is the countrys great highway.

River Journey

Tom wentshing in thereed beds.He is reallynjoying thistrip and

ems to haveorgotten were not hererough choice!

QueenAnkhesenamfutureisevenmouncertainthanour

Cargo boat.

Fishinmade

papyree

70


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While Tutankhamens body is still being mummified, Ay has

started acting like the next pharaoh. Following several days of

official business, he has gone on a tour of his new kingdom,

travelling on the Nile from Upper to Lower Egypt. Tom and I

have been forced to go with him.

Note the farmer ploughing rich, dark soil on the riverThis is what is left every

when the floodwatersrecede. Wheat and baare the main crops

wheat for making and barley for mabeer. They also gpeas, beans and mother vegetables.

The River Nile is the countrys great highway. Boats of all shapes and sizes ply up and down it everyday. The wind from the north blows you downstream; the current carries you upstream.

The river teems with fish and other wildlife.Roast duck is an Egyptian luxury but youhave to catch one first!


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72

This is ghastly! Ay has decided to go hippo hunting today. On apositive front, our guard has now been lifted and Ay is being

really nice to us. Maybe he has decided that two visiting children

pose no threat to him and intends to let us go?

Ankhesenamen has accompanied us on this river trip. Ay

forced her to come and is being especially kind to her. Tom

reckons he wants to marry her in order to put his claim to bepharaoh beyond doubt. That is a ridiculous notion. He is nearly

three times the Queens age and also her uncle. No! The Hittite

prince will come and rescue her, you mark my words.

We are so stupid! We should have seen this coming. Ay had no

intention of letting us go. He was lulling us into a false sense of

security before doing his worst.The hippo hunt was frightful. The creature was a fully grown

male who is dangerous enough on his own. W

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