Desert Discovery.

Lesson Plan

Certainly it was a time of great change. My boyhood was spent with my father in his small studio at the back of the house. I would watch as animals of all kinds would leap out of the blank canvas; badgers, squirrels, foxes. If it existed in animal form my father could make it come alive. And I am grateful to him for that; he nurtured within me a love of art and, much to my mother�s chagrin, instead of completing chores, I would spend many afternoons drawing and painting beneath the bridge of the Thames. If I wasn�t engrossed in some artistic endeavor or other I could, undoubtedly be found loitering among the great works displayed at the South Kensington Museum.

As luck would have it, Lady Amherst of Hackney, a family friend at the time recommended me to the Egypt Exploration Fund. A gesture I am much grateful for. You have to remember, you see at the time there was no photography of any kind. Well rudimentary at best. If it was to be captured, the only ones to do so were artists like myself and my father. Over time and a few dealings in the depiction of artefacts I was sent, rather unwittingly I might add, to aid Percy Newberry in his excavation of the tombs at Beni Hasan in the Middle Kingdom. It was of course an honor and an exciting time for a young boy of 17. My later adolescence was spent among the relics of the forgotten world, diligently capturing the history of that enigmatic place. It was a time of great discovery, both historically and for me personally of course. I had time and an abundance of tools to focus on honing my craft.

I moved my way up as one tends to do as aptitude develops. I started to supervise excavations of my own. My soul fulfilled by the power of the past and the joy of potential discovery. The naivety of youth, you might say. But then, I found myself at the center of a ruckus with some French tourists. The French, I have to tell you can be downright bloody minded. And so I ruefully resigned.

It would turn out that this ordeal would seal my destiny in Egyptology. The rich, by and large, view the past as their plaything, a toy to be deciphered. And Lord Carnarvon, was no exception. Filled with tally-hos and affected manners, he offered to pay for my exploits. I remember it well. It was 1907. At 33, I finally had the opportunity to make some discoveries of my own. Who in their right might would refuse such a proposal? He would pay. And I would be free to explore.

I would spend the next 15 years chasing wild dreams of discovery to no avail. I thought many times of giving up. Returning home. The desert sun is a relentless predator and thoughts of the comfort of the London fog began to fill my sleeping hours.

And so, with the weight of failure swilling amongst the desert sands, I trudged heavily to the excavation site. Expecting nothing. Nothing except for more nothing.

It was 1922. I thought I was mid-dream at first. Lucidly, the tomb unfolded before us like an Aladdin�s cave of fairy tale and fable’s lost. My life�s work had manifested in this wonderful scene. Of course, with an uncovering like that, the world jolly well woke up. Momentarily. There were interviews, certainly. I had my five minutes and my name would be forever recorded in the history books. But in truth, my reality – my life changed very little. There is no fortune to be found in unearthing the vestiges of the past.

And so I would spend my remaining years cataloguing and collecting, working with various museums and curators. It wasn�t as fulfilling as being out among the swilling sands – but still, it was the natural progression of these things. Accept it I must. And so there I was. An annal amongst the annals.

In the annals of time, the diagnosis came in a whispered, �I�m sorry�. As I walked home through the crowded, muddied London streets, the lingering fog reminded me of all that I was not. My discovery was not mine to claim. A footnote. Tutankhamun would live long after I was dead. And indeed, I would be dead soon.

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Answer!

1. How did the narrator’s father influence his interest in art?
2. What role did Lady Amherst of Hackney play in the narrator’s career?
3. Describe the significance of artists like the narrator and his father before the advent of photography.
4. What was the narrator’s initial task when he was sent to Egypt?
5. How did the narrator’s responsibilities and roles evolve during his time in Egypt?
6. Can you explain the circumstances that led to the narrator’s resignation from his initial position in Egypt?
7. Who was Lord Carnarvon, and what role did he play in the narrator’s career?
8. What were the narrator’s feelings and experiences leading up to his major discovery in 1922?
9. How did the discovery affect the narrator’s life and career in the long term?
10. Reflect on the narrator’s feelings towards his legacy and the diagnosis he received towards the end of his life.

Match!

Match the Vocabulary Words with their Definitions:

Research!

• Investigate the history, construction methods, and purposes of the Great Pyramids of Giza. Explore the theories about how these ancient wonders were built and their significance in Egyptian culture.

Create!

• Write a diary entry as if you were part of an archaeological expedition in Egypt. Describe a day on the site, including their “discoveries,” challenges, and reflections on the significance of their work.
• Get creative and make your own �ancient artifact� out of clay, paper, or even create something digital. Write an interesting backstory for it as if it had just been discovered.

Discuss!

Should artifacts from ancient cultures be returned to their original countries? Pick a side, gather some arguments, and let�s go:

You may wish to consider:

1. Cultural Heritage:
   • Why might artifacts be considered an essential part of a country’s cultural heritage? How do these artifacts contribute to a nation’s identity and history?
2. Historical Context:
   • Consider the circumstances under which many artifacts were removed from their original locations. Were they taken during colonial times, wars, or under other controversial conditions? How does this history impact the debate?
3. Conservation and Care:
   • Which institutions (museums, universities, etc.) are best equipped to preserve and take care of these artifacts? Does the country of origin have the necessary resources and technology to maintain them?
4. Educational Value:
   • How do artifacts in museums around the world educate people about different cultures and histories? Would returning artifacts to their countries of origin limit or enhance their educational value?
5. Legal and Ethical Considerations:
   • What are the legal implications of returning artifacts? Are there international laws or agreements that govern this process? How do ethics play a role in deciding whether artifacts should be returned?
6. Access and Exposure:
   • How does the location of an artifact affect global access to it? Would returning artifacts to their original countries make them more or less accessible to the world at large?
7. Economic Impact:
   • Consider the economic implications for countries that currently house significant artifacts in their museums. How might returning these items affect tourism and revenue? Conversely, how might the return of artifacts benefit the original countries economically?
8. Precedents and Consequences:
   • Are there examples of artifacts that have been successfully returned to their countries of origin? What were the outcomes? What might be the consequences of either returning or not returning artifacts on a large scale?
9. Cultural Exchange and Cooperation:
   • Could there be a middle ground that allows for cultural exchange without permanently relocating artifacts? What might international cooperation look like in the context of shared cultural heritage?
10. Impact on International Relations:
    • How might the decision to return artifacts impact relations between countries? Could this act foster goodwill and mutual respect, or might it lead to disputes and tensions?