Dig Days: The Valley of the Kings: Treasure without end IV By Zahi Hawass I shall never forget the adventure I had in the tunnel of the tomb of Pharaoh Seti I in the Valley of the Kings. I first thought about entering this tunnel two years ago. On the day that I first entered I took with me a very thick rope. I tied one end of the rope to the entrance and used it to guide me into the dark tunnel. I would also need the rope on my way out, because it slopes downwards and it would therefore be difficult to climb out. I took with me a flashlight and a metre stick. When I began to explore the tunnel, I found that for the first few metres it was easy to walk but then it became more difficult. The tunnel was very narrow, with cracks on the ceiling and stone rubble blocking my path. When I had gone about 175 feet I decided to turn back and continue investigating the tunnel on a later occasion. The second time I entered was a real adventure in archaeology. I took the same tools and spent five hours in the tunnel. I cleared the way and found my way inside for 217 feet I felt I should not carry on any further because I began to feel tired and I was afraid that it would be dangerous to push ahead. However, I continued on and finally reached the end of the tunnel. I pushed myself forward step by step because I knew that I had to reach the end for the sake of the late Sheikh Ali Abdel-Rassoul. About two years ago while in Luxor I went to Sheikh Ali's hotel, the Marsam, and met his son. We talked about Sheikh Ali's dream of exploring this tunnel. He believed that the Pharaoh's "real" burial chamber was at the end of it. Sheikh Ali, was a member of the famous Abdel-Rassoul family; one of his relatives was the water boy who discovered the step which led to the remarkable discovery of the tomb of King Tutankhamun. A few months after our conversation, Sheikh Ali's son came to see me in my office in Zamalek. He brought with him a man whom I did not know. I greeted them with a smile and a warm reception because of my fond memories of Sheikh Ali. The son started to talk about the tunnel. He asked if I would share everything (if anything was found) that I found inside the tunnel with his family. I explained that all antiquities belonged to the country and that no one could own antiquities because it was against the law. I told him that if we found anything we would mention his clever father and his dream. The man who was accompanying him started to talk and this made me smile, because as soon as he opened his mouth I was sure he was a lawyer. I asked him his profession and he replied that indeed he was engaged in the law. At that I stood up and asked Sheikh Ali's son and his lawyer to leave my office. I was outraged! A year later I received a call from Farouk Hosni, the minister of culture, who said that a member of parliament had asked him to arrange for me to meet a man from Germany together with the son of Sheikh Ali. Since he wanted me to meet them, I agreed. When the two men arrived in my office I ignored Sheikh Ali's son completely, but I listened to the German man. He explained that he wanted to raise funds to be used for the discovery of the chamber of Seti I. The man said that they would collect a large amount of money for the excavation. I could not bear to listen any more, so I told him flatly: "I cannot give you permission to raise funds because I cannot be sure that you will not deceive people, and also you are not qualified to excavate." I added that we only worked with scientific institutions and the time of amateur treasure hunters was long over. My job is to protect the monuments! In the end, I saw that they had got the message -- they left and have not returned. The Valley of the Kings has always attracted people from everywhere. The discovery of KV 63 and all the other stories about the area tells us that it contains many secrets. These secrets could be more mummies or even tombs of kings. Only time will tell.
