Following Odysseus Not the end of the world Amarna city of light ...

16‘I can confirm thatthe 5th Earl’s dog,Susie, died hereat Highclere at thesame moment asher master’forced to sell her husband’s collectionof Egyptian antiquities.It went to the MetropolitanMuseum in New York after theBritish Museum could not raisethe amount needed.’Almina’s son, the 6th Earl ofCarnarvon, was a bon viveur andnot at all interested in Egyptology,but Lady Carnarvon tells me shewas pleased to find that he did continueto invite Carter to Highclere– his name appears in the visitors’book during the 1930s. HowardCarter died, aged 64, in 1939, whilethe 6th Earl lived to the ripe old ageof 89. So it is good to hear that theeffects of the curse did not continue.‘The 6th Earl did not like to talkabout Egypt,’ says Lady Carnarvon,‘but after he died in 1987, his butlerRobert Taylor mentioned that someEgyptian artefacts had been hidden15. Watercolour ofHatshepsut’s templepainted by HowardCarter in 1915.16. The Pyramids atGiza with the Nile inflood photographedby Lord Carnarvonin 1910-11.17. Calcite jar bearingRamesses II’s cartouche,found by Carnarvonand Carter in 1920,and one of the objectsrediscovered atHighclere in 1987.18. Fragment of wallfrom the tomb ofBakenrenef (664-610BC) in Saqqara. Thehieroglyphs form partof Spell 22 from theBook of the Dead.19. Ivory-handled razorused by Carnarvon inCairo in 1923, whenhe nicked a mosquitobite which turnedseptic. He later died ofpneumonia brought onby blood poisoning.All images courtesy ofHighclere Castle unlessotherwise stated.‘My beloved friend and colleagueLord Carnarvon, who died in thehour of his triumph. But for hisuntiring generosity and constantencouragement our labourscould never have been crownedwith success. His judgement inancient art has rarely beenequalled. His efforts, which havedone so much to extend ourknowledge of Egyptology, willforever be honoured in historyand, by me, his memory willalways be cherished.’(Tribute by Howard Carter to the5th Earl of Carnarvon, April 1923)away behind a false wall. This wasvery exciting and most of theseare now on show in our Egyptianexhibition at Highclere, togetherwith some objects lent to us by theBritish Museum. My husband chosethe objects and oversaw all the displays;he is as mad about Egypt asI am. We invite lots of Egyptians,from archaeologists to ambassadors,to stay here.’The warm affection that LadyCarnarvon has for the country andits people is apparent and, despitethe Downton Abbey effect, she isdelighted that 80 per cent of visitorsto Highclere visit the Egyptian exhibition.So, the Carnarvons’ archaeologicallegacy is not forgotten.‘Carnarvon and Carter complementedeach other and they bothgave their lives for Egypt,’ she says.Will her son follow in the footstepsof his great-great-grandfather?‘Well, I don’t believe in pushingchildren into things, as it oftendoesn’t encourage them and canhave quite the opposite effect. Buttwo years ago I took my son, whowas 10 at the time, to visit theplaces that had meant so much tothe 5th Earl. We had a wonderfultrip. I really like the people of Egyptand I respect them. I hope after allthe turmoil of the last few yearsthey can find their way through topeace, democracy and stability.’ n• Egypt at Highclere: The Pathto the Discovery of Tutankhamunis available now (£8.50).Carnarvon & Carter is beingreprinted and will be available inspring 2013. Both books are byFiona Carnarvon and are publishedby Highclere Enterprises.• Highclere Castle, Newbury,Berkshire (www.highclerecastle.co.uk).17181925