Egyptian New Kingdom period

The Egyptian New Kingdom period appears in the novel as the historical setting associated with Thutmose III, a powerful pharaoh whose tomb is central to the Throckmortons’ archaeological history. Its importance here is concrete rather than broadly chronological: the period identifies the world to which the tomb and the family’s long-running discovery claim belong.

Identification and Historical Frame

The narrative describes Thutmose III as a powerful pharaoh in the Egyptian New Kingdom period. It does not supply dates, a broader chronology, or further historical description of the era. Instead, the period functions as a concise historical frame for the tomb and the archaeological research connected to it.

The Tomb and the Throckmortons

When Theodosia was two, her father, Alistair Throckmorton, had spent years researching the likely location of Thutmose III’s tomb. He and her mother, Henrietta Throckmorton, travelled to the Valley of the Kings, leaving Theodosia with her British grandmother. Their expedition succeeded in locating the likely tomb, but a colleague betrayed them, and Victor Loretti claimed the official discovery. The British Museum, where Alistair then worked, accepted Loretti’s claim rather than supporting Alistair; he subsequently left for the Museum of Legends and Antiquities.

Significance in the Family Story

The period’s chief narrative significance lies in how an ancient royal tomb shapes a modern family history. Years later, as Henrietta opens a crate connected with the expedition, she praises Alistair’s research; Theodosia watches her father for signs of bitterness, aware of the earlier betrayal and the institution that failed to recognize his work. The historical reference therefore carries a personal consequence: the tomb is not only an archaeological object but the source of an unresolved injustice that helps explain Alistair’s professional past.