The next day Ryan and his team were ready to set off for the KV5 excavation site.

KV5 is a tomb believed to belong to the sons of Ramses II, also known as Ramses the Great, who ruled from 1279 to 1213 BCE.

Before setting off, Dr. Hassan gave a breakfast briefing. He spoke about the vast corridors and unexplored chambers of KV5.

"Today's focus is clear," he said in a serious tone. "Safety is our priority. Follow protocol and remember the excavation strategy."

"KV5 can tell us a lot," he continued, his eyes sparkling. "But we must always tread carefully. Every stone we move, every piece of dirt we dig, could change the balance of what we know about this era of Ramses II."

With the briefing complete, they set off, their faces beaming with excitement and anticipation. Who knows what they might find?

They soon reached a campsite close to KV5. The team quickly set up camp and unloaded their equipment. But then, a frustrated scream broke the silence.

"Arrrgh! My shovel is broken! Does anyone have a spare?" Dr. Matt shouted.

Ryan quickly helped, starting to search through his toolbox. "I have a multi-tool. Will that work?"

... "This might work…" Dr. Matt said as he focused on trying out the tool Ryan had given him.

Ryan carefully arranged all the documents and images of the site neatly, along with the artifacts found that day.

One of the team members who specializes in artifact archaeology, Dr. Maria approached him holding a small, smooth ceramic shard. "I found another valuable item," she said with a happy smile.

She handed the shard to Ryan with great care. "Let's document this. Note the dimensions, the material, and the date," she instructed.

Ryan's eyes widened as he accepted the fragile shard. "What kind of ceramic is this, Dr. Maria?"

"This appears to be New Kingdom pottery," she replied. "Notice the red and black patterns, the intricate hieroglyphics, and the stylized motifs. This piece likely dates from the 16th to 11th centuries BCE, during the golden age of ancient Egypt under pharaohs such as Hatshepsut and Ramses II."

Ryan examined the shard carefully. The texture of the felt is smooth, yet fragile. The colors are striking, almost vivid. “What’s the catalog number?” he asked, jotting down notes.

“KV5-0123,” Dr. Maria replied, flipping through her notes. “And be sure to photograph it from multiple angles. We need clear images for our database.”

Ryan nodded, and carefully positioned the ceramic fragment on the photography stand. “What angles would you like, Dr. Maria?”

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“Standard views: top, bottom, left, right, and 45-degree angles,” he instructed. “And don’t forget the scale reference. That’s key for context.”

At that moment, Dr. Hassan walked by. He joined the ceramic fragment with a twinkle in his eye. “It looks like part of a ceremonial vessel. What a find!”

Ryan felt proud. He knew that every find tells a story, and this ceramic fragment could reveal a lot about the rituals of the time. “What does that mean for our understanding of their culture?” he asked.

Dr. Maria considered this. "Ceremonial tools were often used in important rituals. They may have been used to hold offerings or were part of funeral practices. Every detail can provide insight into their beliefs and daily lives." Ryan nodded in agreement.

During dinner, the entire team gathered in the dining room. They looked tired but excited about the results of their excavation that day. Dr. Hassan helped the kitchen staff pour tea for the entire team and Dr. Maria distributed plates of fragrant koshari. The team members laughed and cheered happily.

Holding his teacup and leaning back, Dr. Matt spoke to the core team members. “Today’s progress is incredible. We managed to open almost twenty meters of corridors from the tomb. At this rate, I’m sure we can open tours for tourists next week.”

Ryan chuckled at Dr. Matt’s rambling. He replied while spooning rice onto his plate. “And Dr. Maria’s ceramic discovery might rewrite the history books.”

“Let’s not forget about the possible ceremonial vessels that Dr. Hassan identified. I mean, we’re talking about a discovery that could make headlines.” Dr. Rose joined in while glancing at Dr. Hassan.

Every archaeologist dreams of having their discovery recorded in history.

“We’re going to uncover what’s hidden inside KV5, bit by bit. But at this rate, maybe one day we will find Ramses’ missing sock,” Dr. Hassan chuckled.

The whole team laughed. The atmosphere was warm and joyful.

***

After Ryan finished eating, he did not go back to his room immediately. He went out into the backyard and stared at the cloudy Egyptian sky.

‘Is there really going to be a storm?’ he thought.

He walked slowly along the Mediterranean Cypress trees that lined the path leading to the front yard of the villa.

His mind began to wander to the strange symbols he had found somewhere on the walls of the tomb corridor.

He opened his notebook and observed the sketches of the symbols. He could not interpret the symbols yet and wondered why.

Unable to contain his bubbling curiosity, he returned to the dining room and asked Dr. Maria who was still joking with the others.

"Dr. Maria, what do you think about those symbols? Hieroglyphics? Or a child's scribbles?"

Dr. Maria studied the sketch while tilting her head to one side. "Maybe hieroglyphics. Or an unknown writing. We need further analysis. But if it's just a child's scribbles, I might need to rethink my career."

Dr. Matt who was observing the two, crossed his arms on his chest while frowning.

"We have to speed up our work. We don't know if the burial team in other places has found anything. This is like a running race but I don't even have my running shoes."

"Ahem, guys." Dr. Hassan suddenly cleared his throat. "The weather forecast says that a storm is expected tomorrow. We have to secure the site. I'd rather not have to chase after artifacts or documents that are flying in the storm."

All the team members nodded wryly at the news. They had expected that on the second day, they would find something very valuable.

Then one by one the team members left the dining room. Ryan was still sitting quietly in his chair and lost in thought. What secret symbol was that like hieroglyphics but why when translated the result was confusing?

Giving up, he then returned to his room and rested.

Meanwhile, the thick clouds in the sky began to shine because of the lightning that flashed in the clouds.