Page 17 - link magazine

The Link Magazine • June 2006 17
Ancient Egypt comes to Abbey Meads School
Inspirational educator, Roger Day led a special Egyptian day at Abbey Meads Community School at the beginning of May with children,
staff and helpers all taking on roles and acting out the entombing of King Tutankhamun.
Class teacher Adele "It's about the type of language
Merrit said that the chil- you use - if you speak in the Ian-
dren from Year 5 had ^^t pu guage of the Pharoah's, the kids
been allocated jobs such ` will use it."
as scribes, dancers, crafts- Deputy headteacher Michaela
men and priests and had 7. = Cunningham, said, "the day was
researched the correct 3 fantastic; it really brought the pe-
clothing and planned I # riod to life far more than reading
their costumes. "The day r _ t \ about it or looking at the internet."
began with a candle lit ' Thomas Hipkin, who played the
ceremony in front of the .; 9` part of the chief priest said, "I al-
tomb with Nefa who is ready knew quite a lot about Egyp-
investigating the mys- tians but I didn't know what the
tery of the young chief priest did or that there was so
Pharoah's death. The c much to do. I liked mummifying
children really got into ' the body. I had to bless mud and
the role play and they ^ w ( r also bless somebody to stay in the
have all worked on tasks - ! tomb forever - the Chosen One. I
relevant to their chosen had to lead the procession holding
jobs." ^ _ the Pharoah's staff and placed it in
The morning was • ^ the tomb.
spent preparing for the Emma Perkins had been desig-
burial ceremony. Crafts- nated 'the Chosen One' who had
men made artefacts in- - • - thedubioushonourofbeingsealed
eluding the famous , .^ in the tomb with the boy king. She
_
golden mask to be sealed _ '' 4 ` said, "I was quite nervous but e-
x
in with the mummy, the r cited about the ceremony. I learned
priests said prayers and ^" ° that the body didn't always go in a
mummified the body High priest Nefa conducts proceedings at Ill'. t Meads I i imam/ ^clmol pyramid and that there were pro-
l
while other groups pre- fessional mourners hired.
pared special food and rehearsed discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb. totally immersed in another time. "It's been a really exciting topic
dances for the ceremony. Roger Day, of Drama Works, Roger explained that children and we all liked acting out the
Later in the day, the children took the role of Nefa and Howard adapt very quickly and play along. story."
became 1920s archeologists led by Carter. Children and staff took
Howard Carter and acted out the their lead from him and were soon
The mummy is prepared for the ceremony by burial officials,
•
u rn; real pi > r ittroil and tomb artifacts OWwtCs newdeal*
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