Hussein Abdul Rasoul

Hussein Abdul Rasoul (Egyptian Arabic: حسين عبد الرسول; was an Egyptian born in Kurna, Luxor. It is not known exactly when he was born, but it can be guessed that he was born in 1910.^[1] Known as the "Water Boy", Hussein was part of the team that discovered Tutankhamun's tomb in the Valley of the Kings, led by archaeologist Howard Carter.

Egyptian workers like Hussein have been marginalized in archaeological discoveries for decades.^[2][3] Carter never explicitly mentions Hussein by name in his memoirs, though Lee Keedick,^[4] the organizer of Carter's American lecture tour, said Carter attributed the discovery to an unnamed boy carrying water for the workmen.^[5] Many recent accounts, such as the 2018 book Tutankhamun: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh by Egyptologist Zahi Hawass, have identified the water boy as Hussein Abdel Rasoul, a member of a prominent local family.^[6] Hawass says he heard the story from Rasoul himself.

Hussein grew up in a family known for its work in excavating Egyptian antiquities since the 19th century.^[7] The discoverer of the Royal Cache was one of Hussein's grandfathers (Ahmed Abdel Rasoul), 10 years before the official announcement of the tomb.^[8][9][10]

The official story was told by Egyptologist Zahi Hawass, who worked with Hussein's cousin (Ali Abdel Rasoul), who told him how the events took place. Hussein was 12 years old at the time. His job was to bring water to the workers at the work site to help them endure the harsh heat. People helped him put the water in jars and then put the jars on a donkey to bring to the workers. When he arrived at the site, he and the workers were digging holes to hold the jars. One day while digging one of these jars, they found the tomb.^[2][11]

墓を開けると、純金製の遺物約5,000点が内部から発見された^{[ 12 ]} 。カーターはこの発見と、入り口の発見にフセイン・アブデル・ラスールが果たした役割に深く感動し、彼にツタンカーメン王の金のネックレスを着せた。また、カーターは専属カメラマンのハリー・バートンに、ネックレスを身に着けたフセインの写真を撮るよう依頼した^{[注1 ]。}この写真は、アブデル・ラスール家が今日まで保管し、この歴史的な出来事の記念として代々受け継いでいる^{[ 13 ] 。}

彼は1992年、82歳の時にタンパベイ・タイムズのインタビューを受けた。高齢にもかかわらず、フセインはラムセス2世の偉大な葬祭殿であるラメセウムの隣にある自宅で観光客にお茶を売っていた。彼は1997年に亡くなった。^{[ 14 ]}