A wealthy widow wants to dig the graveyard on her land to embark upon new ventures before the war starts. For that, she hires an amateur archeologist who claims to be an excavator. The men from the museum join them. Surprisingly, they find a big ship buried in the land. They expect it to be the grave of a king or a warrior.
The whole country is preparing for
war, but these are guys are digging up the history. So, there is certainly
something more than expected. They know they will come across several surprises
in their lives henceforth.
Introduction
This story is based on true events,
and the year mentioned is 1939. Edith Pretty, a war widow, hires an
archeologist named Basil Brown to excavate the archeologically significant land
near her house. After a few negotiations, Basil agrees to start excavating with
the smaller mounds. With the help of two people provided by Edith, Basil starts
digging with enthusiasm.
The First Finding
On the one hand, Basil finds the thousands of years old piece of wood under the mound. On the other hand, the manager and the curator of the museum reach the site to have a look at the work after being called by Edith. However, Basil gets disappointed when the piece of wood gets broken while lifting it.
“Get back to the museum for digging up
the lands near the Roman Building. It is the need of an hour as World War 2 has
started,” suggests the manager of the museum to Basil. But, he refuses. One
day, he gets trapped under the soil while digging the smaller mound and is
taken out with great effort.
Remembering his grandfather’s words,
he decides to dig the bigger mound with a unique shape located in the middle of
other mounds. That piece of wood adds to the enthusiasm of Basil and his
helpers. Soon, they come across a rusted rivet of a ship. After digging more,
they can even see one end of a ship under the soil.
“This ship must be the grave of a great warrior or king. I want to go ahead and expose the secret,” informs Basil. Edith agrees with great expectations. She does not let the museum overtake the site as she trusts Basil more. This discovery attracts the museum head.
The Museum Takes Over
“It is a notable discovery in the case
of archeology, and I want to control your work,” says the head. “I won’t let
you take it over. Edith is the landowner and I will not move until she asks me
to do so,” refuses Basil. The head promises to soon return with the government
orders before going back.
The next day, the museum head returns
with his team in full preparation. “You may continue to work here, but cannot
get involved much in the discovery,” the head informs Basil. Taking it as an
insult, Basil decides to move on but comes back the other day according to his
wife’s advice.
Rainfall irritates the archeological
team. “When will this work end?” exclaims the museum head. “Basil will help you
a lot in the discovery. Do not keep him aside,” advises Edith. It is how Basil
starts performing valuable jobs.
The Discovery
The two new archeologists, Stuart, and
his wife join the team. The team finds several golden ornaments including the
locket, shield, sword, and coin. It turns out to be from the 7th century. The
museum head decides to take the things to the British museum.
“Government has not yet claimed for
this land. So, I am still the owner. The world war has started and the British
Museum is getting emptied. These findings will not be safe there,” says Edith,
and asks Basil to keep all the findings in her bedroom.
The court decides in Edith’s favor and
gives her all rights over the land. The next day, Edith gives all credit to
Basil. She also wants the people nearby to visit the site and understand its
importance.
What Happened To The Treasure?
Edith has been suffering from
rheumatic fever. She knows she cannot live long. She gifts all the findings to
the British museum. “It is the biggest gift one has given to someone,” smiles
Basil. Edith makes her bed near the ship and dies there in 1942. However, the
treasure does not directly go to the museum due to the ongoing world war.
They secretly hide it underground and take it out for a display after nine years. Basil does not get the credit for several years after taking the treasure out. However, recent research helps show how important he was in ‘The Dig.’
Conclusion
‘The Dig’ comes with unpredictable
twists and suspense. After several disappointments, Basil finally got the
credit for the work. The treasure is in the right hands which sigh relief. The
whole ship has not been shown. We can only see it covered with soil. Edith’s
death is saddening. However, all real characters must have died by now!
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