Timta is one of the maidens who has been chosen to leave her family to serve the gods Some of the girls are weavers; others grow food to be given as offerings. When a long spell of poor weather threatens the crops, Timta learns that she is to be given the greatest honor of all: she will be offered in sacrifice to the gods. She is frightened, and when her friend, Karwa, volunteers to go in her place, she feels ashamed. A woman in the village whose own daughter has been sacrificed helps Timta resolve her terrible dilemma.

The fictional narrative is interspersed with reports of the actual discovery of the mummy, making for an exceptional and original historical novel. Line drawings enhance the story.