The most amazing archaeological finds in Egypt. The Curse of Tutankhamun's Tomb Egyptian Excavations

The Egyptian pyramids are one of the wonders of the world that have been fascinating humanity with their mystery for thousands of years. How many secrets are kept by the huge pyramids and the imperturbable face of the Sphinx! Yes, and the whole Egyptian history is full of mysteries, and sometimes the finds that scientists make in ancient Giza, next to the pyramids, and throughout the former territory of Ancient Egypt, raise questions more than give answers to them.

Nativity Scene In 205 AD, an Italian archaeologist discovered strange rock paintings in the Sahara. He was silent about them for 11 years, not knowing how to interpret them, and only in 2016 did he announce that in the drawings there was a nativity scene known to all Christians with a barn and a baby in a manger. That's just the age of the rock fresco - at least 5000 years, that is, it was made three millennia before the birth of Christ. What, in this case, depicts a rock drawing? Mystery.

Whale remains 40 million years old

In 1902, in the desert area of ​​Wadi al-Khitan, archaeologists discovered the well-preserved remains of the ancient ancestor of the whale, the Basilosaurus, who lived here 40 million years ago. The animal was either pregnant, or on the eve of death, it ate a colleague, since another basilosaurus was located in its stomach. Since then, 9 more Basilosaurus skeletons have been discovered in the same area, including the only complete intact skeleton known to scientists today. This area has long been nicknamed "the valley of the whales", which sounds extremely mysterious, given that today it is a bare desert.

"Black Box Aliens"

One of the strangest and most recent finds near the pyramids, south of Giza, are 24 empty black granite boxes weighing more than 100 tons each. Scientists were shocked by the filigree work on hard stone and still remain in the dark about the purpose of these boxes, made more than 3000 years ago. Some even argue that the boxes were not made by the ancient Egyptians, but were left on Earth by mysterious guests from the stars.

Elder Giant Skeleton

The body of the ancient Egyptian pharaoh Sa-Nakht is considered the oldest known remains of a giant man. His height reached 1.90 centimeters - unprecedented for ancient people! According to scientists who studied the skeleton of Sa-Nakht, this was the first case of true gigantism known to science today on Earth.

Secret entrance to the pyramids

An Egyptian named Imani Naji discovered a secret passage under the basement of his house. As it turned out, the passage led to one of the great pyramids of Giza. Digging in his own garden, a 33-year-old resident of the village of Al-Harameya discovered a tunnel lined with stone slabs that led directly to the pyramid of Khufu (Cheops). Archaeologists believe that in ancient times this passage led to a secret temple on the banks of the Nile, but they still have a long work to do to find the true purpose of this ancient tunnel.

Mummified fetus

The youngest mummy was discovered by British archaeologists in 1907. The unborn human fetus was placed in a miniature coffin. His age, according to scientists, was 16-18 weeks. It is assumed that he died as a result of a miscarriage by his mother. “The care with which the embryo was buried demonstrates the Egyptians' great respect for the mystery of human life,” says Julie Dawson, curator at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Britain.

space decorations

Jewelry discovered in 1911 in a tomb in the village of El Guerze, estimated at 5,000 years old, is considered the oldest on Earth. The beads were made from cosmic iron brought to Earth by meteorites almost 2,000 years before the Iron Age, and combined into one necklace with pieces of gold and precious stones. But for science, iron beads are the most precious. The presence of cobalt and germanium confirms their cosmic origin, and age suggests that, perhaps, they were processed not on Earth at all - after all, blacksmithing did not exist then.

Mummies crocodile

One of the most interesting finds was the mummies of 47 young crocodiles. According to scientists, they became victims of the crocodile god Sebek. Some Egyptologists even believe that the Egyptians specially raised crocodile for sacrifices to Sebek, the river god, although the captured adult crocodiles served as an object of worship for them.

Book of spells

In the 1970s, a 1,300-year-old spell book was discovered in Upper Egypt. It was written in the 7th-8th centuries in Coptic. The book has not yet been fully deciphered, but scientists have already found in it love spells, spells to exorcise evil spirits, healing and cursing spells. Scholars have called it the "Egyptian Handbook of Witchcraft Powers". They believe that the undeciphered part of the book contains even more secrets that will reveal the truth about the beliefs of the past.

Underwater city

Heraklion (in Egyptian - Tonis) was a major trading city of antiquity. According to legend, it was founded by Alexander the Great, and it was here that Cleopatra was crowned. For many years it was considered wiped off the face of the Earth. Some scientists even considered it mythical, like Troy once was. However, archaeologists managed to find it in the sea, near the mouth of the Nile, at a depth of 50 meters. Heraklion was discovered quite recently, in 2000, and since then its innumerable treasures have opened up new secrets of history to archaeologists.

Breweries for the gods

The ancient Egyptians loved to drink and even held special "Drinking Feasts". They also had special breweries dedicated to the gods. This was learned when archaeologists recently found a 3,000-year-old tomb, the inscription on which said that "the chief brewer of the god of the dead" was buried in it. Egyptologists confirm that alcohol in ancient Egypt played an important role both as a means of entertainment for people and as an offering to the gods. And beer was both the most popular and the most affordable type of drink.

Six prehistoric species of bats

In 2008, during excavations in the vicinity of Cairo, studying the fossilized remains, archaeologists discovered the skeletons of six prehistoric species of bats. The most striking thing was that all of them were not extinct, but related to currently existing species. This led scientists to seriously think about the origin of modern bats: it was previously believed that they first appeared in Europe, but now it turned out that they may have come from North Africa.

Secret city under the pyramids

A real underground labyrinth of 1500 rooms was discovered near Giza in 2008. The Egyptian authorities tried to deny its existence, but scientists still brought the truth to the world. But what was the purpose of this underground city? Scientists still know about this no more than politicians.

Boats of Abydos

The boats of Abydos were intended to transport the pharaohs to the afterlife. They were found in the sands of Egypt, their age is estimated at 3000 years. In total, archaeologists have found 14 boats, the length of which is from 18 to 25 meters. Each had room for 30 rowers. This gigantic fleet still amazes historians with its power and perfection: before the discovery of the boats of Abydos, they considered the Egyptians much less skilled in shipbuilding.

For quite a long time, serene calm reigned in Egyptology, but this time seems to have ended. In recent months, more amazing finds have been made related to this extinct culture than in the last few decades. Tiny socks, a new sphinx, huge ruins and tombs - and this is not all the discoveries that will allow you to learn even more about the ancient Egyptians and the secrets of their civilization.

1. Sandstone Sphinx

Near the city of Aswan is the ancient temple of Kom Ombo, which has been studied for many years. When on September 16, 2018, archaeologists were working to remove groundwater in the temple, they discovered a mysterious statue - a sandstone sphinx. Unlike the more famous Sphinx of Giza, this sculpture was only 28 centimeters wide (at the base of the pedestal). However, this discovery was simply amazing.

Despite the past millennia, the sphinx has been preserved in excellent condition. Two months before the discovery of the statue, two sandstone reliefs depicting King Ptolemy V were discovered in the same part of the building. Therefore, scientists have suggested that the sculpture dates from the time of the Ptolemaic dynasty (305-30 BC), although its purpose remains unknown. Sphinxes were once used as guardians of tombs, and they often depicted the face of a real pharaoh.

Archaeologists hope that the face of the sandstone sphinx is an image of one of the rulers of the Ptolemaic dynasty. If future research confirms this, the statue's intact facial features could reveal what the pharaoh looked like.

2. Massive ritual structure

Founded around 3100 BC, the ancient Egyptian city of Memphis is located 20 kilometers south of modern Cairo. It was the home of the ruler Menes, who united Upper and Lower Egypt into a single, powerful state. Part of Memphis has been excavated in the modern city of Mit Rahina. In 2018, archaeologists working in Mit Rahina unearthed something extremely remarkable - a massive building adjoined by another smaller building with a large Roman bath and a room inside. According to archaeologists, the structure was most likely used for religious ceremonies.

3. Cemetery of priests

At the excavations of Tuna el Gebel, they constantly find something interesting. But only in 2018, a huge underground cemetery 2,300 years old was discovered here. According to experts, it may take five years to completely excavate the entire necropolis. At the moment, 40 stone sarcophagi have been found, many of which contained the remains of priests. This particular group worshiped the god Thoth, who, according to Egyptian mythology, gave mankind the art of writing.

When examining the mummified remains of one person, scientists suggested that he was a high priest. Inside the richly decorated coffin, one object stood out in particular - an amulet with an inscription on it. letter. After deciphering the hieroglyphs, it turned out that this was the inscription "Happy New Year." In addition to an extensive collection of ceramics, jewelry and other artifacts, more than 1,000 ushabti statues were also found in the underground cemetery. These tiny figurines are believed today by scientists to have been "helpers" to people in the afterlife, doing various jobs in their place.

4. Diseases of Dakhla

The remains of 1087 ancient Egyptians are buried in the Egyptian oasis of Dakhla. When scientists examined them in 2018, in six cases it was found that a person had cancer during his lifetime. In particular, the remains of a child with leukemia, a man with rectal tumors and several people who may have had a form of cancer caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) were found. Although cancer is not a new disease, and HPV is even older than people, it was interesting to compare the situation with the current one.

As today, HPV in the ancient Egyptians in Dakhla was common among young people in their twenties and thirties. Although the disease can no longer be genetically confirmed, bone lesions suggested that HPV was transmitted and developed among ancient populations in exactly the same way as it is today. Statistics have also suggested that the chances of developing cancer today in Western societies are about 100 times greater than when these people were buried (3,000 to 1,500 years ago). Naturally, the Egyptians did not know what it was, and did not prescribe any specific treatment other than the relief of visible symptoms such as skin ulcers and pain.

5. Striped sock

The next ancient artifact looks like it was tied up a week ago. This sock once belonged to an Egyptian child. It was woven around 300 AD, but hardly used (the sock was found in an ancient garbage dump). However, for the British Museum, the find was very valuable, because the experts got the opportunity to learn about the ancient methods of dyeing and weaving used to make clothes.

There was only one catch - all available methods required the destruction of either the entire sock or part of it. Only in 2018, museum specialists received a non-invasive research method. Using scanning, they found that the colors of the sock's stripes were derived from three natural dyes. Madder was used to create red dye, woad blue, and mignonette yellow. Scanning also provided an opportunity to understand what weaving methods were used.

6 Silo Village

Long before the pharaohs and the construction of the pyramids, a village was built near the Nile River. When it was discovered in 2018, it turned out to be one of the most ancient settlements in the Nile Delta. This nameless place already existed for more than 2000 years before the appearance of the first hieroglyphs. In the ruins of a 7,000-year-old settlement, deep vaults were also found, which contained a huge amount of plant remains and animal bones.

More information about these wastes can lead to an understanding of how agriculture developed in Egypt. This village, located about 140 kilometers north of modern Cairo, is a mystery - why this place was abandoned. The village existed for 2000 years but was deserted two centuries after Egypt was unified by an unknown pharaoh.

7. Black sarcophagus

In 2018, news appeared in the media around the world about a black granite sarcophagus that was found in Alexandria. The sarcophagus weighed 30 tons, and its lid was removed only with the help of the Egyptian military. Scientists thought they would find the remains of an important person, perhaps even Alexander the Great. But inside, three mummies were found floating in a mysterious stinking red goo. It turned out to be banal modern sewage that mixed with the remains.

When examining the trinity of the buried, there was an assumption that they were soldiers. One skull had arrow wounds. But the theory that they were military officers collapsed when it turned out that one body belonged to a young woman. With the exception of royal families, women were never military in ancient Egypt. All the bodies date from the early Ptolemaic period, which began in 323 BC. They appear to have been buried at different times. The mystery surrounding the identity of the three mummies has yet to be solved.

8. Lost oasis

The site of Bir Umm Tineidba, which was discovered in the Egyptian desert of Elqab, was once considered of no interest to archaeologists at all. But in 2018, Yale researchers arrived armed with cutting-edge technology, and everything changed dramatically. It turned out that Bir Umm Tineidba was once an ancient center in which graffiti, art, tombs and buildings remained after people. Local rock art dates from the pre-hieroglyphic era (c. 3300 BC) and are exceptional examples of early Egyptian designs.

The images are reminiscent of those found in the Nile Valley, suggesting that the two populations intermingled with each other. The possible discovery of hybrid groups could change how archaeologists view the evolution of the Egyptian population. Among several barrows, the most notable was the burial of a young Egyptian woman. The luxury and expensive goods buried with her were proof that the place had links to the Red Sea region. South of the rock art and graves, a later unknown Roman settlement has been found, dating from 400-600 AD.

9. Mystery of mummification

Experts know a lot about the ancient Egyptians, but no one alive today knows how to turn someone into a mummy. In 2018, a discovery was made that could at least partially lift the veil of secrecy - an embalming workshop was unearthed in the Saqqara necropolis in the Nile Delta. There were five mummies inside, and another 35 were found in the adjacent necropolis. All of them date back to 664-404 BC. The study of the find showed that mummification was not something affordable, and only the elite could afford it. And the tools left in the workshop caused the greatest excitement.

Researchers already knew that embalming took 70 days, and began with washing the body, removing internal organs, and drying the body for 40 days. Before wrapping the body in linen, it was treated with oils. It was the type, amount and order of use of oils that were completely unknown to modern scientists. To their delight, measuring cups with traces of these mysterious oils were found in the workshop. With chemical testing, it will be possible to determine exactly what substances were used and perhaps this will help solve the mystery of the whole process.

10 Pits Filled With Severed Hands

Not every ancient Egyptian find is a golden mask or a beautiful painting. Sometimes discoveries seem terrible. In 2017, Egyptologists excavating the ruins at Avaris discovered four pits, two of which were located in the ruins of the throne room. They found 16 human hands cut off 3600 years ago. All hands were right and belonged to men (judging by their huge size).

The macabre sight confirmed the practice, documented in hieroglyphs, of cutting off the hand of a downed opponent and selling it. Experts believe that the Egyptian nobility bought the hands of their enemies from their soldiers and then ritually buried them. Although it is difficult to say who these hands belong to, it is known that their age dates back to the time when the Egyptian army finally “knocked out” the Hyksos, the people who conquered Egypt in 1650 BC, from the country.

And in continuation of the Egyptian theme.

Episodes from the history of the great archaeological discovery

“O mother Neith! Stretch your wings over me, eternal stars...
Tutankhamun's sarcophagus inscription

Robbers invaded the tomb of Tutankhamun already ten to fifteen years after his death. By some chance, the first, superficial robbery left the tomb largely undisturbed.

Photo detail / November 1925. Tutankhamun's burial mask. Image: Harry Burton . The Griffith Institute, Oxford. Colorized by Dynamichrome for the Exhibition “The Discovery of King Tut” in New York.

In 1902, the Egyptian government allowed the American Theodore Davis to excavate in the Valley of the Kings. Davis dug for twelve consecutive winters. He was lucky: he discovered the extremely interesting and important for science tombs of Thutmes IV, Sipt, Horemheb, the mummy and sarcophagus of the great "heretic king" Amenhotep IV. In the year the First World War began, this concession passed to Lord Carnarvon and Howard Carter, who later revealed to the world Pharaoh Tutankhamun.

The third car registered in England belonged to him: motor racing was his passion. This passion led to a radical change in his life - at the very beginning of XX [in book: "current"] century, he gets near Bad Langenschwalbach, in Germany, in a car accident: he rolls over in his car. In addition to a number of serious injuries, the consequence of the disaster was the defeat of the respiratory tract; real attacks of suffocation make it impossible for him to stay in England in the winter. So, in 1903, he first came to Egypt with its milder climate, and here - for excavations that were carried out by various archaeological expeditions. A wealthy independent man, who had not previously had a definite goal in life, he saw in this activity a truly magnificent opportunity to combine his passion for sports that had not left him with serious art classes. In 1906, he starts excavations on his own, but in the same winter he comes to the conclusion that his knowledge is completely insufficient. He turns to Professor Maspero for help, and he recommends young Howard Carter to him.

The cooperation of these people was unusually fruitful. Howard Carter was an excellent complement to Lord Carnarvon: he was a well-rounded explorer and, even before Lord Carnarvon invited him to oversee all his excavations, he had already gained a lot of practical knowledge from Petrie and Davies. But for all that, he was by no means a fantasyless registrar of facts, although some critics reproached him for excessive pedantry. He was a man with a practical mindset and at the same time a rare brave man, a real daredevil. "

"Carnarvon and Howard Carter began to work together. Only in the fall of 1917 did they manage to increase the scale of work so much that there was hope for success. At the same time, something happened that we have repeatedly met in the history of science: from the very beginning they managed to attack the place where, in fact, the discovery was subsequently made. However, a number of external circumstances - critical reflections, delays, doubts and, above all, "instructions from specialists" slowed down the whole thing and led to the fact that it almost burst altogether. "

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Plan of the tomb on The Discovery of King Tut exhibition website

"Starting excavations, Carnarvon and Carter during the winter removed almost the entire top layer of debris and rubble inside the planned triangle and brought the excavations to the foot of the open tomb of Ramesses VI. "Here we came across a number of huts for workers - several shacks that were built on a pile of fragments of flint, which, as is known, always serves in the Valley as a sure sign of the proximity of some tomb.

The events of the next few years gradually became more and more tense.

Because of the tourists, or rather, because further excavations would interfere with the inspection of the tomb of Ramesses, which is willingly visited by tourists, Carnarvon and Carter decided to stop the excavations in this place until more favorable times. Thus, in the winter of 1919/20, they excavated only at the entrance to the tomb of Ramesses VI and found there in a small cache some items of mortuary equipment of known archaeological interest.

“Never in our time in the Valley have we been so close to a real discovery,” Carter later wrote.

Now they have "toppled", as Petrie would say, the whole triangle, except for that patch of land on which the workers' huts stood. And again they leave this last section untouched, again go to another place, to a small hollow adjacent to the Valley of the Kings, to the tomb of Thutmes III, dig there for two years in a row and in the end do not find anything of value.

Then they gather and quite seriously discuss the question of whether after all, after such insignificant results of long-term research, the excavations should not be moved to a completely different place. As before, only that patch of land remains unexcavated, where the workers' shacks stand and there is a pile of flint fragments - a small piece of territory at the foot of the tomb of Ramses VI. After much hesitation, they finally decide to dedicate one more, this time really last, winter to the Valley of the Kings. "

"On November 3, 1922, Carter (Lord Carnarvon was in England at that time) began to demolish the shacks - these were the remains of dwellings from the XX dynasty. The next morning, a stone step was discovered under the first shack. By the evening of November 5, after they had been removed mountains of garbage and rubble, there was no longer any doubt that they had managed to find the entrance to some kind of tomb.

However, it could also be some unfinished or unused, empty tomb. And if there was a mummy in it, it was possible that this tomb, like many others, had long been defiled and plundered. Finally, to sort through all the pessimistic options, let's say that the tomb could not belong to the king at all, but to some courtier or priest.

As the work progressed, so did Carter's excitement. Step after step was released from under the debris and rubble, and by the time the sun suddenly set, as always in Egypt, everyone saw the twelfth step, and beyond it “the upper part of the closed, plastered with lime and sealed door.” "Sealed door! So, really ... This moment could excite even an experienced archaeologist.

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Plan of the interior of the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamen. From the book of K. Kerama "Gods, tombs, scientists", M., 1963.

Carter examined the seals: they were the seals of the royal necropolis. Consequently, there, in the tomb, rested the ashes of some really high-ranking person. Since the dwellings of workers had already closed the entrance to the tomb since the XX Dynasty, it, in any case, from now on, should have become inaccessible to thieves. Carter, trembling with impatience, made a small hole in the door, large enough to put an electric light through, and found that the whole passage on the other side of the door was blocked with stones and rubble; this once again proved that they tried to secure the tomb as much as possible from uninvited guests.

When Carter, leaving the dig under the protection of his most loyal men, returned home by moonlight, he had to enter into a difficult struggle with himself.

“Anything could be behind this passage, literally anything, and I had to call on all my self-control to resist the temptation to immediately break the door and continue the search,” Carter wrote in his diary after he looked into the hole he made in the door. Now, as he rode his donkey down the slope of the Valley of the Kings, a burning impatience seized him. An inner voice whispered to him that after six years of fruitless labor he was finally on the threshold of a great discovery; and yet it is hard not to admire this - he decides to fill up the excavation and wait for the return of Lord Carnarvon, his friend and collaborator.

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King Tutankhamun tomb "s hidden chamber discovered through testing temperature. dailymail.co.uk

On the morning of November 6, Carter sends a telegram to Carnarvon: “A remarkable discovery has finally been made in the Valley. Magnificent tomb with intact seals; before your arrival, everything is backfilled. Congratulations". On the eighth, he receives two answers: "I will arrive as quickly as possible"; "I expect to be in Alexandria on the 20th."

On November 23, Lord Carnarvon arrived in Luxor with his daughter. Carter spent more than two weeks in burning impatience, in agonizing expectation in front of the newly filled tomb. Already two days after the discovery, a hail of congratulations fell upon him, but on what, in fact, they congratulated him - on what discovery, whose tomb? Carter did not know this. If he had continued to excavate just a few centimeters, he would have seen an absolutely clear and distinct impression of the seal of Tutankhamen. “I would sleep better at night and save myself three weeks of agonizing uncertainty.”

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December 1922. Ornately carved alabaster vases in the antechamber. Image: Harry Burton . The Griffith Institute, Oxford. Colorized by Dynamicchrome for the Exhibition “The Discovery of King Tut” in New York.

By the afternoon of November 24, workers had cleared all the steps. Descending from the last, sixteenth, Carter found himself in front of a sealed door. He saw the prints of the seal with the name of Tutankhamen and at the same time what almost all the researchers of the tombs had to face: the traces of the robbers, who managed to get ahead of the scientists here too; here, as in other places, the thieves had time to do their work.

“Since the whole door was now visible, we were able to see what had previously been hidden from our eyes, namely: part of the walled passage was opened twice and closed up again; the seals we found earlier - a jackal and nine captives - were attached to that part of the wall that was being opened, while the seals of Tutankhamen, with which the tomb was originally sealed, were on the other, lower, untouched part of the wall. Thus, the tomb was not at all, as we hoped, completely untouched. The robbers visited it, and even more than once. The huts we have already mentioned testified to the fact that the robbers were active even before the reign of Ramesses VI, and the fact that the tomb was sealed again indicated that the robbers were not able to clean it completely. "

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Treasury / C. 1923. An assortment of model boats in the treasury of the tomb. Image: Harry Burton . The Griffith Institute, Oxford. Colorized by Dynamicchrome for the Exhibition “The Discovery of King Tut” in New York.

“The decisive moment was coming,” writes Carter, “with trembling hands, we made a small hole in the upper left corner ..”

Taking an iron rod, Carter passed it through the hole; the rod met no barrier. Then Carter lit a match and brought it to the hole: no sign of gas. He began to widen the hole.

Now everyone crowded around him: Lord Carnarvon, his daughter Lady Evelyn Herbert and the Egyptologist Callender, who, having barely learned about the new find, hastened to offer his services as an assistant. Nervously striking a match, Carter lights a candle and with a trembling hand brings it to the hole, but the hot current of air escaping from the hole almost blows it out, and in the flickering light Carter does not immediately manage to see what is behind the door. Gradually, his eyes get used to, and he distinguishes first the contours, then the first colors, and when at last the contents of the chamber located on the other side of the door become clear to him, a triumphant cry freezes on his lips ... he is silent. For those who stand waiting beside him, this moment seems like an eternity. "Do you see anything there?" Carnarvon asks him, unable to bear the uncertainty any longer. Slowly, as if spellbound, Howard Carter turns to him. “Oh yes,” he says heartily, “amazing things!”

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December 1922. A ceremonial bed in the shape of the Celestial Cow, surrounded by provisions and other objects in the antechamber of the tomb. Image: Harry Burton . The Griffith Institute, Oxford. Colorized by Dynamicchrome for the Exhibition “The Discovery of King Tut” in New York.

“There is no doubt that in the entire history of archaeological excavations, no one has yet managed to see anything more magnificent than what our lantern pulled out of the darkness,” said Carter, when the first excitement subsided and explorers, one by one, were able to calmly approach the hole made in the door. His words were confirmed when the door was opened on November 17 and a beam of light from a strong electric bulb danced on a golden stretcher, on a massive golden throne, on two large matte gleaming black statues, on alabaster vases, on some extraordinary caskets. The heads of strange beasts cast monstrous shadows on the walls; like sentries, two statues stood one against the other “with golden aprons, in golden sandals, with clubs and wands. Their foreheads were wrapped around the golden images of sacred snakes.

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December 1922. A gilded lion bed and inlaid clothes chest among other objects in the antechamber. Image: Harry Burton . The Griffith Institute, Oxford. Colorized by Dynamicchrome for the Exhibition “The Discovery of King Tut” in New York.

And among all this luxury of the dead, which it was impossible to capture with a glance, traces of the living could be seen: near the door stood a vessel half-filled with lime, not far from it was a lamp black with soot, in another place a fingerprint was visible on the wall, on the threshold lay a garland of flowers - last tribute to the deceased. As if spellbound, Carnarvon and Carter stood looking at all this dead luxury and traces of life preserved for so many millennia; a long time passed before they woke up and were convinced that in this room - a real museum of treasures - there was neither a sarcophagus nor a mummy. Was it really supposed to resurface the question that had already been discussed more than once: a tomb or a hiding place?

However, going around step by step all the rooms, they found between the sentries one more, third, sealed door. “In our minds, we already imagined a whole suite of rooms similar to the one in which we were, also filled with treasures, and we were breathless.” On November 27, they examined the door, and by the light of the strong electric lamps that Callender had managed to install by that time, they were convinced that almost at floor level, next to the door, there was a passage, also sealed, though later than the door itself. So, the robbers managed to visit here too. What could be hiding in this second chamber or second corridor? If there was a mummy behind this door, in what form? Was she whole? There were many mysteries here. The layout of this tomb was also strange, unlike any of those found earlier. Even more strange was the circumstance that the robbers tried to get through the third door, not paying any attention to the riches that were in front of them. What were they looking for if they calmly passed by a pile of golden things lying in the first room? "

"... It was enough for Carter to take a cursory glance to understand: a thorough study of all these treasures "will lead to a change, if not a complete revolution in all previous views and theories."

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December 1922. A gilded lion bed, clothes chest and other objects in the antechamber. The wall of the burial chamber is guarded by statues. Image: Harry Burton . The Griffith Institute, Oxford. Colorized by Dynamicchrome for the Exhibition “The Discovery of King Tut” in New York.

Soon, the researchers made another important discovery: in the chamber, among other things, there were three large boxes. Looking under one of them, one of the researchers found a small hole. He called the others. Lighting the hole with a lamp, they saw a small side chamber, smaller than the first, but also filled to overflowing with all sorts of household items and jewelry. As far as this could be judged, everything in the tomb remained in the form in which the robbers left it; they passed here "like a good earthquake." And again the question arises: the robbers rummaged through everything here, they (we can talk about this quite definitely) transferred some things and objects from the side chamber to the front one, they damaged something, broke it, but stole almost nothing - even what, so say, it just fell into their hands. Perhaps they were spooked?

Up to this point, everyone - Carter, and Carnarvon, and the rest - were as if in a daze and had little idea of ​​what they were doing. But now, having seen the contents of the side chamber, guessing that something completely unusual awaits them behind the third door, they begin to understand the complexity of the scientific task facing them and how much work and strict organization its solution will require.

It was impossible to understand this find, even only in what they had already managed to find, in one season! "

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December 1922. Under the lion bed in the antechamber are several boxes and chests, and an ebony and ivory chair which Tutankhamun used as a child. Image: Harry Burton . The Griffith Institute, Oxford. Colorized by Dynamicchrome for the Exhibition “The Discovery of King Tut” in New York.

"When we now hear that Carnarvon and Carter decided to fill up the newly excavated tomb, we know that this had nothing to do with similar actions of their predecessors, who quickly dug out, but also quickly filled up their finds."

One thing was clear to Carter: in no case should one rush to excavate. Not to mention the need to firmly establish the original location of all the objects found (this was important for dating and other definitions), one should also take into account the fact that a significant part of the utensils and many jewels were damaged, and before touching them, it was necessary to take measures to preserve them, that is, to process and pack them accordingly. an appropriate amount of packaging materials and various preparations.

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Laboratory / December 1923. Arthur Mace and Alfred Lucas work on a golden chariot from Tutankhamun's tomb outside the "laboratory" in the tomb of Sethos II. Image: Harry Burton . The Griffith Institute, Oxford. Colorized by Dynamichrome for the Exhibition “ The Discovery of King Tut” in New York.

It was necessary to consult with specialists and create a laboratory where they would immediately study those important finds that could not be saved. Just cataloging such a large number of finds already required a lot of preliminary organizational work. All these problems could not be solved by sitting still. Carnarvan needed to go to England, and Carter - at least to Cairo. It was then that Carter decided to fill up the excavation. Only such a measure could, in his opinion (although Callender remained in place for the watchman), secure the tomb from the modern followers of Abd al-Rasul. Moreover, as soon as he arrived in Cairo, Carter ordered a heavy iron grill for the inner door.

14.

January 1924 In a "laboratory" set up in the tomb of Sethos II, conservators Arthur Mace and Alfred Lucas clean one of the sentinel statues from the antechamber. Image: Harry Burton . The Griffith Institute, Oxford. Colorized by Dynamicchrome for the Exhibition “The Discovery of King Tut” in New York.

The thoroughness and precision with which these most famous Egyptian excavations were carried out was largely due to the often selfless help that Carnarvon and Carter received from the very beginning from all parts of the world. Subsequently, Carter expressed in print his gratitude for the comprehensive assistance rendered to him, and he had every reason to do so. He began by citing a letter sent to him at one time by a certain Ahmed Gurgar, who led the workers who took part in the excavations. We will also quote this letter, because we do not want to glorify intellectual help alone. Here it is:

Mr. Howard Carter, zskv.

Honorable Sir!

I am writing you a letter in the hope that you are alive and well, and I pray to the Almighty that He will not leave you in his cares and return you to us in good health, safe and sound. I take the liberty of informing Your Grace that Warehouse No. 15 is in perfect order, the treasury is in order, the northern warehouse is in order, and the house is in order, and all the workers are doing what you ordered in your instructions.

Hussein, Gaz Hassan, Hassan Awad, Abdelad-Ahmed and all send you their best wishes.

I send my best wishes to you, to all members of the Lord's family and to all your friends in England.

Looking forward to your soonest arrival, your obedient servant
Ahmed Gurgar.

15.


Nov. 29, 1923 Howard Carter, Arthur Callender and an Egyptian worker wrap one of the sentinel statues for transport. Image: Harry Burton . The Griffith Institute, Oxford. Colorized by Dynamicchrome for the Exhibition “The Discovery of King Tut” in New York.

In response to a timid plea for help from Carter to members of an expedition operating in the Thebes region, Lysgow, head of the Egyptian department of the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art, put his photographer Harry Burton at his disposal, despite the fact that he was deprived of such the image of the worker he needs; in his reply to Carter, he wrote: “Glad to be of some help. I ask you to fully dispose of Burton in the same way as any member of our expedition. As a result, the draftsmen Hall and Hauser and the head of the excavations in the area of ​​the Lisht pyramids, A.K. Mace, also migrated to Carter. The director of the Egyptian State Department of Chemistry, A. Lucas of Cairo, put himself and his three months' leave at Carter's disposal. Dr. Alan Gardiner took up the inscriptions, and Professor James G. Breasted of the University of Chicago hastened to apply his knowledge to date the ancient seal impressions found by Carter.

16.

Sculptural portrait of Tutankhamun on the second golden sarcophagus. A garland of flowers is visible, still retaining their natural color by the time the sarcophagus was opened / Harry Burton photograph of King Tut wearing a floral collar similar to the ones on view in the exhibition; The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Somewhat later, on November 11, 1925, Saleh Bey Hamdi and Douglas E. Derry, professor of anatomy at the Egyptian University, began to study the mummy. A. Lucas wrote an extensive monograph "Chemistry in the Tomb" about metals, oils, fats and tissues. P. E. Newberry examined the wreaths and garlands of flowers found in the tomb and managed to establish what flowers grew three thousand three hundred years ago on the banks of the Nile. Moreover, he even managed to determine by flowers and berries what time of the year Tutankhamun was buried: knowing when the cornflower blooms, when the mandrake ripens - the “apple of love” from the Song of Songs - and blackberry nightshade, he came to the conclusion that Tutankhamun was buried no earlier than mid-March and no later than the end of April. "Special Materials" was also explored by Alexander Scott and H.J. Plenderleith.

This creative community of specialists (some of them were specialists in fields far removed from archeology and the history of the ancient world) was a sure guarantee that the scientific results of these excavations turned out to be more significant than any previous ones.

Now we could get to work. December 16 the excavation was reopened. On December 18, photographer Burton took test shots, and on the 27th, the first find was brought to the surface.

Solid work takes time. Excavations in the tomb of Tutankhamen continued for several winters. "

Text from the book: Keram K. "Gods, tombs, scientists." A novel of archeology. / Per. from German A.S. Varshavsky - St. Petersburg: "KEM", together with the publishing house "Nizhny Novgorod Fair", N. Novgorod, 1994. S. 60, 156-184.

The inscription on the wall of Tutankhamun's tomb read: "Death will soon overtake the one who dares to disturb the peace of the dead ruler!" It is interesting that over the next ten years, the death of thirteen participants in archaeological excavations and nine people who were close friends with them could not but attract the attention of the public, especially journalists, who were able to make a real sensation out of this event.

They did not care that most of the deceased scientists were well over seventy years old, and that one of the organizers of the expedition, Lord Carnarvon, had asthma, and the air of the musty tomb did not benefit him. But the press did not pay much attention to the fact that the daughter of Carnarvon, Lady Evelyn, who was present at the opening of the tomb and the sarcophagus, lived for more than a dozen years, dying at the age of eighty.

One of the most famous burial places in the world, the tomb of Tutankhamen, or as archaeologists call it, KV 62, is located in the center of the Valley of the Kings on the west coast of the Nile, not far from the modern city of Luxor (in ancient times - Thebes). On the geographical map, this territory can be found at the following coordinates: 25° 44′ 27″ s. sh., 32° 36′ 7″ in. d.

More than sixty graves of the deceased rulers of Egypt and high-ranking officials were discovered on the territory, and it consists of two valleys - the eastern one, where most of the tombs are located, and the western one. Archaeologists have been combing the Valley of the Kings for two centuries now, sorting through every pebble and, it would seem, no new finds should be found on its territory.

Nevertheless, in 2006, another untouched tomb with five mummies was found. This discovery was the first since 1922, when Carter discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun, filled with gold, precious stones, dishes, figurines and other unique works of art created in the XIV century. BC.

Tutankhamen, ruler of Egypt

Until the moment when the tomb of Tutankhamun, the pharaoh who ruled from 1332 to 1323 BC, was discovered, many Egyptologists doubted the very existence of this ruler - he left too little trace in the history of his country. Which, however, is not surprising: he began to rule Egypt at the age of nine, and died before he was twenty. He only managed to resume the cult of the god Amun, which his father, Pharaoh Akhenaten, replaced with Aten.

As to who exactly was his father, scientists have not come to a consensus. Most Egyptologists, given recent DNA analyzes and radiological studies of the remains of the pharaoh, agree that Akhenaten and his sister were the pharaoh's parents. Among the rulers of ancient Egypt, closely related marriages were not uncommon, so it is not surprising that Tutankhamun's wife also turned out to be his sister, Ankhesenamun, from whom he had two stillborn children (their remains were found in his tomb).

One of the most intriguing secrets of Tutankhamun is the question: why did the ruler die before he even reached the age of twenty (even in those days, death at the age of nineteen was considered early). There are several versions of this:

1. Tutankhamun died due to a sudden illness;
2. The young man had incurable hereditary diseases that come from closely related marriages;
3. The young ruler was killed;
4. The pharaoh died after falling from his chariot and receiving injuries incompatible with life.

Modern studies have shown that the young pharaoh did not suffer from hereditary diseases, therefore, he did not have any genetic diseases, a severe form of scoliosis or a disease that gave his skeleton an effeminate figure, etc.. The only diseases that scientists identified were the so-called "cleft palate" and clubfoot. They also refuted the hypothesis that he died due to an injury incompatible with life, since no such fractures were found in the pharaoh (a crack in the skull, apparently, appeared when the priests embalmed the body).

Recent studies have shown that the death of Tutankhamun was caused by a severe form of malaria, as evidenced by the medicines found in the tomb for the treatment of this disease. Since wreaths of flowering cornflowers and daisies were found in the sarcophagus, it was possible to establish that he was buried in the first half of spring. Mummification takes about seventy days, so the young ruler had to die at the beginning of winter (at this time in ancient Egypt it was just the height of the hunting season, because of which there was an assumption that he fell from the chariot).

Finding the Lost Tomb

Archaeologist Carter and Lord Carnavon began searching for the tomb of Tatankhamun in 1916. The idea initially seemed utopian, since in those years this territory was dug up and down and it was believed that it was impossible to find any significant finds here.

Archaeologists spent more than six years searching for the tomb, and found it where they least expected to find it: having dug up all the surroundings, they did not touch only a small area where the huts of the ancient builders of the tombs were located (it is interesting that it was from here that they started excavations).

The step leading down was discovered by Egyptologists under the first shack. Having cleared the stairs, archaeologists saw a walled-up door below - the opening of the tomb of Tutankhamun took place! It happened on November 3, 1922. At this stage, work in the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamen was suspended: just at that time, Lord Carnarvon was in London. Carter, deciding to wait for him by sending a telegram that he had found what he was looking for, patiently waited for a friend for three weeks. He arrived with his daughter, Lady Evelyn - and on November 25, 1922, archaeologists went down to the tomb.

First room

Even before reaching the door, Egyptologists realized that the tomb robbers had already been here (the entrance was not only opened, but also walled up and sealed back). This was also confirmed by the fact that, having unbricked the door, there were found broken shards, whole and broken jugs, vases and other fragments of objects in the corridor - the robbers were clearly already carrying off the booty when they were stopped, perhaps by the guards.

Why the treasures of Tutankhamun's tomb were not plundered is one of the mysteries that has haunted scientists for about a century. Interestingly, as a result of research by Egyptologists, it was precisely established that not only professional tomb robbers, but also people close to the throne were engaged in the robbery of the tombs. When Egypt was going through times of crisis, they did not disdain to replenish the treasury by opening the tombs of long-dead pharaohs. The fact that the first discovered seal, which sealed the tomb of the young pharaoh, was only an ordinary royal seal, and the name of Tutankhamun was on the seal located on the untouched part of the door, speaks for itself.

The surprise of archaeologists knew no bounds. After numerous works, they managed to get to a room filled with various objects: there was a golden throne, vases, caskets, lamps, writing materials, a golden chariot. And opposite each other stood two black sculptures of the pharaoh, in golden aprons and sandals, with maces, wands and with a sacred cobra on their foreheads.

A hole was also discovered, made by robbers and leading to a side room, which was completely filled with gold jewelry, precious stones, household items, and even there were several sawn ships, on one of which the ruler was supposed to go to the afterlife after death.

Having recovered from the abundance of treasures they saw, the archaeologists realized that there was no sarcophagus in these rooms, therefore, there must be one more burial room. A third sealed room was found between the two sculptures. And here the research was stopped: Carter decided to close the tomb and left for Cairo for organizational work (having seen such a number of jewelry and valuable exhibits, he decided to negotiate with the Egyptian government).

He returned in mid-December, after which a railway was built to the pier. And near the shore there was a steamer, specially rented in order to take out the treasures of the tomb of Tutankhamen. The first find was removed from the tomb on December 27, and the first batch of jewelry was delivered to the ship in mid-March (just at that time, Lord Carnarvon fell ill and died of pneumonia).

It was not easy to pull the finds out, while some of the things were in perfect condition, the other part was almost decayed (this applies to woven, leather and wooden items). As an example, Carter points to a pair of sandals found embroidered with beads: one sandal literally crumbled at the slightest touch, and it took considerable effort to assemble it somehow, but the second turned out to be quite strong. This situation arose due to moisture penetrating through the limestone wall, due to which many objects in the room were covered with a yellowish coating, and leather things were very softened.

tomb

The burial room, in which a huge case upholstered with gold plates and decorated with blue mosaics was installed, was opened in mid-February. The fact that the thieves did not get here became clear when Carter discovered that the seals on the sarcophagus were intact. The dimensions of the case where the sarcophagus was located were amazing:

• Length - 5.11 m;
• Width - 3.35 m;
• Height - 2.74 m.

The case occupied almost the entire tomb (it is interesting that from this room it was possible to get into another one, which was filled with treasures). On one side of the case, there were hinged doors closed with a bolt without a seal. Behind them was another case, smaller, without mosaics, but with the seal of Tutankhamen. Above it hung a sequined linen veil attached to wooden cornices (unfortunately, time did not spare it: it turned brown and was torn in many places due to the gilded bronze daisies on it).

Work was once again stopped. It was necessary to remove the wall that separated the tomb from the first room and dismantle four gilded burial cases, between which maces, arrows, bows, gold and silver wands, decorated with figures of Tutankhamen, were found. This work took archaeologists about 84 days.

Having dismantled the last case, Egyptologists found the lid of a huge yellow quartzite sarcophagus, the length of which exceeded 2.5 meters, and the lid weighed more than a ton. Having opened the sarcophagus, scientists discovered a huge gilded relief portrait of Tutankhamen, which in fact turned out to be the lid of a two-meter coffin, following the contours of a male figure. On the forehead of the cover-portrait were the symbols of Lower and Upper Egypt, the Cobra and the Hawk, entwined with a garland of dried flowers.

The first sarcophagus housed the second, where the main golden coffin was installed and the mummy of Tutankhamen, petrified and darkened with time, whose face and chest was covered with a golden mask (the wall thickness of the sarcophagus was about 3.5 mm).

Interestingly, the statues of the Egyptian ruler found in the first room, as well as the golden masks found on the mummy and the faces on the three coffins, turned out to be exact copies of the young ruler. This made it possible to establish that some statues of Tutankhamun were appropriated by some pharaohs, for example, Horemheb erased his name on the sculpture and wrote his own.

Curse of the Tomb

Excavations and studies of the tomb of the young pharaoh lasted about five years, and a year later the phrase "Tutankhamun's curse of the tomb" became almost inseparable from each other. It all started after a year after the opening of the tomb, Lord Carnarvon died of pneumonia, then, over the course of several years, about ten more participants in the excavations passed away.

One of the most popular ideas of fans of the "Tutankhamun's curse of the tomb" theory (among them was Arthur Conan Doyle) were hypotheses about a harmful fungus, radioactive elements, or poisons placed in the tomb. The picture of death itself is as follows:

• Carnarvon dies in March 1923 (it is said that at the time of his death, electricity suddenly disappeared in Cairo);
• The second victim of the curse is Douglas-Reid, who X-rayed the mummy;
• A.K. dies Mace. He opened the burial chamber with Carter;
• In the same year, due to blood poisoning, Carnarvon's brother, Colonel Aubrey Herbert, dies;
• An Egyptian prince, who was at the excavations during the opening of the tomb, is killed by his own wife;
• The following year, in the capital of Egypt, the governor-general of Sudan, Sir Lee Stack, is shot dead by an assassin;
• In 1928, Richard Bartel, Carter's secretary, suddenly dies, and his father jumps out of a window two years later;
• In 1930 Lord Carnarvon's half-brother commits suicide.

There were reports in the press about the death of such famous members of the expedition as Breasted, Gardiner, Davis (they really died at that time, but at the time of death their age exceeded 70 years, and Gardiner was 84). Carnarvon's wife, Almina, was also referred to the story of "Tutankhamun's curse of the tomb", about whom it was said that she allegedly died at the age of 61 from an insect bite, but the rumors turned out to be false, she died much later, at the age of 93 years.

But the death of the main member of the expedition, Carter, could not be attributed to mysterious deaths, no matter how hard the journalists tried: he died sixteen years after the opening of the tomb - the period was too long to be tied to such a popular topic as " Tutankhamun curse of the tomb".

Ancient Egypt is full of secrets and therefore attracts scientists who are looking for clues to the secrets of civilization. And although excavations in Egypt are carried out almost constantly, and new scanning equipment is used, this ancient civilization constantly presents scientists with new surprises.

New names of Egyptian kings, journeys that changed history, and even new discoveries in the pyramids that seemed to be studied up and down - quite recently, many new discoveries have been made, which will be discussed in this article.

1. Cemetery of the priests of Thoth

Thanks to this unusual find, 2018 could be another watershed year for Egyptologists. A large necropolis was discovered not far from the city of El Minya in the Nile Valley. It would seem that this is surprising, because this country is known for its mummies and cemeteries. But in the tombs of Minya rested not ordinary inhabitants of Egypt and not pharaohs. Instead, families of priests were buried in them. During their lifetime, the priests served God Thoth, the patron of wisdom and the moon.

In one of the tombs belonging to the high priest, more than 1000 statues were found. And in it they found the last refuge of 40 members of his family, each of whom was buried in his own sarcophagus. The internal organs of the priest were "packaged" in four burial vessels, known as canopies. All canopic canopies and some of the coffins were decorated with hieroglyphs.

The priest himself was dressed in funeral robes, embroidered with beads and decorated with bronze plates. The region is also known for mass graves of mummified birds, animals, and catacombs dating from the Late Pharaonic and Ptolemaic periods. It will take about five years to fully catalog and study the find.

2. Private tombs of Luxor

The city of Luxor is famous for its ancient architecture and tombs. Among the latter, private tombs "overlooking the west bank of the Nile" can be found. Two such burials were first discovered at the end of 2017. Most likely, high-ranking officials were buried in these 3500-year-old tombs, since the cemetery was intended for the elite Egyptians.

Despite this, the pair of tombs were very small in size. One tomb had a courtyard with an earthen floor and stone walls, and a tunnel that connected it to four additional chambers. Wall decorations indicated that the person was buried during the 18th Dynasty, either during the reign of Pharaoh Amenhotep II or Pharaoh Thutmose IV.

For some reason, the designers of the second tomb made five entrances to it, and each of them led to the same rectangular chamber. It also contained two funerary ramparts and, unlike the first tomb, was filled with artifacts such as masks, a bandaged mummy, pottery, and 450 statues. The name of Pharaoh Thutmose I on the ceiling made it possible to date the burial to the beginning of the 18th Dynasty.

3. Aspelt's face

The kings of Kush once ruled ancient Egypt. By the time a ruler named Aspelta came into power (reigned between 593 and 568 BC), they ruled only Kush. Despite this, he was often referred to in historical documents as the king of Egypt. Excavations have recently begun at Dangeil, an archaeological site in Sudan. Inside the temple of the Egyptian god Amun, researchers are missing parts of the statue of Aspelta, discovered in the same place many years ago. When all the pieces were brought together, the world after thousands of years finally saw the face of Aspelta.

The 2,600-year-old statue was inscribed with Egyptian hieroglyphs. Aspelta was praised as "the king of Upper and Lower Egypt" and "the favorite of the sun god Ra". The statue, which was made to life size, was carved about six centuries after the temple was built next to the Nile. Interestingly, centuries after the building was abandoned, burials were still held here. Nobody knows who these people were.

4. Sons of Khnum-Aa

In 1907, the discovery of two mummies led to decades of "headache" for researchers who love to establish family ties to people who lived millennia ago. Found 400 kilometers south of Cairo, the couple rested side by side for 4,000 years. Named Khnum-Nakht and Nakht-Ankh, they were probably noble, judging by their rich graves. Each coffin also had the female name "Khnum-Aa" written on it. She was described as the mother of both men, born 20 years apart.

Scholars could not prove that she was their mother or that the men were brothers. There was no reference to their father other than that he was the local ruler. After comparing the men's physical qualities, including skull shape and skin color, the researchers concluded that they were unrelated to each other. In 2018, DNA testing finally solved the mystery. The genetic material extracted from the molars showed that the men had the same mother but different fathers.

5. Pyramidion of Ankhnespepi

Queen Ankhnespepi II ruled Egypt until her son grew up and became pharaoh. Most of her funerary buildings have been found, including Ankhnespepi's tomb and pyramid. She was a very influential woman and probably the first queen about whom texts were written on the pyramids. But now archaeologists are trying to find other satellite pyramids associated with it.

At the end of 2017, an obelisk belonging to the queen was discovered near the Saqqara necropolis south of Cairo. Made of red granite, the obelisk was probably part of the mortuary temple of Ankhnespepi. Just a week after the discovery of the artifact, a pyramidion (top of the pyramid) was discovered, about 4000 years old, 1.3 meters high and 1.1 meters long at the base. Given its proximity to the obelisk and her husband's pyramid, the granite piece may be the first physical evidence of the lost satellite pyramid.

6. Musician Hathor

About 3,200 years ago, an Egyptian woman died far from home. She was only 20 years old and pregnant. The discovery of these remains in a copper mine in Israel changed everything archaeologists thought they knew about the site. At that time, Egypt controlled the region, but the copper mines were located in a desert place called Timna. Given the perpetual droughts, settlers were unlikely to live here. But every winter the Egyptians visited the mines to extract the metal. Until the skeleton was found in 2017, it was believed that women never came to these mines.

It was extremely important to determine the identity of the Egyptian woman. Only people with status received proper burials at Timna. Experts believe that this woman was probably a temple musician or singer. Indeed, her tomb was found next to a temple dedicated to the goddess Hathor. Among other things, Hathor was the Egyptian goddess of mining, women, and music. A rare discovery is quite tragic. The torso of the young mother, arms and head are missing, probably as a result of the looting of the grave. Why she died at a young age remains a mystery that will probably go forever unanswered.

7. Tomb of the statue of Ptah

Ptah was the god of craftsmen and sculptors. In fact, these same artists created the statue of Ptah, which was worshiped in the temple at Karnak. In 2014, a pit was discovered next to the temple, inside which was a statue of Ptah in the company of a carved cat, sphinx and baboon, as well as statues of other gods, including Osiris and Mut. They were not thrown away, but were considered "dead" by the ancient Egyptians.

The statue of Ptah received a proper burial. Her "life" ended about 2000 years ago after the statue became too damaged. Researchers believe that the location of the grave of Ptah is not accidental. The sphinx in it was intended for protection, and the abundance of images of Osiris (the god of rebirth) could mean that the priests prepared a pit for the revival of the statue of Ptah.

8 The First Animal Tattoos

The bodies of a man and a woman were found in two shallow graves over a century ago at Gebelein, south of Luxor. Simple burial and lack of professional mummification showed that they were not important people. But their contribution to Egypt and the history of body art is enormous. For years, scientists have been puzzled by the dark coloration of mummies' hands. Signs of a fatal blow to the back of an 18-21-year-old man were also found.

In 2018, an infrared scan revealed that the marks on his arms were tattoos. Images of bulls and sheep were found on the skin of a man, and S-shaped designs on the arms and shoulders of a woman, which may have symbolized status, courage and magic. Given that they are 5,000 years old, these tattoos are a millennium older than previously considered the most ancient “tattoo” found in Africa. They also represent the oldest body art that includes images.

9. Tutankhamun's bed

When Howard Carter opened Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922, several beds were found in it, among other artifacts. One of them was a unique folding crib that had never been seen before. The artifact recently passed its first scientific analysis. The bed features a surprisingly complex construction and beautiful design. Apparently, double beds existed before Tutankhamen, who died around 1323 BC. But the boy-pharaoh bed was innovative - in fact, an analogue of modern camping beds.

Tutankhamen's bed could be folded several times in the shape of the letter "Z". It also showed traces of attempts to improve the folding mechanism. This confirms the idea that the creators did not have examples to copy, and they did everything from scratch. The bed was more portable and comfortable than the double folding versions. Researchers believe that Tutankhamun's weakness did not give him the opportunity to make long trips or hunt, but the "boy-pharaoh" got out on picnics.

10 Giza Water Channels

Although the Great Pyramid of Giza was built in 2600 BC, how it was built remains a mystery. Researchers now believe they have partially solved how this process took place. About 170,000 tons of limestone was brought from Aswan, a distance of 805 kilometers to the south. Every day, new 800 tons arrived to continue the construction of the 147-meter Great Pyramid. Recently, a diary of one of the people involved in the construction was found.

A papyrus scroll written by an overseer named Merer describes thousands of laborers using wooden boats to move blocks along the Nile. Mehrer mentioned that eventually the materials were transported through canals to a port located a few steps from the base of the pyramid. Physical evidence of Merer's claims came when archaeologists discovered a waterway under the pyramid. They also identified a structure that was likely the main storage for 2.3 million blocks.

Papyrus with an ancient boat.