Tombs of the rulers. Tombs of Egyptian nobles of the ancient kingdom

TOMBS

Among ancient peoples who did not burn their corpses, the tomb always reproduced the shape of the dwelling. Just like temples, tombs can be above-ground or underground. Both are built according to the same plan and consist of the same parts: a burial chamber and a room for funeral rites - a crypt and a sanctuary.

Aboveground tombs and the oldest rock tombs (as in Beni Ghassane), consist of two parts: a burial chamber and a room for religious rites located in front of it. In the caves and tombs of the Theban dynasties, the room for religious ceremonies is a separate temple. Ramesseum And Medinet Habu and were similar memorial temples to Ramesses II and Ramesses III. Temple of the Sphinx carried the same functions Cheops pyramid.

Note:Since the time of Pharaoh Thutmose I (XVI century BC), the tomb has been separated from the temple. Thutmose I moved his tomb to Biban el-Moluk, in the “Valley of the Kings,” which from that time became the royal necropolis.

Tomb in the form of a dwelling

The tombs of the first dynasties resemble a fellah hut with sloping walls and flat roof. « Mastabas”, are undoubtedly a semblance of a house: from the outside, the door treatment is easily distinguishable. The interior layout and decorations emulate the living space. The ceiling is made of palm trunks, holes made for lighting, and even mats. The wall paintings reproduce scenes from Everyday life. Figure 8 reproduces the decorative motifs of one of these tombs, where the dead is surrounded by the same environment in which his entire earthly life took place.

In the arrays of some mastabas ( Figure 55, B) there is a walled well P ending in a burial chamber. In other mastabas (A), instead of halls, there are narrow galleries with portrait statues of the deceased.

Rice. 55

Rice. 56

Pyramids

In lower Egypt there are pyramids surrounded by mastabas ( figure 56). They come down to the following types:

A - the pyramid itself (Gizech);

D - pyramid with a broken profile (Dashur);

S - step pyramid (Saqqara).

Just as in mastabas, the outer planes of the pyramids are oriented along the cardinal points. On Figure 56, A a cross-section of the pyramid shows burial chambers, shafts leading to them and ventilation ducts V.

The burial chamber is a room with strictly vertical stone walls, sometimes with a flat ceiling, and sometimes with a vaulted ceiling. The chambers, and sometimes the shafts leading to them, are protected from the mass of the pyramid pressing on them by a special unloading system ( figure 57). The entrances to the galleries are sealed with stonework and completely camouflaged. In some places, the galleries are lined with granite and are partitioned with lowering granite slabs sliding in longitudinal grooves.

Figure 57, A depicts one of these slabs in a semi-raised position. She was probably holding on to sandbags; It was enough to empty them for the stove to lower smoothly. Figure 57, B depicts the option in which the slab was supported wooden support: the support was burned, and the slab fell and blocked the passage.

Modern mastabam pyramids are also decorated with wall paintings, but usually more sparse and abstract - a blue sky with stars on the ceiling and instead of figurative compositions, hieroglyphic inscriptions.

Construction methods. Consecutive masonry. - The structure of most of the pyramids shows that they were built using the method of sequential masonry. From the very first years of his reign, the pharaoh began construction of the dungeon and the core of the pyramid. And then, throughout his life, he continued the construction of the pyramid and built a second, more magnificent burial chamber, which replaced the first. Throughout the life of the pharaoh, new layers of masonry and new rooms arose.

Additions were made in one way or another, indicated in Figures 15 and 58 .

1. Option A: thickening the core walls with new masonry.

2. Option S: successively new rows of masonry are added to the outer planes of the stepped core, which are given some inclination. This explains the origin of step pyramids.

3. Option D, in essence, is a variation of the previous method and, apparently, explains the origin of the pyramid with a broken profile.

4. Finally, the simplified method shown in Figure T was used. Instead of creating a pyramid mass from regular courses of stone masonry, they made masonry with backfill, put up walls and filled the voids between them.

Whatever the method of laying the mass of the pyramid, the facing was always given in the correct rows. According to Herodotus, final processing was carried out from the top and gradually reached the base ( Figure 58, R); This is the method that the Greeks subsequently introduced.

Different purposes of pyramids.- The pyramid is a symbol of durability and absolute peace; its shape corresponded to the idea of a tomb, but it is unlikely that the pyramids served only as tombs.

Jomar, amazed by the extraordinary accuracy of the orientation of the Great Pyramid and the fact that the direction of its main gallery coincides with the earth's axis, considers this pyramid one of the astronomical monuments.

Jomard's assumption about the metrological nature of the pyramids was clarified by M. Mauss. The measurements and proportions of all completed pyramids are directly related to the Egyptian system of measures. For proof, it is enough to mention that the side of the Great Pyramid is 600 cubits, or 1 stage. The Great Pyramid is, as it were, a canon of measures.

However, these various functions do not contradict each other and do not in any way violate the basic idea of the pyramid as a funerary structure. The close connection of the pyramid with the Egyptian system of measures, on the one hand, and with the field of study of astronomical phenomena, on the other, seems to emphasize the cult nature of this monument.

Underground tombs

The era of the pyramids ends in Lower Egypt around the VI dynasty, the Mastaba period - around the XI. Later, the pyramid is found only as an exception. There is a type of pyramid placed on a mastaba: in the ruins of Abydos there are such tombs, which are a base with gentle planes, on which, in turn, rises a small pyramid. Examples of a late type of pyramid are the elongated pyramids of Ethiopia.

Note: The composition of a small pyramid on a mastaba-shaped base is characteristic of the Middle Kingdom period. Its prototype is already the temples of the sun of the V dynasty, where an obelisk was erected on a similar base.

The era of the XII dynasty is characterized by the construction of underground tombs with an external portico; starting from the 18th dynasty, the portico disappears and the entrance to the dungeon is disguised.

We have already spoken above about rock-cut tombs with porticoes Beni-Gassana; figure 59 reproduces the internal plan of one of the Theban tombs, in which the entrance is completely disguised by an earthen mound, similar to a natural mound.

These tombs represent a slightly modified and expanded plan of the galleries in the pyramids; the only difference is the absence of lowering slabs that block the galleries of the pyramids. Here such slabs would be a poor defense, since if the rock was loose, they would be easy to knock off; in order to divert the attention of robbers, walls were erected to disguise the continuation of the galleries, or even false sarcophagi were placed.

The wall paintings of the tombs are of the same nature as in the pyramids and mastabas, only the plot changes: instead of increasingly rare everyday scenes, mythological motifs begin to predominate.

Note: Not only the subjects, but also the style of paintings from the Middle and especially the New Kingdom period differ from the Old Kingdom.

Gradual expansion of underground tombs.- The same thought that guided the architect during the construction of the pyramid was the basis for the creation of long galleries of underground tombs: the tomb for the pharaoh had to be completed whenever the hour of his death came. First, the first underground chamber was built, then a gallery was led to the second chamber, usually larger and richer furnished, etc. Too loose layers of rock were bypassed, drawing the shaft in a different direction; on Figure 59, A An example of such detours is given. Sometimes on the path of the mine being laid, a previously constructed tomb was encountered, and then again it was necessary to dodge to the side (the tomb of Ramesses III). Often the mine remained unfinished: this meant that by the day the pharaoh died latest cameras weren't ready yet.

Auguste Choisy. History of architecture. Auguste Choisy. Histoire De L'Architecture

Gods of the New Millennium [with illustrations] Alford Alan

TOMBS OF THE PHARAOHS?

There were supposed to be three tombs in this amazing Great Pyramid in case the pharaoh died during construction. And the textbooks say this quite seriously! Experts at the British Museum explain the "features of the internal configuration of the pyramid by changes in plans during construction." This is directly related to the traditional version that each of the chambers was intended to be a tomb, and that the builders therefore changed their plans during construction.

Is there any evidence to support the still-current idea that the Great Pyramid was indeed intended to serve as a tomb? This assumption - that the king's (or queen's) chamber in the Great Pyramid served as a tomb - falls apart in the face of the evidence we have. To the surprise of many who accepted the tomb theory at face value, no remains, no mummies, or anything related to a burial or tomb were ever found in the Great Pyramid.

Arab historians who described Mamun's entry into the pyramid claim that there were no traces of burial there, nor any traces of robbers, since the upper part of the pyramid was very carefully sealed and disguised. It is clear that grave robbers would not seal the robbed tomb - they would try to get out as quickly as possible! The obvious conclusion from these considerations is that the pyramid was intended to remain empty.

Moreover, the very idea that the upper chambers of the Great Pyramid were intended for burial is in no way compatible with the fact that the tombs of the Egyptian pharaohs were never placed high above ground level. Moreover, when examining many other pyramids in Egypt, no evidence was found that at least one of them was used as a tomb.

According to the traditional view, the pyramid-building mania began with one of the first pharaohs of the Third Dynasty, Djoser, around 2630 BC, a few years after the beginning of Egyptian civilization. For some reasons unclear to us, the pharaoh decided to abandon the simple tombs made of clay bricks, which were used by his predecessors, and built the first stone pyramid in Saqqara. This was a very ambitious project, apparently unique and unprecedented in Egypt (although similar ziggurats had been built in Mesopotamia several centuries earlier). In this construction, Djoser was assisted by an architect named Imhotep, a mysterious person about whom we know little. The Pyramid of Djoser was built at an angle of approximately 43.5 degrees.

IN early XIX centuries, two “funeral chambers” were found under the pyramid of Djoser, and during further excavations underground galleries with two empty sarcophagi. Since then, it has been believed that this pyramid served as the tomb of Djoser and his family members, but in fact his remains were never found, and there is no hard evidence that Djoser was actually buried in this pyramid. On the contrary, many prominent Egyptologists are now convinced that Djoser was buried in a majestic, richly decorated tomb found in 1928, located south of the pyramid. They could only conclude that the pyramid itself was not intended to serve as a tomb, but was either a symbolic tomb or a clever way to distract the attention of grave robbers.

Pharaoh Sekhemkhet is considered to be Djoser's successor. His pyramid also has a “burial chamber”, and in it - again empty sarcophagus. The official version says that the tomb was robbed, but in fact, the archaeologist who discovered the chamber, Zakaria Ghoneim, saw that the sarcophagus was closed with a vertical sliding door, sealed cement. And, again, there is no evidence that this pyramid was intended as a tomb.

In other, less well-known pyramids of the III dynasty, the picture is the same: the step pyramid of Khaba turned out to be completely empty; next to it, another unfinished pyramid was found with a mysterious oval - like a bathroom - room - sealed and empty; as well as three more small pyramids in which no traces of burials were found.

The first pharaoh of the Fourth Dynasty, around 2575 BC, was Snofru. The pyramid-tomb theory has been dealt another blow, as it is believed that Sneferu built not one, but three pyramids! His first pyramid in Medum turned out to be too steep and collapsed. Nothing was found in the burial chamber except the fragments of a wooden coffin, which is believed to represent a later burial. Snefru's second and third pyramids were built at Dashur. The second pyramid, known as the Pyramid of Bent, is believed to have been built at the same time as the pyramid at Meidum, since the angle of the walls was suddenly changed mid-construction from 52 degrees to a safer 43.5 degrees. The walls of the third pyramid, called Red - after the color of the local pink limestone from which it is built, were built at a safe angle of approximately 43.5 degrees. These pyramids contain two and three "burial chambers" respectively, but all of them turned out to be completely empty.

Why did Pharaoh Snefru need two pyramids standing next to each other and what were these empty chambers supposed to mean? If such efforts were already expended, then why was he buried in another place? Surely one fake tomb would be enough to confuse tomb robbers?!

But it is believed that Khufu was the son of Sneferu, and therefore we can establish the supposed date of construction of the Great Pyramid of Giza without having the slightest evidence that any of the pyramids were intended for burial at all. Meanwhile, in all the books, in all the guidebooks and television documentaries, it is categorically stated that the pyramids of Giza, like all the pyramids in Egypt, were tombs!

In general, we see in this an excellent example of how any, even the most ridiculous theory, can take over people’s thoughts. And then scientists are forced to defend the accepted theory, inventing more and more ingenious arguments, such as, for example, the fact that the builders of the pyramids at Giza “changed their plans.” These scientists are too arrogant to honestly tell us “we don’t know” and too hesitant to challenge prevailing opinion. Well, and we - will we continue to blindly believe what these scientists instill in us?

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From the author's book

Tombs and mummies of the Ukok plateau We will talk about an archaeological sensation in the most direct and purely scientific sense of the word. After excavations of Roman cities (Stabium, Herculaneum and Pompeii), destroyed by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. BC, and the discovery of the untouched tomb of Tutankhamun

From the author's book

Inkwell in the newfangled “pharaonic style” The country of gray pyramids has long attracted Europeans. Even the ancient Greeks considered it the cradle of art. And later they invariably attracted people with their mystery as strange egyptian gods Osiris, Isis and Serapis, and their priests,

2 – Tombs.

Almost only the tombs of the great and noble Egyptians give us an idea of the art of the Ancient Kingdom, starting from the 3rd dynasty. The few surviving temple ruins - genuine monuments of the initial religious architecture of Egypt - indicate that there was a close connection between the abodes of the gods and the tombs of the dead. Examples of structures of this kind can serve as, firstly, the small temple-tomb of Pharaoh Sneferu, opened by Petri, near the pyramid in Medum, from two halls that do not have any decorations, and from the courtyard, and secondly, the temple of the Sphinx in Giza, dating back to the time building pyramids. Its plan (without the adjacent fenced space) in general outline represents two halls, adjacent to one another and forming something like the letter T. The flat stone ceiling was supported in the transverse hall by six smooth tetrahedral pillars, in the longitudinal hall - by ten of the same pillars standing in two rows. These columns have no plinths either at the base or above the top. The stone ceiling beams rest directly on the pillars. This temple is an example of a stone structure of the most ancient type, perhaps descending directly from dolmens, but distinguished by the care and correctness of its masonry. There are no paintings or other decorations, no inscriptions in this simple building; but its pillars are carved from pinkish-red granite, and the walls and ceiling are made of alabaster, so this little architectural monument antiquity breathes with noble, elegant simplicity.

Tombs of Egyptian nobles of the ancient kingdom.

The tombs of the Egyptian kings are pyramids; octagonal burial structures with flat roof and with walls that looked like slopes from the outside. These tombs are called mastaba. The most significant pyramids and mastabas are located near the ancient capital of Egypt, Memphis, in the desert area on the west bank of the Nile. In the west the divine ones come daily celestial bodies, and therefore the Egyptians assumed the existence of a kingdom there, where the dead were in blissful union with the gods.

The pyramids of the Old Kingdom are the tombs of the pharaohs.

The pyramids are the most grandiose and typical monuments of art of the millennium under review. Funeral crypts in the pyramids, which had to be entered by long corridors or mines, were sometimes placed in solid, made of stone or brick thicker than the building itself or under it, in rocky soil. Chambers that served for making sacrifices or dedicated to the cult of the deceased were usually arranged in the form of a special building, with east side pyramids. From an artistic point of view, what deserves attention in the pyramids is mainly their appearance. Representing a fossilized giant burial mound that has received the correct stereometric shape, they amaze the viewer with the mass of stones piled on top of each other and with their slender tetrahedral shape. Subsequently, the ancient Greco-Roman world called the pyramids one of the wonders of the world. From a legal point of view historical development It seems certain, as is generally accepted, that the oldest of all pyramids is the tomb of Djoser, pharaoh of the 3rd dynasty, a stepped pyramid at Saqqara, consisting of six huge limestone parts that decrease in size as they approach the top and reach a height of 60 meters. We have already seen earlier that the stepped form is nothing more than the original stylization of an earthen mound that already appeared among some primitive peoples; The pyramids were also built at first in the form of ledges, but then they were supplemented with stone slabs so that in the end they presented smooth edges. The Saqqara stepped pyramid hid under its ponderous mass a chamber lined with greenish tiles, which was restored during the 20th dynasty, which was distinguished by its love of antiquity; but, judging by its decorations in general, it was built under King Djoser. The pattern of the wall cladding, pieces of which ended up in the Berlin Museum, resembles matting. Pharaoh Djoser was succeeded by Pharaoh Snefru, whose tomb - the pyramid in Medum - no longer has a stepped, but a smooth shape. We find the transition from one type of pyramid to another in Dashur, where the pyramid seems to be placed on another, truncated and having steeper edges. In any case, pyramids with smooth edges are the purest and most complete exponents of the idea of such structures. The greatest and most famous of these pyramids are located near Giza. These are the tombs of three kings of the 4th dynasty, Khufu (Cheops), Khafre (Khefre) and Menkere (Mykerinus). The largest and oldest of them is the Pyramid of Cheops, which at its base is 233 meters in both length and width, and reaches a height of 145 meters. The few remaining parts of it stone cladding consist of white limestone, which, when painted in various colors, must have once given the impression of a combination of several precious rocks. The second pyramid, the tomb of Khafre, was somewhat smaller. Its height was 135 meters, the lining of its lower part consisted of pinkish-reddish granite. The third, the pyramid of Mikerin, was only 66 meters high. In its lower part it was lined with syenite, and in its upper part - with limestone. In it was found the much-disturbed sarcophagus of bluish-black basalt with the mummy of the pharaoh in a wooden coffin, which sank during its transportation by sea to London, but is known from the drawings. He gives us an idea of the type and style of ancient Egyptian adobe and wooden buildings. But since German Egyptology recently recognized it as a work of the 26th dynasty, which restored the tombs of ancient kings in a modified form, instead of this sarcophagus, a typical example of ancient Egyptian architecture can be the magnificent sarcophagus of Khufu-Onka (4th dynasty) made of pink granite, located in Giza Museum; it also represents a semblance of a clay-wood structure with doors and windows, although with a less elaborate arrangement of frames and jambs.

In the Valley of the Kings in Egypt, among the sandy mountains there is one place. Located near ancient city Thebes (modern Luxor). The arid valley has no vegetation. It is impossible for a traveler to find protection and shade from the tireless sun in these parts. The terrain is a mixture of sand and small stones. The air temperature in this part of the country in the winter months remains firmly at +40-45C. IN summer season reaches +60C.

It was this place with a deserted, unremarkable landscape that about 3,000 years ago, the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt chose to find another life in the other world. Surrounded by countless treasures after death, they hoped that tomb robbers would not be able to discover them. Their efforts were not crowned with success: almost all the crypts of the royal persons of the pharaoh dynasty were plundered. Except for one - the tomb of King Tutankhamun, who died at the age of 18 in 1346 BC.

Egyptian priests and the tomb of Tutankhamun

There is historical evidence that attackers have repeatedly tried to find the resting place Egyptian pharaoh. However, the priests guarding the tomb in , reburied Tutankhamun. The location of his remains remained a mystery for more than 3,000 years. Enclosed in a massive sarcophagus made of pure gold, the Egyptian king was in complete darkness and incomprehensible silence. All this time he was in the familiar world of luxury in the palaces of the pharaohs. Golden chariots, statues from precious metal and ebony wooden boats to travel to other world. His golden throne, the king's toys, fragrant oils, precious jewelry and other items accompanying the royal person during her lifetime. Every corner, every niche of this tomb of the Egyptian pharaoh was filled with priceless objects for culture and history. ancient civilization on the ground.

The significance of the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb

The English Egyptologist, Howard Carter, suggested that Tutankhamun's tomb was located in the Valley of the Dead in . However, archaeologists stated that all areas of this necropolis had already been studied and the crypt of the Egyptian king had not been found among them.

In 1914, with the financial and organizational support of the British-born Lord Carnarvon, Carter began his own excavations. For seven years his labors did not bring any results. Sponsors threatened to stop allocating money for the search. As a result, in November 1922, Lord Carnarvon announced that he could no longer support the project to find the tomb and believed that Carter’s luck had changed. At the same time, Egyptian workers were just one step away from one of the most important discoveries in human history: they discovered a path leading to the sealed door of the tomb of the son of the Sun.

Treasures of Tutankhamun's tomb. 1924

Tutankhamun's tomb: the story of discovery

Having opened this door, Carter's expedition discovered a corridor filled with stones and rubble. After the passage, another obstacle arose in front of the archaeologists, but this time the entrance was marked with the symbolism of King Tutankhamun. Carter was confident that he had found the king's tomb. But he was afraid that perhaps it had been plundered and not a single regalia of the pharaoh remained inside.

On November 26, Carter and Lord Carnarvon began to break down the second door. Carter later announced to the whole world that it was:

“A day of days, the most wonderful day I have ever experienced. It seemed to me that time stood still. We watched as workers cleared the passage and removed the bottom of the doorway. The decisive moment has arrived. With trembling hands, I took a step into the darkness. The day before we tested the space behind the door with an iron detector.

He showed that behind the wall there was complete emptiness. It was impossible to examine anything, since we did not use candles during the work due to possible harmful gases underground. Nevertheless, I took out a candle, lit it and moved inside the newly discovered room. Lord Carnarvon, Lady Evelyn, Carnarvon's daughter and Assistant Callender stood next to me, anxiously awaiting the "sentence."

At first I didn't see anything. The hot air coming out of the chamber extinguished the flickering of the candle. My eyes began to get used to the light. In the fog, the details of the things in the crypt began to become clear. There were animals, statues, objects unknown to me by appearance - everything glowed with gold. I was speechless with amazement. Lord Carnarvon, unable to stand the wait, asked me: “Do you see anything?” All I could do was say, “Yes, wonderful things. Widen the passage a little more, then we can both see what's inside." The room was illuminated by an electric torch.

Ancient Egypt. Tutankhamun's tomb

Howard Carter: Discovery of Tutankhamun's Tomb

The “remarkable things” that Carter saw in this room turned out to be the largest collection of artifacts from the era of the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt ever discovered. But this was just the tip of the iceberg. In the smaller room next to it, there were magnificent treasures. It took the archaeological expedition about 2.5 months to thoroughly clean the entrances and inventory the legacy of the Egyptian ruler.

A little later, Carter opened the fourth sealed door, where he believed the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun was located. This is where his richly decorated golden sarcophagus was found.

“My first task was to locate the wooden lintels above the door. I carefully removed chips from the plaster and removed some stones that covered the top layer of the inscription. The temptation to find out what was behind the door was unimaginable. After 10 minutes of work I've done enough big hole in the wall and inserted a lantern into it. An amazing sight presented itself to me. For there, just half a meter from the door blocking the entrance to the cell, stood, apparently, solid wall made of gold. I started clearing the opening."

"Opening of Tutankhamun's tomb": documentary was filmed by the BBC about the events of this great day in Egyptology.

As the stones were removed from the passage, the real picture emerged: we were at the entrance to the chamber where the king was buried. The wall blocking our path was covered with pure gold and served as protection for the sarcophagus. Stone by stone, we felt a tremor like an electric shock. This was without a doubt a grave. And we were in it!

The sarcophagus was huge, 17 pounds by 11 feet. And 9 feet tall. It occupied almost the entire area of the chamber. The space was separated by two steps from the walls on four sides. It almost reached the ceiling in height. It was overlaid with gold from top to bottom. Along its edges were inlaid panels of brilliant blue faience. They were repeated over and over again magic symbols, which served to ensure its strength and safety. A number of funerary emblems were laid out around the royal remains. In the northern part, seven oars of a boat were depicted, which served to transport the pharaoh across the waters leading to the underworld. The walls of the chamber, unlike the corridor, were decorated with scenes and inscriptions surrounded by brilliant flowers.

Opening of Tutankhamun's tomb: video

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 closely communicating with them could not help 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 about the fact that the age of most of the deceased scientists was significantly over seventy years, and one of the organizers of the expedition, Lord Carnarvon, suffered from asthma, and the air of the musty tomb did not do him any good. But the fact that Carnarvon’s daughter, Lady Evelyn, who was present at the opening of the tomb and sarcophagus, lived for decades, dying at the age of eighty, the press special attention didn't pay attention.

One of the most famous tombs in the world, the tomb of Tutankhamun, 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, near the modern city of Luxor (in ancient times - Thebe). On geographical map this territory can be found at the following coordinates: 25° 44′ 27″ N. latitude, 32° 36′ 7″ e. d.

More than sixty graves of deceased Egyptian rulers and high-ranking officials were discovered on the territory, and it consists of two valleys - the eastern, where most of the tombs are located, and the western.

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

Tutankhamun, ruler of Egypt

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

Scientists have not come to a consensus on who exactly his father was. Most Egyptologists, taking into account recent DNA tests and radiological studies of the pharaoh's remains, agree that the pharaoh's parents were Akhenaten and his sister. Among the rulers of ancient Egypt, consanguineous marriages were not uncommon, so it is not surprising that Tutankhamun’s wife also turned out to be his sister, Ankhesenamun, with whom he had two stillborn children (their remains were discovered in his tomb).

One of the most intriguing mysteries of Tutankhamun is the question: why did the ruler die before he even reached the age of twenty (even at that time, death at the age of nineteen was considered early). There are several versions on this matter:

Tutankhamun died due to a sudden illness;
The young man had incurable hereditary diseases that occur from consanguineous marriages;
The young ruler was killed;
The pharaoh died after falling from his chariot and receiving injuries incompatible with life.

Modern research has shown that the young pharaoh did not suffer from hereditary diseases, so he did not have any genetic diseases, severe 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 similar fractures were found in the pharaoh (a crack in the skull, apparently, appeared when the priests embalmed the body).

Recent studies have shown that Tutankhamun's death was caused by a severe form of malaria, as evidenced by the medicines found in the tomb to treat this disease. Since wreaths of blooming 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, therefore 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, which is why it was assumed that he fell from his chariot).

Finding the Lost Tomb

Archaeologist Carter and Lord Carnavon began searching for Tatankhamun's tomb 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 left only a small area where the huts of the ancient tomb builders were located (interestingly, it was from here that they began the excavations).

A step leading down was discovered by Egyptologists under the first shack. Having cleared the stairs, archaeologists saw a walled door below - the opening of Tutankhamun’s tomb had taken place! It happened on November 3, 1922. At this stage, work on the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun was suspended: it was at this time that Lord Carnarvon was in London. Carter, deciding to wait for him, sending a telegram that he had found what he was looking for, patiently waited for his 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 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 unwalled the door, broken shards, whole and broken jugs, vases and other fragments of objects were found in the corridor - the robbers were clearly already carrying away the loot when they were stopped, possibly by guards.

Why the treasures of Tutankhamun’s tomb were not looted 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 involved in robbing tombs. When Egypt was going through times of crisis, they did not hesitate to replenish the treasury by opening the tombs of long-dead pharaohs. The fact that the first discovered seal, which was used to seal the tomb of the young pharaoh, was only an ordinary royal signet, 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 reach a room filled with various objects: there was a golden throne, vases, caskets, lamps, writing instruments, and a golden chariot. And opposite each other stood two black sculptures of the pharaoh, in golden aprons and sandals, with maces, staffs and a sacred cobra on their forehead.

A hole was also discovered, made by robbers, leading to a side room, which was completely filled with gold jewelry, precious stones, household items, and even 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 another burial room. A third sealed chamber was discovered between two sculptures. And here the research was stopped: Carter decided to close the tomb and left for Cairo to organizational work(having seen so many jewelry and valuable exhibits, he decided to negotiate with the Egyptian government).

He returned in mid-December, after which he was escorted to the pier Railway. And near the shore there was a steamer, specially rented in order to take out the treasures of Tutankhamun’s tomb. 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 this time Lord Carnarvon fell ill and died of pneumonia).

It was not easy to pull out the finds, while some of the things were in perfect condition, others were almost decayed (this applies to woven, leather and wooden objects). As an example, Carter points to a pair of beaded sandals he found: one sandal literally fell apart at the slightest touch, and it took a lot of effort to somehow put it back together, but the second one 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 became covered with a yellowish coating, and leather items became very soft.

Tomb

The burial room, in which a huge case covered 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 (interestingly, from this room one could 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 mosaic, but with the seal of Tutankhamun. Hanging above it was a sequined cover of linen cloth attached to the wooden cornices (unfortunately, time had not been kind to it: it had turned brown and was torn in many places due to the gilded bronze daisies on it).

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

Having disassembled the last case, the Egyptologists were faced with the lid of a huge sarcophagus made of yellow quartzite, 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 Tutankhamun, which in fact turned out to be the lid of a two-meter coffin, repeating the contours of a male figure.

The first sarcophagus housed the second, where the main golden coffin was installed and there was the petrified and darkened mummy of Tutankhamun, whose face and chest were covered with a golden mask (the thickness of the sarcophagus wall 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 research into the tomb of the young pharaoh lasted about five years, and after a year the phrase “Tutankhamun’s curse of the tomb” became almost inseparable from each other. It all started after Lord Carnarvon died of pneumonia a year after the opening of the tomb, and 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 theory of “Tutankhamun’s curse of the tomb” (among them was Arthur Conan Doyle) were hypotheses about a harmful fungus, radioactive elements or poisons placed in the tomb. The picture of deaths itself looks like this:

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 took an x-ray of the mummy;
A.K. dies. Mace. He and Carter opened the burial chamber;
In the same year, Carnarvon's brother, Colonel Aubrey Herbert, dies due to blood poisoning;
The Egyptian prince, who was at the excavation site during the opening of the tomb, is killed by his own wife;
On next year in the capital of Egypt, the Governor-General of Sudan, Sir Lee Stack, dies from an assassin's shot;
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 committed suicide.

There were reports in the press about the death of such famous expedition members as Brasted, Gardiner, Davis (they actually died at this time, but at the time of death their age exceeded 70 years, and Gardiner was 84). The story of “Tutankhamun’s curse of the tomb” also included Carnarvon’s wife, Almina, who was said to have 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.

But the death of the main member of the expedition, Carter, mysterious deaths, no matter how hard the journalists tried, they could not attribute it: he died sixteen years after the opening of the tomb - the period turned out to be too long for him to be tied to such a popular topic as “Tutankhamun’s curse of the tomb.”