The ancient Egyptians are surrounded by a halo of mystery, which is supported by ongoing archaeological discoveries. Unfortunately, it also contributes to countless myths. This list takes a look at the most common misconceptions about Ancient Egypt, as well as some interesting facts about this ancient culture.
Cleopatra was beautiful
Cleopatra VII, the last pharaoh of Ancient Egypt, is a culturally popular figure, often considered a beauty. This idea was shared by everyone - from Shakespeare to director Joseph Mankiewicz, who made the famous film with Elizabeth Taylor in the title role. However, Roman coins depict the profile of Cleopatra with masculine features - a large nose, a protruding chin, narrow lips - in no culture would such a woman be called a beauty. However, Cleopatra's contemporaries noted her intelligence and charisma, contrasting these properties with physical beauty.
Obsessed with death
Reading about the ancient Egyptians with their pyramids, mummies and great deities, it is easy to conclude that they thought a lot about death. In fact, this opinion is far from the truth. All the efforts that the Egyptians made in burying their dead were to glorify life. For example, many of the images that decorate the inside of the tombs glorify agricultural work, hunting and fishing. In addition, the expensive decorations that were placed in the burials were supposed to help the souls of the dead to get to the afterlife, where they could continue their daily activities. Mummification was meant to keep the body lifelike - for an afterlife that looked like an idealized form of the real one. Obviously, the Egyptians were not obsessed with death, but with life.
aliens
We hope that our readers are quite reasonable, but there are those who believe that the ancient Egyptians had contact with aliens. They claim that the pyramids are superhuman achievements, and some of the paintings on the walls depict aliens. This is simply insulting to the heritage of ancient Egypt. The Great Pyramid of Giza is striking in the accuracy of mathematical calculations, but their construction was quite within the power of talented astronomers, scientists and architects of that time. And the fact that for four thousand years the pyramid of Cheops remained the tallest building on Earth proves not that the Egyptians made friends with the aliens, but that no culture could challenge their achievements until the 19th century. For drawings, see the illustration above.
Everything is open
Many believe that we have already found out everything we can about ancient Egypt, and Egyptology can be buried. It is not right. Astonishing discoveries continue, shedding new light on an ancient civilization. For example, this year the "solar boat" was removed from the pyramid of Cheops. Apparently, the Egyptians assumed that on this boat the dead pharaoh would help the solar god Ra in his eternal battle with Apophis, the demon of darkness. According to myths, every night Ra sails on his solar boat to fight Apep, and at dawn he defeats him and triumphantly ascends to heaven.
Hieroglyphs
It is often said that the ancient Egyptians invented hieroglyphs. However, the primitive hieroglyphs were probably brought to Egypt by invading peoples from Western Asia. Another myth, supported by images of snakes and legs separated from the body, is that hieroglyphs were used for curses and spells. In fact, most hieroglyphic inscriptions are ordinary signatures or historical descriptions. Curses are occasionally found in the tombs and had no effect: "May his years be shortened", "May he have no descendants." It is curious that before the discovery of the Rosetta Stone in 1798, with the help of which it was possible to decipher the hieroglyphs, many scientists believed that the hieroglyphs were just pictures, and not the phonetic signs that make up the alphabet.
pyramid decorations
Hieroglyphics cover the interior walls of many ancient Egyptian palaces and tombs. But the pyramids, contrary to popular belief, cannot boast of many decorations. Until recently, it was believed that the pyramids of Giza did not have any decorations inside. However, a few months ago, hieroglyphs were found in the pyramid of Cheops behind a secret door. In addition, 4000 years ago the pyramids were not, as they are now, plain. Some of their parts, such as the outer columns, were painted red and white. But even without decorations, the pyramids are incredibly majestic, the skill of the builders allowed them to survive the millennia.
Pharaohs killed their servants
When a pharaoh died, his servants were not killed or buried in his pyramid, except for rare exceptions. Two pharaohs from the First Dynasty were buried along with servants. But the tendency to generalize has led many to believe that all three hundred pharaohs did so. Surely the pharaohs understood that the benefits of living servants are greater than those of the dead, so the Egyptians were buried with figurines called ushabti. They depicted servants who would have to work for their master in the afterlife.
The pyramids were built by slaves
Information that the Egyptian pyramids were built by slaves first appears in the Greek historian Herodotus in the 5th century BC. BC. This theory was refuted by archaeologists when burials of the builders of the pyramids were found near the pyramids in Giza. To be buried next to the divine pharaohs - slaves could not be awarded such an honor. In addition, large quantities of cattle bones were found there, and beef in ancient Egypt was a delicacy, and no one would feed slaves to it. Obviously, the pyramid builders were skilled craftsmen, not slaves, as portrayed in Hollywood movies.
Jewish slavery in Egypt
This is a delicate point, as it touches on religious issues. Unfortunately for those who consider the Bible to be a literal account of historical events, there is no evidence that Jews were enslaved in ancient Egypt. Quite a few records remain of the Egyptians, but not one of them mentions the slave race, the ten "plagues of the Egyptians", or the departure of a large number of people from Egypt. In addition, the flight of many slaves would have undermined the Egyptian economy, but it was prosperous throughout the second millennium BC, when the exodus supposedly occurred.
Curse of the pharaohs
The "curse" hitting those who opened the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamen was a very popular topic among the media and gullible people. Modern myth has it that an ancient pharaoh's curse led to the death of Lord Carnarvon and the other members of the expedition. Although theories have been devised about dangerous fungi or gases, no special explanation is needed for the ensuing deaths. Only eight of those present at the opening of the tomb 58 died over the next 12 years, which is quite understandable of natural causes.
Egypt has long been considered a mystical country. Until now, it is fraught with many mysterious secrets. Now Arabic melodies and belly dances have become popular among young people. Trips to Egypt become available. Tourists are attracted by the antiquity and grandeur of the pyramids, the significance of the burial ceremony for the pharaohs. It became interesting for me to learn the secrets of the burial and the afterlife of the ancient Egyptians.
The purpose of the work: to identify the features of burial and mummification in Egypt. In order to achieve this goal, I set myself several tasks:
1. Collect material about the afterlife of the ancient Egyptians using video cassettes, slides, feature films, encyclopedic data on the topic.
2. Summarize the material found and introduce it to primary school students of our school.
I looked for interesting information and facts on this topic in encyclopedic books, magazines for the curious, in history books. I really like to watch educational programs “In Search of Adventures”, “Around the World”, “Unlucky Notes. Looking through books, analyzing the broadcasts I watched, I learned about ritual burials in ancient Egypt.
Pyramids - the tombs of the ancient pharaohs
Once upon a time, at the dawn of Egyptian civilization, huge mounds were erected over the burial places of noble Egyptians - barrows. The more noble the deceased, the larger the barrow. He recalled the former greatness of the pharaoh. But here's the problem: over time, the embankment spread under its own weight, and the winds leveled it with the ground. But the Egyptian rulers wanted the formidable memory of them to survive for millennia! Whether Pharaoh Djoser himself thought of it, or someone told him, but only over the tomb intended for this Egyptian king, not a mound was erected, but a stepped pyramid of small stone blocks. This is the oldest of all known stone buildings in history!
Well, the most famous pyramids in the world can, without a doubt, be called the pyramids of Giza.
Three Egyptian kings - Cheops, Khafre and Menkaure - are buried in these majestic stone tombs. The largest of the three pyramids is the Pyramid of Cheops. During his reign, the construction of the pyramid was going on /23 years/ The Pyramid of Cheops is 146 meters high, and the width of its base is 132 meters. Cheops wanted to be buried after his death in a pyramid. He believed that his pyramid should exceed all other pyramids in size, splendor and luxury.
However, the pyramid of Cheops does not consist entirely of stone. Inside it there is an extensive system of passages, the so-called large gallery, where there were storerooms, where everything that was considered necessary for the deceased was placed: food supplies, household items, a room for the Ka statue * which leads to the pharaoh's chamber, where the sarcophagus is installed. It was added during construction. This is the last resting place of the pharaoh.
Ka * - in Egyptian mythology, one of the soul-essences of a person, born with him and determining his fate / Read, learn, play, 2004, No. 1 p. 104. /
Pyramid* is a monumental structure having an appropriate geometric shape. The pyramids are the giant tombs of the ancient Egyptian pharaohs of the 3rd-2nd millennium BC. e. / magazine "Read, learn, play" 1, 2004 p105.
Secrets of burial
Afterworld
The ancient Egyptian, more than any of his contemporaries in other states, thought about death. The phenomenon of death frightened him; he did not want to come to terms with the fact of a person's departure from life and created in his fantasy a second life after death. It should remain the same as the real one. In order for this to be so, and not otherwise, a whole system of rituals and sacraments was invented. On the funeral steles, the wealth of the deceased was listed, so that there, in the afterlife, the deceased could again receive all this into his possession. Wooden or clay figurines of slaves were placed in the grave of the deceased pharaoh so that they would work for him there.
Man, according to the Egyptian, will live until his body disappears. Therefore, it is especially important to preserve the flesh of the deceased. The ancient Egyptians created the whole science of mummification - the conservation of a lifeless body. Millennia have passed, and the mummies buried in sarcophagi have been perfectly preserved.
By virtue of the same religious beliefs, the Egyptian strove for monumental art, he created for eternity, choosing material for his colossal sculptures from the most durable stone - granite, diorite, basalt.
The phenomenon of death frightened the imagination of the ancient Egyptian. No matter how full of worries, worries, adversities, suffering, life was, it gave a person the sun, and a cloudless sky, and the coolness of the night after a hot day. Therefore, the Egyptian glorified life and for the sake of eternal life created the myth of the resurrecting god Osiris.
For the ancient Egyptian, the heart was, as it were, a thinking being, it could be a friend of the person in whose chest it was beating, and an enemy, and in the afterlife judgment it was an impartial, sometimes even hostile, witness, therefore, instead of the heart, a beetle was placed in the grave of the deceased.
Most of the Egyptian pyramids have been looted, although the entrance to them has been carefully disguised. But in 1922, the expedition of the English scientist Howard Carter discovered the untouched tomb of Tutankhamun, who lived in the 14th century BC. e. Soon, some participants in the excavations died under mysterious circumstances. They began to talk about the curse of the pharaohs. Indeed, on the walls of the tombs there were threatening inscriptions about punishment for those who dare to disturb the eternal rest of the pharaohs. It is now known why the researchers died. Deadly microbes "slept" in the tomb. When fresh air entered the dungeon, they came to life.
Mummification
The Egyptians studied medicine. Their information in medicine helped to mummify pharaohs and animals. Mummify - turn into a mummy. Mummy* – dried human corpse protected from decomposition
The body of a newly deceased person was handed over to embalmers. The very first operation involved extracting the brain through the nostrils using a thin hook-like instrument. After that, the skull was filled with a composition based on liquid tar, which, when cooled, hardened. Instead of eyes, artificial eyes made of enamel were inserted into the eyeballs. Then the intestines and entrails were removed through an incision in the left side, made with a sharp stone. After treatment in a boiling bituminous composition, together with the liver and brain, the entrails were sealed in four canopes *, which were placed next to the sarcophagus in the burial chamber. The abdominal cavity was thoroughly washed with palm wine and dried with aromatic powders. The body was then stuffed with scented sawdust. After this preparation, the body was immersed for 70 days in a sodium carbonate*/sodium carbonate bath. Thus, the flesh and muscles were completely dissolved and only bones covered with skin remained. Men had their hair cut short, while women left their luxurious hairstyles. Narrow bandages soaked in resins were first used to bandage each finger separately, then the hand and arm. So they bandaged their hands, legs, and then the body. The head was treated even more carefully. A muslin-type cloth was applied directly to the skin. The face was sequentially covered with several layers of this fabric so tightly that the removed multilayer mask could serve as a mold for casting a plaster portrait of the deceased. And finally, an elongated bandaged body with arms crossed on the chest or lying along the hips was wrapped with ribbons of fabric along its entire length. The bodies of the pharaohs were wrapped in a shroud or covered with a case of chased gold, repeating the shape of their body. After death, the carefully embalmed body of the ruler was placed in the burial chamber of the pyramid. Ka*. According to Egyptian ideas, it was considered something like a double, his "second self", which left the body at the time of death and could freely move between the earthly and the afterlife. Leaving the burial chamber, "ka" rushed to the top of the pyramid. The father of the pharaohs, the sun god Ra, was already there in his solar boat, in which the deceased pharaoh began his journey to immortality.
Previously, artificial and natural mummies were distinguished, which were preserved without any special processing. Today it is believed that the amazing preservation of Egyptian mummies was only partly due to the perfect embalming technique, but the main reason was the extremely dry climate of Egypt, which hindered the development of bacteria in the air and in the sand.
Natron* - sodium carbonate, salt.
Kanop * - vessels made of clay or metal - depending on the social status of the deceased.
Burial ceremony.
Thanks to the drawings on the walls found in the tombs, we know how the funeral ceremonies took place in ancient Egypt.
At the head of the funeral procession, a group of slaves carried donations and personal belongings of the deceased. If it was a warrior, a weapon and his horse; the peasant and his tools. Then came mourners for hire, who let out piercing, plaintive cries, tore their hair, and sang funeral hymns. Behind the funeral director and the priest moved a hearse in the form of a solar boat, mounted on a sleigh, which was driven by a team of bulls. Then came the family, relatives and friends of the deceased in deep mourning.
Arriving at the burial place, relatives and friends said goodbye to the deceased and brought retributions to the mummy. And finally, the mummy found peace in his tomb.
On the shore are the burial places, the "City of the Dead", which is given the name "Memnonium". The huts are inhabited by embalmers; in small houses there are entire warehouses and shops selling stone and wooden sarcophagi (tombs), linen shrouds for wrapping mummies, decorations for them, animals for sacrifices to the gods. The role of the god Osiris is not only the god of the deceased pharaoh, but also of all the dead Egyptians. He is the universal god of the dead.
Conclusion.
Studying the features of the ceremony of burial and mummification of the ancient Egyptians, we came to the conclusion that the ancient Egyptians were afraid of death and believed in the afterlife. To do this, they arranged a burial ceremony with all the rituals, sacrifices. Numerous frescoes depicting the immortality of the soul and other religious subjects can be seen in the burial vaults. All mortuary temples and tombs are painted with scenes of the eternal afterlife. As an application, illustrations of ancient Egypt are used.
Thus, I achieved my goal. This work can be useful when studying a number of topics in optional classes in history. Having become acquainted with the burial ceremony, I am more and more interested in the profession of an archaeologist. As an archaeologist, I have already managed to visit. In the summer, together with my mother, I participated in excavations at Lake Baikal. And I would like to participate in further archaeological excavations on Lake Baikal in order to compare the burial ceremony of the Egyptians and the Buryats. Then, I will continue to study this topic, based on the local history material of the Irkutsk region.
Who knows, maybe someday I will be lucky enough to participate in archaeological excavations in Egypt.
Egypt was one of the most famous civilizations of the ancient world. The history of this kingdom has about 4 thousand years. People were able to adapt to life in the Nile river valley. Here, on fertile and warm lands, man built his civilization. She became very significant for history.
The ancient pyramids still amaze our imagination today. Egyptian craftsmen mastered the production of glass and faience, they had their own writing, mathematics, art, medicine, astronomy. In the XVIII-XIX centuries, a persistent interest in that era was formed, which led to the emergence of such a science as Egyptology.
Today, tourists come to this country not only to relax on the shores of the warm Red Sea, but also to touch the famous monuments of antiquity. And the mysteries of Ancient Egypt continue to excite the minds of researchers.
Most of us know about this civilization not even from popular science films and publications, but from fiction and entertainment. As a result, we have developed persistent myths about Ancient Egypt, which it is time to debunk.
Myths about ancient Egypt
The ancient Egyptians communicated with aliens. Many do not believe that such large-scale creations as the pyramids could be built by ordinary people, without the use of advanced technology. It is said that aliens helped the Egyptians. At least, quite a lot of evidence of the contact of this civilization with an alien is shown. Some TV shows specifically focus on this in order to attract the attention of the viewer. The evidence, however, is inconclusive. Scientists say that the Egyptians were skilled engineers, which allowed them to create large-scale objects without outside help. The triangular shape of the pyramid was the best for the massive construction of the tomb. Unusual figures on the frescoes, according to Egyptologists, have a completely mundane explanation.
The pyramids were built by slaves. The pyramids themselves are a source of myths and mysteries. The huge scale of these objects implies the corresponding labor costs. It is quite logical that slave labor, not wage labor, should be used for this. Who will voluntarily go to such a hellish construction site? This is how the myth appeared that the pyramids were built by slaves. In fact, the burials of builders were recently found, these people were buried near the pharaohs and with honors. It is quite logical that the slaves had no right to this. Most likely, the pyramids were built by free workers who lived nearby in their settlements. These people ate well, their diet included meat and beer. And no one beat them with whips, as shown in most films about that era. The massive project inspired neighboring communities, allowing them to take pride in participating in the construction of the pyramid. Yes, and the productivity of wage workers has always been considered higher than that of slaves. Their involvement was simply more profitable.
The Egyptians invented hieroglyphs. We know the writing of Ancient Egypt from hieroglyphs. It seems that it was there that they came up with such letters. However, scientists believe that the hieroglyphs came to the country along with the invader tribes from Western Asia. And these artistic symbols were not at all used for cursing or performing magic spells. With their help, historical events were mainly recorded and inscriptions were made on the graves.
Mummies still have their hearts intact. The famous Greek historian Herodotus wrote quite a bit about mummification. He suggested that the hearts of mummies remain unchanged. In fact, in the process of preparing the body for such a ceremony, the hearts were left either to the richest or the most influential persons.
Together with the pharaoh, his servants were also buried. The researchers discovered the tombs of two eccentric rulers of the First Dynasty, next to which their servants were buried. It was believed that they would accompany the deceased in the afterlife and help him. As a result, many Egyptologists began to believe that such a tradition was adopted in the country. And it touched all three hundred pharaohs. However, archaeologists have debunked this myth. In fact, later rulers were buried with small figurines, which were supposed to serve as assistants in the other world.
The tombs were cursed. This myth is replicated by many movies. Those daredevils who dared to disturb the deceased pharaohs were threatened with a curse. The most telling case was the story of Howard Carter and the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb. Of a team of 58 researchers, eight died within 10 years of discovery. This gave rise to the myth that the tomb was cursed. This theory has some basis in fact. The fact is that there was a fungus on the walls of the tombs, which could lead to a number of deaths. But most of them were accidental, they would have happened even if the explorers had not entered the tomb. And the age of most of the dead was already advanced.
Cleopatra was beautiful. Cleopatra was considered the main beauty of the ancient world. The most influential men of that time became her lovers. This gave rise to the myth of her irresistibility and beauty. However, the portraits of the Egyptian queen, created during her lifetime, showed that Cleopatra had masculine features. In the standards existing in the West, this woman cannot be considered a beauty in any way. Cleopatra had a large nose, a protruding chin and thin lips. This image does not correspond in any way to what was shown by Elizabeth Taylor in the famous movie. Nevertheless, one should not belittle her dignity - Cleopatra was smart and charming. Perhaps that is why she was able to win men's hearts.
Cleopatra was an Egyptian. And although her queen is strongly associated with Ancient Egypt, in fact she was of Greek origin. Cleopatra was a representative of the Ptolemaic dynasty that ruled Egypt during the Hellenistic era. This family was a descendant of one of the generals of Alexander the Great. Cleopatra became the last ruler of the Ptolemaic dynasty. After a military defeat by the Romans and her suicide, she gave her country into the hands of the Romans. So Egypt became a province of the new empire.
The Egyptians had a cult of death. The huge Egyptian pyramids were built as resting places for the dead. Rich gifts were left in the tombs, funeral rites were complex, and mummies were sometimes embalmed for up to two weeks. It is easy to believe that the Egyptians were literally obsessed with a death cult. The fact is that many items that could survive for thousands of years lay in tombs and are related to death. In fact, the ancient Egyptians enjoyed life, it even found its way into the burials. The objects placed in the tombs were intended for the life of the dead in the new, otherworldly world. And even the drawings on the walls show scenes of life. We see how the Egyptians farmed, hunted and fished.
The Library of Alexandria was burned down by the Arabs. According to legend, when the Arabs conquered Egypt in 640, Caliph Omar ordered all the books in the famous library to be burned. It was said that this heat was used to heat the saunas, the heat from the books was enough for half a year. However, historians doubt the veracity of this myth. The fact is that written evidence of this story appeared only at the end of the 12th century. If this was indeed the case, then why did no one write about it for 500 years?
We already know everything about Ancient Egypt. Many believe that man has already received all the information in his hands in order to compose a complete picture of that ancient civilization. It seems that Egyptology has nowhere to develop. In fact, even today fascinating discoveries are periodically made that provide new information about Ancient Egypt. For scientists, the process of making a mummy remains a mystery; with the help of modern technologies, based on the remains of the ancients, it is possible to draw new conclusions about their life and health. An example of such impressive discoveries is the Solar Boat, recently found and recovered from the Great Pyramid of Giza. It is believed that this ship was supposed to allow the dead pharaohs to help the sun god Ra in his eternal struggle with the demon of darkness, Apep. According to legend, every night, Ra sits on a solar boat, fighting evil, and at dawn, a triumphant deity makes trips across the sky, illuminating the whole earth.
The pyramids were not decorated. It is known that colorful hieroglyphs were present in the interior of many ancient Egyptian tombs. But for quite a long time it was believed that there was no decoration or decoration inside the pyramids. A secret door was discovered in the Great Pyramid, behind which the hieroglyphs were found. The buildings themselves seem simple and austere. But today there is evidence that some of their parts, such as the inner columns, were red or white at one time. So it's not just piles of stones, as they seem now. The tombs of the pharaohs were made to be the most impressive structures in ancient Egypt. The pyramids were covered with smooth white limestone, which was polished until it became blindingly bright in the sun. Some of the parts of such a shell can still be seen on the Great Pyramid. The rest of the elements were removed centuries ago. Contemporaries wrote that the pyramids reflected both moonlight and sunlight. They could be seen from afar even at night. If this was not enough, then the capstone at the very top of the pyramid was decorated with gold or electrum (an alloy of silver and gold).
The ancient Egyptians look just like their modern counterparts. It is believed that the people of Egypt have changed little over the centuries. In fact, the appearance of modern inhabitants of the country was influenced by the flows of migrants, numerous occupations and wars. Assyrians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs and Turks came here. Of course, the descendants of those same ancient Egyptians also live here, but you should not judge them based on the appearance of modern inhabitants.
In ancient Egypt, all art is the image of characters going somewhere. It is a fairly common myth that ancient Egyptian art was limited to stylized figures looking away as if they were on their way. In fact, there are many naturalistic and beautiful images of animals and people, testifying to the artist's powers of observation and his different view. Art in ancient Egypt was highly developed and reached incredible artistic heights, which we still cannot appreciate today. Masters created on various materials: on glass, obsidian, gold, in addition to paintings, in the tombs there were sculptures and papyri. And there are examples of how the artist approached his work with humor. In some, the picture is literally turned upside down. For example, the cats of the ancient Egyptians could graze geese.
The nose of the Sphinx was recaptured by Napoleon's troops. A popular legend says that for thousands of years the Sphinx withstood all adversity until Napoleon's troops came here. It happened during the Egyptian campaign in 1798-1801. It is said that the soldiers trained in shooting and shot off the nose of the famous stone colossus. Nevertheless, there are records proving that the Sphinx lost its nose earlier. Europeans who visited Egypt often made sketches and sketches of the Sphinx. Drawings by Frederic Louis Norden, made in 1738, prove that the figure did not have a nose even then. This allows you to remove the charges against Napoleon, who was only born in 1769.
The Jews were the slaves of the Egyptians. This statement seems quite logical, only the Bible gave birth to it. Historians, however, have no evidence that the Jews were in slavery to the Egyptians. And there are no signs of hard oppression either. And the catastrophes described in the Bible did not leave any traces. It is worth trusting the records of the Egyptians, since they described their life and the history of the country in some detail.
The name of the country Egypt was born in this country. The very word "Egypt" has Greek roots. The locals called their country "ta-kemet", which means "black land". In this case, we are talking about fertile soil. The Egyptians called the desert Red Land. The first Greeks who came to the country began to call it by the name of Memphis, Hikupta or Aygyuptos.
The pharaoh was the king of the country. Pharaohs played a special role in the life of Egypt. These were not just supreme rulers, but also high priests. It was believed that these persons are gods who descended to earth, and even after death they will continue their lives. The Egyptians believed that the first pharaoh was the god Ra.
All pharaohs had many wives. There were no special rules that established the number of wives of the pharaoh. For example, Akhenaten loved his only wife very much. The pictures show how the family spends time together. Together with him, his wife went to the temple and received ambassadors. But Ramses II had five wives, each of which bore the title of "great royal wife." In addition to them, this pharaoh also had many concubines.
All pharaohs were buried in pyramids. Ancient Egypt is famous for its pyramids. But their construction was a long and costly affair. So the big stone pyramids were built only during the heyday of the kingdom. Then they began to build less durable buildings from clay bricks, and then completely bury the pharaohs in tombs carved into the rocks.
Everyone knows about the chic tombs of the ancient Egyptian pharaohs. Golden sarcophagi, dozens of murdered slaves, expensive utensils, furniture, clothes. In general, everything that a spoiled monarch might need in the underworld. They also built a pyramid. How were ordinary Egyptians buried? A recent discovery suggests that entire city cemeteries were created for this.
What Men Talk About
Three tombs from the 27th Dynasty of Egypt (525 to 395 B.C.) have been discovered in the province of Minya in central Egypt south of Cairo. In the first grave, the researchers found a burial chamber with four sarcophagi and nine burial holes. The second grave had two burial chambers. One contained two sarcophagi, as well as six burials - five adults and one children's. In another cell, only parts of a wooden coffin remained. Excavations are currently underway in the area of the third tomb.
Initially, it was assumed that we were talking about military burials. According to archaeologists, if the remains of men aged 15 to 35 were found in the tombs, this would indicate the consequences of a military conflict or a big battle. But since not only men, but also women and children were buried here, scientists are now inclined to believe that the found tombs are part of a large city cemetery system.
Persian pharaohs
Interestingly, not much is known about the 27th Dynasty of Egypt as a whole. It is believed that the last native dynasty of Egyptian kings was the 26th, which lasted until the Persian conquest in 525 BC. The Persian king Cambyses II, who defeated the Egyptians, was proclaimed king of Egypt. Partly because of such a turbulent period of history, archaeologists expected to see military burials in the tombs.
Even under foreign oppression, Egypt managed to preserve and develop its original culture and science. Even the ancient Greeks came here to study, including the philosopher Plato and the mathematician-astronomer Eudoxus.
Despite attempts to revolt, the rulers of Persia and their governors managed to keep Egypt within the Persian Empire for more than a century. So the 27th dynasty became the first in a series of successive conquering pharaohs from other lands. The next alien ruler of Egypt after the Persians defeated by him was Alexander the Great.
Tombs of the rulers of the archaic period
At the end of prehistoric times, there were no special burial places, the dead were usually buried near settlements and villages. They were buried in the ground near the huts.
With the advent of copper tools and implements, more attention was paid to the funeral rite and burial places.
In Badari (Upper Egypt), the walls of the graves were laid out with mats, in some graves a canopy was built over the body of the deceased. Graves, lined with bricks and consisting of several rooms, appeared for the first time in the Negada culture.
After the unification of the northern and southern lands, the pharaohs of the I and II dynasties began to specifically emphasize their wealth and power. They built huge tombs, arranged magnificent funerals. The example of the pharaohs was followed by high-ranking nobles. Archaeologists have found and unearthed the royal burials of the archaic period in Saqqara, the "city of the dead" of the first capital of united Egypt - Memphis. The same graves were found in Abydos, in the area of the Upper Egyptian city of This. According to assumptions, symbolic graves and tombs of ancient rulers were located in Abydos. Both parts of the state, despite the fact that they were ruled by one pharaoh, were still quite independent, so the pharaoh had to be buried in two places - naturally, one of the burials was symbolic.
The "city of the dead", like the city of the living, was located on the border of the desert and fertile land, even the tombs resembled residential buildings in their shape. The tombs at Abydos and Saqqara represent two main types of burial structures. The difference between them is clearly visible in the authentic tomb of Queen Merneth in Saqqara and her symbolic burial in Abydos.
The buildings were massive, had a blocky shape, the walls were smooth, as is customary in the south. They stood in the courtyard, which was surrounded by a wall. Inside the tomb there was a central burial chamber, around which several chambers could be located. In the tomb of the northern type, the building was decorated with flat blades with figured teeth. Inside the tomb, the pharaoh's tomb was surrounded by a complex system of chambers and rooms. An example of this type of funerary building is the tomb at Saqqara, which is believed to belong to the pharaoh Aha. Its underground part was divided into five separate chambers, the middle chamber probably contained the pharaoh's body in a wooden sarcophagus. The rest of the rooms could contain his personal belongings. A brick building with 27 rooms towered above the burial chamber. Hunting equipment was stacked in these rooms, there were vessels with wine and dishes with food, and other utensils that the pharaoh might need in the afterlife lay here. The outer part of the tomb and its elevated building were separated by deep niches. It was surrounded by two low walls. It is possible that between the inner wall and the eastern wall of the tomb there was a place for sacrifices. Here relatives brought gifts and food for the inhabitant of the grave. Outside, the walls and the building of the tomb itself were decorated with stucco ornaments.
Of course, there is no clear boundary between these two main types of burial structures. The tomb of Pharaoh Meni, who united the country, is also divided by pillars in Negad.
The layout of the burials of the archaic period in many cases predetermines the layout of the ensembles of tombs and burials of the Old Kingdom: The ascent road led to the building of the tomb, next to which there was a sacrificial altar in the courtyard. Starting with the complex of the tomb of Pharaoh Ka, the last king of the 1st dynasty, one more element was added to these elements - the chapel of the cult of the deceased pharaoh.
mastabas
As a result of the development of the shape of the graves and tombs of the rulers of archaic times, mastabas appeared. This is the earliest type of tombs of the pharaohs of the Old Kingdom period. The mastaba has the form of a truncated pyramid with several rooms inside and an underground burial chamber.
Mastabas were built from unbaked bricks.
The valley, located behind the tomb of Pharaoh Mentuhotep I, turned into a permanent burial place for the pharaohs. Another valley located next to it became a burial place for members of royal families and nobility.
Strabo visited Thebes and the burial place of the pharaohs, which today is called the Valley of the Kings.
He wrote that in this valley there are rock tombs of forty Egyptian pharaohs (today we know 60 rock tombs of Egyptian pharaohs). These tombs are very interesting and worth seeing. As you can see, already in the times of the Roman Empire, these monuments of Egyptian architecture were considered places that attracted the attention and interest of travelers. Naturally, even then the tombs were robbed long ago, only a few escaped this fate. In vain the entrance to the tomb was carefully masked.
Thutmose I was the first Egyptian pharaoh to be buried in the Valley of the Kings. The tombs of the first pharaohs of the 18th dynasty are relatively small; the burial chamber, in which the pharaoh's sarcophagus stands, is decorated with pillars and has an oval shape. As a rule, the path through the premises makes at least one bend, and in some cases it is built along an irregular curve. In later times, the tombs became more extended, and at the end of the 19th dynasty their layout again became linear. Some burials extended hundreds of meters underground. For example, the tomb of Queen Hatshepsut was 213 m long and went to a depth of 97 m. At the end of the tomb is a burial chamber with a sarcophagus.
The vault of the royal tombs was usually cylindrical in shape. The walls were decorated with colored bas-reliefs and paintings. They depicted life in the afterlife, the path of the deceased, the life of the gods. These wall paintings and bas-reliefs are excellent examples of ancient Egyptian art. The tomb symbolized the afterlife, through which the Sun travels every night. Because of this, each room, corridor of the tomb had its own name. In the tomb of Ramesses IX, the descent was called "the first corridor of the god." The deep shafts found in other tombs were probably also related to this system of symbols. According to the results of the latest research, these mines were identified with that deep cave, over which the boat of the sun god was supposed to proceed. The pharaoh's sarcophagus was made of pure gold, and religious objects in the burial room were also made of gold. Therefore, it was called the "golden house". However, the whole royal tomb deserved such a name. It contained huge treasures. Judging by the jewels that were found in the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamen, small in comparison with other tombs, one can imagine what treasures the tombs of the great pharaohs kept.
The straightening of the internal layout of the tombs is associated with the strengthening of the cult of the sun god; the first such tombs were built in Akhetaten, the capital of Pharaoh Akhenaten. The linear layout of the interior served to ensure that the rays of the Sun could penetrate as far as possible, reaching the most remote corners of the tomb, the burial chamber and the pharaoh's sarcophagus. Since the entrance to the tomb was walled up, this had a purely symbolic meaning.
So, the pharaohs of the New Kingdom tried to hide the location of their tomb. But they did not lose faith in the divine power of the pyramid, just its role was assigned to the mountain that towered over the valley. The symbolism of the Sun continues to live. The pharaohs of the New Kingdom built their mortuary temples far from their tombs, on the border of the desert and fertile land.
After the New Kingdom collapsed, the rulers of Egypt stopped building rock tombs in the Theban Mountains. The pharaohs, no matter how hard they tried to disguise the entrance to their graves, the robbers were looking for him. Therefore, the Egyptian kings, starting with the pharaohs of the XXI dynasty, began to build underground burial chambers on the territory of the temple of Amun in the new capital of Tanis. This area was considered sacred and was surrounded by a wall. In Thebes, the so-called "houses of Ka" were erected at the same time, following the example of the ancient symbolic tombs of the pharaohs in Abydos.
