Necropolises of Egyptian pharaohs.
As you know, the pharaohs of Egypt devoted a huge amount of time and effort to the construction of their tombs. As soon as the pharaoh ascended the throne, he began to build his tomb. All high-ranking people did the same.
There are two types of burials in Egypt. The first is the well-known pyramids. Their predecessors were mastabas. The second option is unmarked underground burials in the Valley of the Kings.
But let's start with the earlier burials - with the pyramids. I have already written about mastabas and the pyramids of Giza. The famous necropolis of Saqqara, where the famous pyramid of Djoser is located, about which I also wrote http://site/piramida-dzhosera-v-sakkare-egipet/ They stopped burying there under the pharaohs of the Old Kingdom, but ordinary people buried until the Roman conquests. But there is another place with 15 pyramids, it is located 26 km from Cairo, not far from ancient Memphis. It's called Dahshur.
Dahshur Map
Most of the buildings look like just a pile of stones, but two are very well preserved. This is a pink or red pyramid, as it is also called, which is not inferior to the pyramids of Giza, except that it is slightly smaller in size. And the famous broken pyramid. The pink pyramid is the largest in the Dahshur necropolis. It is designed in the same way as the Pyramids of Giza. Its name is due to its color facing material, which was removed from the pyramid.
Pink (red) pyramid
The broken pyramid got its name because of its shape. Halfway through, the angle of inclination changes sharply. It is believed that Sneferu (who is credited with building both the pink and broken pyramids) began to build a large grandiose pyramid, but then defects were discovered, and the angle of inclination had to be changed in order to prevent the collapse of the pyramid. But this version is kind of weak. After all, the broken pyramid is one of the few that has survived to this day.
Bent pyramid
Other pyramids of Dahshur
Pyramid of Amenemhet II
Pyramid of Senusret II
The pharaohs built themselves huge pyramids filled with gold, precious stones and this turned into constant robberies. The peace of the deceased was constantly disturbed, the tomb was damaged, subjected to destruction. Therefore, it was decided to build the tombs differently. Amenhotep I and Thutmose I are considered the pioneers in this; their tombs are considered the first on the west bank of the Nile. The location was not chosen by chance. The eastern bank of the Nile symbolized life; it is from the eastern horizon that the sun rises. And on this side there were cities and villages. On the western side the sun sets and this is a good analogy with the decline of life, and there they decided to build a new necropolis for the pharaohs, their wives and high-ranking people. According to Egyptian mythology, the sun Ra, also in some interpretation Amon Ra, was identified with the life of the pharaoh, who is born on the eastern side, rises high above everyone, does good deeds and moves towards sunset in the west. It is there that he finds eternal life. The specific location of future burials was also not chosen by chance. The gorge is crowned by a mountain with a pyramid-shaped top. A reference to a traditional burial. One large natural pyramid.
Valley of the Kings
There was a difficult path through the rocky desert, the burial places were carefully hidden, and there were several posts with guards along the peaks. It was very difficult to get there unnoticed.
Map of the necropolis, where the location of the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens is marked
All discovered tombs were marked
How were the tombs themselves built? Initially, they were laid out in the letter L, but then this led to the fact that subsequent builders came across old tombs.
The structure of the tombs. Modeling. Still from doc. film "Discovery: Journey to the Valley of the Kings" 2002
Tomb of Ramses II KV7
After this, it was decided to make the tombs straight. Usually these were corridors with several halls, which served as warehouses for all the things of the deceased.
Tomb of Pharaoh Merneptah KV8
Tomb of Pharaoh Amenmes KV10
Tomb of Seti I KV17
The walls were all painted and these are not just artistic drawings, but ceremonial inscriptions and spells that help the deceased go all the way and be reborn in the other world. If mistakes are made, this can lead to the soul going somewhere else or simply disappearing. There were no trifles in the funeral ceremony, everything was important.
Tomb of Seti I
Unfortunately, in Egypt, as in any other empire, there were no cloudless times, and during periods of severe crises and famine, people robbed tombs. The locations were most often indicated by the builders themselves. We know all this from tablets with inscriptions made by residents of the village of Deir el-Medina, located near the Valley of the Kings. Architects and tomb builders lived there with their families.
Along the streets there were houses on both sides. There were no gaps between the houses, i.e. families lived across the wall from each other, like in our apartments on the same floor.
House plan
At Deir el-Medina there is an unusual decorative window, the design of which is very interesting. It illuminated the stairs leading to the roof. The two outer mullions are decorated with capitals in the shape of the heads of the god Horus, and the central one is decorated with a capital with leaves. There is no doubt that the window was made only after the blocks were laid in place.
In 1922, Howard Carter discovered the intact tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun (I will write a separate article) and before that, in 1906, the intact tomb of a very high-ranking person was found - the architect Ka and his wife Merit. It is from these finds that we know how they were buried in Ancient Egypt. Everything that was found in the tomb of the couple can be seen in the museum in Turin. Based on their findings, Egyptologists and archaeologists created an image of how they lived. For those who are interested, I can advise you to look documentary“Ancient Egypt - life and death in the Valley of the Kings”, the first part of which is about the life of Ka and Merit, and the second about death, preparation for it and rituals.
Photos from the museum in Turin. Taken from http://marinagra.livejournal.com/102568.html
Thanks to all those people who visit museums, take photographs and share them with others
Sarcophagi Ka and Merit
Images of Ka and Merit
On top are Ka, Anubis and Osiris. Below Ka and Merit are sitting in front of the table, opposite them is their son
Sarcophagus Merit
Funeral mask of Merit. The coating is gold, which indicates the high position of the family and their wealth.
After mass robberies and destruction of mummies, so-called collective tombs were built, where there were several sarcophagi. For example, seven sarcophagi were found in tomb KV63. In some tombs, sarcophagi were found that were simply placed there.
Tutankhamun was the ruler of the New Empire of the 18th Dynasty. He lived in 1342-1323 BC. Tutankhamun was the son of Akhenaten, also known as Amenhotep, while his mother remains unknown. He took his place on the throne at the age of 9 and ruled the country until his death. At the age of 19, the monarch dies...under what circumstances? Murder, accident or serious illness? The death of Tutankhamun is still a mystery to everyone. There are several versions of his unexplained death.
The museum in Cairo houses the largest collection of Egyptian relics in the world. There are about 5,000 of them from the tomb of Tutankhamun alone. Some of these specimens, discovered by archaeologists, have traveled all over the world. Others remained secret for decades. In addition to the treasure with jewelry, many seeds of various herbs that had medicinal purposes were found in the tomb.
The ancient Egyptians believed that life continues after death. And everything that was needed during earthly life will be needed in the next world. Thus, the tomb of the pharaoh was more like a pharmacy. After the tests, it became known that some of the herbs found in the tomb are still used in Egypt today. Tutankhamun trusted most of all the fruits of the sidr tree. About 36 baskets containing these fruits were found in the tomb. The fruits were used as an ambulance, soaked in water or milk and eaten.
Pharaoh also passed away with a huge amount of coriander. In time Ancient Egypt it was considered a vital medicine. Coriander was used for headaches and to reduce fever. Since during the life of the pharaoh, epidemics raged in the Mediterranean that wiped out a large number of people, there is a version that Tutankhamun became a victim of some kind of disease. This explains the presence of medicines in his tomb. But this version still remains open.
Since the discovery of the pharaoh's tomb, many theories have arisen regarding his death. New versions appeared with progress in branches of science. The first x-ray in 1968 showed signs of injury, there was swelling in the lower part of the skull. So was Tutankhamun killed? His father had very strong opponents. Maybe they just used the chance to seize power before the young ruler took the throne?! But there is no direct evidence for this theory.
Tutankhamun did not leave a single descendant after himself. A stillborn child and a five-month-old unborn baby were discovered in his tomb. Clear evidence that the royal couple were trying to conceive children. An ambitious opponent would have to seize the throne before an heir was born. Scientists have chosen two suspects who needed Tutankhamun's death.
One of them was the commander of the troops of Pharaoh Haremheb. He was of humble origin, but despite this he achieved high rank. After the death of Tutankhamun he became pharaoh. It is clear that when Haremheb took the throne, he wanted to destroy all memories of Tutankhamun. He ordered that all inscriptions and reminders disappear. He did the same with all the documents. Therefore, there are practically no records of Tutankhamun. Haremheb easily erased him from history.
Most of all, his dignitary is suspected of killing the pharaoh. After Tutankhamun, he immediately married his widow and took over the royal tomb, which was “reserved” especially for the ruler. Indirect evidence pointed to the possibility of murder. But new technologies, namely, computed tomography, showed that the pharaoh did not have any head injuries and, most likely, this version is invalid.
The latest CT scans showed a fracture in my left leg, just above the knee. Scientists suggest that this could have happened when falling from a chariot. Today, such injuries do not pose any danger, but in the times of Ancient Egypt, such a fracture could have fatal consequences (due to infection in the wound or loss of blood). Many archaeologists suggest that as a result of a fall from a vehicle and a fracture, the pharaoh developed gangrene and then died.
And most of the information remains, of course, about the pharaohs and their relatives: their deeds, the circumstances of their birth and death were entered into the chronicles. In addition, many mummies remained from them, which can be studied using tomography and DNA analysis.
Death mask of TutankhamunOne of the most famous rulers of Ancient Egypt is the young Tutankhamun. The king's death mask was a portrait of a beautiful young man. Speculation and legends immediately began to be made around the personality of Tutankhamun. The king's early death was especially intriguing.
Speculations included murder during the conspiracy and injuries from falling from the chariot while it was still moving. The second version could explain what right hand Tutankhamun was missing fingers, and traces of fractures were found on his legs.
Child's sculptural portrait of Tutankhamun The latest research revealed that before his death the young man suffered from malaria. Taking into account the fact that medicines for malaria were placed in his tomb, most likely he died from it.
As for the lameness and lack of fingers, the pharaoh's body was gradually undermined by necrosis of the limbs due to genetic problems caused by generations of incest in his dynasty. Incest between ancestors could also be the reason why Tutankhamun was born with a cleft palate. He himself was married either to his own or to a cousin.
Reconstruction of Tutankhamun's appearance shows clear degeneration due to incest In any case, the dynasty ended with Tutankhamun: his children were born dead, so he left no heirs.
But the mother of Tutankhamun, one of the daughters of Amenhotep III, the sister of the pharaohs Akhenaten and Smekhkara and, probably, the wife of Akhenaten, clearly did not die a natural death. At first, archaeologists believed that the deep wound on the queen's face was the work of grave robbers, but later research showed that it was this wound that was fatal for Tutankhamun's mother. Whether it was an accident or murder is still unclear. But the queen died at about 25 years old.
Tutankhamun's mother was his aunt As for Akhenaten himself, he was probably poisoned: records of an attempt on his life have been preserved, and the pharaoh himself lived less than forty years.
Whether it’s Ramses II from the next dynasty! That's who definitely died of old age, living to about 90 years old. During his life, he managed to become the father of one hundred and eleven boys and fifty girls. In addition to his active politics, hot temper and red hair, Ramesses II was known for constantly training in running. The fact is that once every thirty years he participated in a certain ritual race with a sacred vessel in his hand. If the pharaoh failed to run the race, it would be considered a bad omen. But Ramses himself knew very well that it was all about training.
By the way, the ancient Egyptians were famous for being fast runners.
Ramesses II, nicknamed the Great, had a low forehead, which would have upset 20th-century racologists His namesake from the next dynasty, Ramesses III, also lived quite a long time, but was killed as a result of a conspiracy arranged by one of his disgruntled wives. For a long time it was unclear exactly how he died. Poisoning or a deep, but initially non-fatal wound that was poorly treated was assumed. Finally, a tomogram of the neck put everything in its place. Ramses was slashed in the throat with a knife. He died almost instantly.
The conspirators were tried. One of them, a young prince, the son of the same wife who, perhaps, stabbed his father, was sentenced to change his name. The chronicle also states that he committed suicide out of shame, but a modern autopsy revealed that the prince was tied up and strangled. He was then hastily embalmed, wrapped in an “unclean” goatskin, and buried in a simple coffin.
Ramesses III is considered one of the most powerful kings of Ancient Egypt It is still unknown how the famous Nefertiti died. This is not in the chronicles, and the queen’s mummy has not yet been found. It is only clear that Akhenaten, who initially admired his wife, lost interest in her around the age of 30. Her story can hardly be called a story of great love and family happiness.
It was long suspected that the ruling queen Hatshepsut was killed by her successor and stepson, Thutmose III. He hated her so much that, upon becoming pharaoh, he ordered all mentions of her to be erased. It’s clear that erasing everything didn’t work out.
However, analysis of the queen's remains revealed that she was an obese woman in her fifties, suffered from arthritis, dental problems and diabetes, and died of liver cancer. The cancer probably developed due to a very dangerous substance that was used to make painkillers. The queen most likely rubbed herself with medicine to relieve pain in her teeth and joints.
There is another version: Hatshepsut did not have time to die from cancer, because she died from blood poisoning after her aching tooth was pulled out.
Starting from the first dynasty, women came to power in ancient Egypt from time to time. Not all pharaohs died in the palace. Thus, kings Senebkay and Seqenenre, although they lived in different time, both died in battle with the invaders from the Hyksos tribe. Senebkai fought on horseback and was first knocked out of the saddle. Seqenenra fought on foot. It seems that the Hyksos were a constant headache for the Egyptians.
And Pharaoh Menes was ingloriously trampled by a hippopotamus during the favorite pastime of the pharaohs - hunting hippopotamuses.
The inhabitants of Ancient Egypt were deeply religious people. Their life was surrounded by secrets and religious rules. For the Egyptians, the figure of the pharaoh was the personification of the sun and light on Earth. Every morning, along with the sunrise in Egypt, a balance was established between evil and good. It was established by the ruler of the country - the pharaoh. He was considered the son of the sun god Ra.
When the pharaoh died, fear attacked his subjects - people were afraid that his death was a sign of the victory of evil. Therefore, they tried to quickly place a new king on the throne, and the body of the deceased monarch had to be preserved so that he would safely pass into the afterlife, and the soul would find blissful eternity.
The stone pyramid is not just a tomb for the king and a tombstone to perpetuate the memory of the deceased ruler. It was considered the first step of the soul of Pharaoh, the son of God, to ascend to heaven. The pyramid was also a symbol of the mountain - the first piece of land created by the sun god.
After the death of the ruler, his body, without attracting prying eyes, was transported to the other side of the Nile - to the valley of the pyramids, as the area was called, where triangular tombs were built - the prototype of modern ritual monuments. The boat with the body of the pharaoh was towed to the temple, where the main work of preparing the body for burial took place. Together with the priests participating in the ceremony, they carried everything necessary for embalming.
According to the Egyptians, in order for the soul to enjoy life after death, the body must be well preserved. The most ancient way, used in the temples of Egypt, was called embalming.
First, the embalmers worked on the head - removing the brain, then moved on to extracting internal organs through a cut in the body. Everything extracted was preserved in a salt called natron and in special resins. Each individual organ was placed in a special jug, the lid of which was made in the shape of the head of the guardian god.
The body was placed in a special embalming bath filled with natron for 40 days. The salt removed excess moisture from the body. After this, the body was washed and rubbed with incense and oils. The insides were filled with resin and salt, and the body was wrapped in strips linen fabric- it turned out to be a mummy. Her hair was neatly styled and her face was painted.
Various amulets were placed between the folds of fabric, which were supposed to help the soul move to the afterlife. The bandages had to follow the shape of the body as accurately as possible; even the fingers and toes were bandaged separately, and then bandaged to the body.
Over the finished mummy, a priest dressed as Anubis pronounced the last parting spells and she was placed in her first wooden sarcophagus. The number of sarcophagi reached four (the rest were made of precious metals).
The embalming process took about two months, after which the funeral rite itself took place and the body was placed in the pyramid.
TUTANKHAMUN(ruled 1347-1338 BC), pharaoh of the 18th dynasty of Ancient Egypt, husband of one of the daughters of Akhenaten, the famous reformer pharaoh.
Tutankhamun, who died at the age of 18, became one of the most famous rulers of Ancient Egypt due to the fact that his tomb was the only royal burial that has come down to us unplundered.
He ascended the throne at the age of 9 and did not leave any significant mark on the history of Egypt: we only know that during his reign the process of restoration of old religious cults began in the country, which during the reign of Akhenaten were rejected for the sake of the supreme solar deity - Aten. Tutankhamun, whose name originally sounded like "Tutankhaten", changed it, thereby emphasizing his desire to revive the ancient cult of Amun.
During the reign of Tutankhamun, Egypt gradually restored its international influence, which had been shaken during the reign of the reformer pharaoh. Thanks to the commander Horemheb, who later became the last pharaoh of the 18th dynasty, Tutankhamun strengthened Egypt's position in Ethiopia and Syria. A brilliant future could have awaited him, but he died unexpectedly, leaving behind no heir-son.
Due to his sudden death, the pharaoh did not have time to prepare a worthy tomb, and therefore Tutankhamun was buried in a modest crypt, the entrance to which was eventually hidden under the huts of Egyptian workers who were building a nearby tomb for the 20th dynasty pharaoh Ramesses VI (d. 1137 BC .). It was thanks to this circumstance that the tomb of Tutankhamun was forgotten and stood untouched for more than three thousand years, until in 1922 it was discovered by a British archaeological expedition led by Howard Carter and Lord Cornarvon, the richest English aristocrat who financed the excavations.
The tomb of Tutankhamun became one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of the 20th century. The eighteen-year-old pharaoh was buried with fantastic luxury: his swaddled mummy alone contained 143 gold objects, and the mummy itself was kept in three sarcophagi inserted into each other, the last of which, 1.85 m long, was made of pure gold. In addition, a royal throne decorated with relief images, figurines of the king and his wife, many ritual vessels, jewelry, weapons, clothing and, finally, a magnificent golden funeral mask of Tutankhamun, accurately depicting the facial features of the young pharaoh, were found in the tomb.
Despite the scale of this discovery, the value of such a discovery, of course, far exceeds the value of the gold found in the tomb: thanks to Carter’s excavations, we were able to verify the splendor and complexity of the ancient Egyptian funeral rite, and our understanding of the Egyptian funeral ritual and the scale of the state cult of the pharaoh was significantly expanded. Thanks to the findings, one can judge the fantastic level of artistic craft achieved in Egypt.
However, we must not forget that we are dealing with the burial of an 18-year-old pharaoh who did not manage to accomplish anything significant in his life. Egyptian history, equal to that what the great pharaohs did, such as
