An amazing fact, but in the ancient Egyptian pyramids there is not a single tomb of the ancient rulers. If mummies and remains of human skeletons were found in huge buildings, then they all belong to later periods that have nothing to do with the era of the pharaohs.
Empty pyramids
In September 2002, a grandiose event took place on the Giza plateau, located in the suburbs of Cairo - the opening of the pyramid of Cheops. Previously, it was believed that it contains a sarcophagus with the mummy of the second king of the IV dynasty. The penetration was broadcast to the whole world.
The results were shocking: no signs of burial, no treasures, no amulets, no vessels were found in any of the three halls. The sarcophagus was open and empty. Later research showed that there were no signs of a mummy inside.
This is not the only disappointment of the ministers of science, who previously considered the pyramids to be the burial place of the kings of Egypt. In 2015, scientists from the Institute of Innovations of Paris and the University of Cairo began to study the Bent Pyramid, built in the 26th century. BC e under pharaoh Snorfu. His name was inscribed on the walls of the building, so the purpose of the expedition was to find the mummy of the ruler.
For research, the cosmic ray scanning method was used, which makes it possible to detect hidden rooms. The study of the pyramid took four months, after which scientists released information: there are no secret rooms, no pharaoh in the Bent Pyramid.
Valley of the Egyptian Kings
On the western coast of the Nile River, opposite the city of Thebes (the territory of modern Luxor), stretches the Valley of the Kings - the place where the real tombs of the great pharaohs are located. A giant necropolis is hidden in a rocky gorge.
The first burial of the valley was the tomb of Thutmose I. Shortly before his death, the pharaoh, who feared that his last refuge would be plundered, gave the order to find a place hidden from people in the desert. The grave was carved into the rocks, the entrance to it was cut down at a height of 30 m above the surface of the gorge. Later, the Valley of the Kings became a haven for the pharaohs of the XVIII-XX dynasties.
All the tombs are built in the same way: a descending corridor about 200 m long led to rooms whose ceilings and walls are decorated with murals telling about the afterlife and religious texts. Next, the entrance to the burial chamber opened.
In the Valley of the Kings there are 64 tombs of the rulers of ancient Egypt, buried from the 16th to the 11th centuries. BC e. In 1881, the tomb of Ramses the Great was discovered here, and in 1922, the burial of Tutankhamen.
January 6th, 2015Just imagine how much the Egyptians set up and dug up there, which we still cannot dig up.
It took archaeologists more than half a century to drain the mysterious mine under the road of Pharaoh Khafre in Giza. They knew that the shaft connected several rooms, but it turned out that this was only the beginning. Some of the rooms open the entrance to new mines.
In 1945, Egyptian archaeologist Abdel Moneim Abu Bakr accidentally discovered a water-filled mine located in a small tunnel that ran along a north-south axis under the road of Pharaoh Khafre in Giza. The scientist examined it and found out that a vertical tunnel connects many rooms. However, the archaeologist never excavated the mysterious underground passage and did not publish any information about it. For many years, local workers bathed or drank in the water-filled mine. And the water table rose so high that archaeologists could not study it.
The purpose for which this mine was created remained a mystery for a long time. Many lovers of Egyptian history became aware of its existence, and rumors began to spread among them that under the mine there was a network of tunnels that lead to the Cheops Pyramid or even, perhaps, to the Great Sphinx. In the summer of 1999, Dr. Zahi Hawass decided that it was necessary to try to excavate the mysterious dungeon, determine exactly what role he played, and stop the spread of unsubstantiated rumors.
Drainage of a flooded mine
The most difficult thing was to lower the water level to such an extent that archaeologists could begin work in the mine. The researchers turned to the engineer Ismail Osman for help, who brought the necessary equipment for pumping water. Scientists had to work with constantly running equipment. According to Hawass, "The constant noise made it difficult to think, and the equipment was working so loudly that I was almost deaf!"
The researchers were most afraid that by pumping out water, they could damage the mine or even bring it down. Everything, even the smallest cracks, were covered with plaster, and archaeologists put a date on them. If the crack started to widen and the plaster cracked, the workers would immediately notice it and take the necessary precautions.
Three rooms
After the water left the mine, archaeologists began their research. The first section of the mine, almost 10 m deep, ended in a room measuring 8.6 by 3.6 m. When the scientists got into this room, it turned out to be empty. But in the northern part of the room, another vertical shaft 13.25 m deep was discovered. It also led to a room whose dimensions were 6.8 by 3.5 m. This time, the main room was surrounded by six more small rooms and a niche from which another mine started. Three small rooms contained stone sarcophagi made in the style of the XXVI dynasty (about 685-525 BC), two of which contained human bones.
“At this level, we also found ushabti and fragments of pottery from the Late Kingdom. In addition, in the southeast corner of the main room, there was an alcove where a third vertical shaft began. It ended after about 8 meters in a new room of 9 square meters. m,” said Hawass.
Lower level of the mine
The last room was the most interesting. In the center there was a rectangular recess, hollowed out in the rock. At the corners of this recess, the remains of square columns have been preserved. The place between the recess and the walls of the room had the shape of a gutter. This gutter was interrupted at the entrance to the room, where the floor level rose significantly, and connected to the central recess. Thus, the shape of the gutter resembled the Egyptian hieroglyphic sign pr which means "home".
In the center of the recess was a large sarcophagus made of black basalt. The sarcophagus itself contains human remains and several amulets from the Late Kingdom (664-332 BC). “But most of all we were surprised by the red smooth pottery found there with traces of white paint, which probably dates from the period of the reign of the VI dynasty,” Hawass said.
The burial of the pharaoh or the tomb of Osiris?
Archaeologists have been unable to find any evidence that the mine was used as a burial place for pharaohs. “I believe the ancient Egyptians were going to build a symbolic tomb for Osiris, the god of the underworld. One gets the feeling that the gutter around the recess was built specifically in such a way that groundwater filled it. Then the recess would be surrounded by water like an island. Such a configuration could represent the primordial ocean of Nun, which covered the entire world before the time of creation. And in its center, as it were, towered an island, which was the first piece of land that appeared, ”said Hawass.
The water could also symbolize Osiris' connection to fertility and rebirth. The corner columns may have been associated with the four sacred feet of the god described in later texts. The central recess itself, with the sarcophagus towering in it and the columns at the corners, is similar in its configuration to the Osirion of the temple of Seti I at Abydos, another symbolic burial place of Osiris. Burials that date back to the Late Kingdom may reflect the desire of the Egyptians after death to be closer to the god of the underworld.
Osiris Mine at Herodotus
“I believe that the mine of Osiris was described by the Greek writer Herodotus, the “father of history.” According to him, Cheops was buried on the island in an underground room located in the shadow of the Great Pyramid and fed by a channel extending from the Nile, ”Hawass emphasized.
Herodotus, perhaps, describes the mine of Osiris, although he is mistaken in its dating and the purpose of the underground structure. The mine of Osiris, apparently, was built later than the reign of Cheops, since the oldest objects that archaeologists found there belong only to the VI dynasty (Cheops belonged to the IV dynasty). And most of the other finds are even later.
“As I emphasized above, during my research I was able to establish that the mine is a symbolic burial of Osiris, and not a royal tomb, as Herodotus claims,” Hawass said.
Mysterious tunnel
At the lowest level, archaeologists made another interesting find. A narrow tunnel begins in the northwest corner of the room. This passage is so narrow that only a child could fit through it. But then it turned out to be clogged with clay. “In 1999, I sent a boy to explore this tunnel. He was able to crawl only 5 meters, and then the passage became too narrow even for him, ”said Hawass.
In November 2008, television producer Richard Reisz took out an endoscopic camera to study this narrow passage. The team behind this project was only able to advance the camera 10 meters before the clay got in the way. In December, the researchers returned with two self-propelled research vehicles equipped with cameras that could continue their journey through the mysterious passage. After 6.5 meters, the researchers found that the tunnel was forking. They sent the craft to the branch, it traveled 10.5 meters, but then the passage again became too narrow and filled with clay for the robot to move any further. But the team of researchers found that the main passage continues for another 21 meters, and then, apparently, ends, although it has not yet been possible to determine this for sure.
“I contacted a Japanese team who are going to bring in a more modern and technically advanced device, which, perhaps, can move beyond the points where other equipment got stuck,” Hawass said.
Archaeologists were supposed to start a new attempt to study the mysterious passage on June 9, 2009. They were going to send the robot into the passage and finally figure out where it leads. Scientists hope to understand why the Egyptians carved this narrow passage into the rock, and even so deep underground.
And just recently, Italian archaeologists who work in Thebes (Egypt) found the mythical burial place of the Egyptian god of rebirth, as well as the king of the underworld, Osiris. The grave was found in the necropolis of Sheikh Abd el-Qurna on the West Bank in Thebes.
A huge ancient copy of the mythical tomb of Osiris was found there. Everything is reproduced as described in the Egyptian legend, complete with several shafts and chambers. According to the Spanish news agency EFE, the coffin embodies all the features of the tomb of Osiris, as it is said in ancient Egyptian legends, and is a smaller copy of the Osireion complex.
The tomb is a complex complex of several rooms and shafts that go far into the depths. The tomb of Osiris appeared on maps in 1887, but active excavations began only in 2014. On the walls of the burial room, they found images of demons holding knives in their hands. The rest of the rooms are empty or filled with rubbish, scientists believe that they were looted many years ago. Excavations will continue this autumn.
Inside the tomb complex, researchers found a carving of Osiris and a room with a wall relief depicting demons holding knives. The head of the Spanish-Italian team, Dr. Maria Milagros Alvarez Sosa, told EFE that the demons are there to protect the body of the deceased.
Researchers believe that the tomb complex dates back to the 25th dynasty (760-656 BC) or the 26th dynasty (672-525 BC). The conclusion is made on the basis of a comparison with similar tombs, which contain elements of the cult of Osiris.
It turned out that the tomb corresponds to the mythical descriptions and includes several rooms. Scientists suggest that the age of this grave is 760-656 BC.
It was the image of Osiris that was located inside the vault of the temple, which is part of the burial complex. It is supported by 5 pillars, and the stairs that are located inside lead to the burial hall. And in the room, which is located to the west of the main entrance, scientists discovered a painting depicting demons. The head of the excavations, Maria Milagros Alvarez Sosa, said that the images were applied in order to preserve the body of the deceased.
And near the image of Osiris, they found another staircase leading to another room. It is located below and clogged with garbage. There is no more information about the found tomb.
Recall that according to ancient Egyptian mythology, Osiris was killed by his brother Seth, the god of disorder and Chaos. Set placed the body in a sarcophagus and threw it into the Nile, where Isis found it.
sources http://infoglaz.ru/?p=57570
The impeccable art of mummification, which was owned by the worshipers of the cult of the sacred Amon Ra, especially excites the imagination. The ancient Egyptians radically differed from other peoples in the worship of death, its erection in a cult. Archaeologists are constantly finding new mummy burials, trying to study them with the help of computer equipment, because fragile remains turn into dust from contact with the sun's rays. Although no amount of research is being done, there are more and more mysteries of antiquity.
Preparing for the afterlife
According to the laws of modernity, people try to live here and now, to take only the best for themselves. For the ancient Egyptians, all life was considered a preparation for the main sacrament - death. Even weddings were not celebrated as magnificently as funerals. The better the mummification is carried out, the more integral the deceased will be able to appear before the gods. If earthly existence is only a moment, then one should prepare for eternal life with the utmost care. The mummy had to be escorted to the burial place with high-quality dishes, amulets, jewelry and figurines of the gods. And so that the dead man would not forget his good deeds performed during his lifetime, papyri were additionally placed in the funeral chamber, where all the good deeds were for certain stated. The walls of the chamber were also decorated with reliefs and paintings, although they were executed according to the strict rules of painting that existed in Egypt. A mask with wide open painted eyes, located in place of the mummy's face, looked at all this splendor.
Mummification methods
Thousands of years succeeded each other, but under optimal conditions, the imperishable mummies of the pharaohs of Egypt and the nobility rested in the huge tombs. Although even ordinary Egyptians could adequately preserve the remains. But only the priests reserved the honorable right to carry out embalming. This is connected with the legend of the god Anubis, who made a mummy from the body of the god Osiris in order to prepare him for eternal life in the afterlife.
Know paid for expensive mummification
The relatives of the deceased Egyptian turned to the embalmers, and they offered a choice of one of the mummification methods based on the financial capabilities of the petitioners. After completing the formalities, the priests set to work. Mummification in ancient Egypt was an expensive pleasure. Therefore, for different strata of society, the process took place in different ways.
How were Egyptian mummies made? First of all, the brain was removed with iron devices through the nostrils, and its remains were dissolved with special drugs that were injected into the skull. In ancient Egypt, they did not know about the function of the brain, so they simply threw it away, although they tried to carefully conserve all other organs. After examining the left side of the deceased's abdomen, the chief scribe indicated the place for the incision. With a sharp stone, the paraschist (or ripper) made an incision in the abdominal cavity in the designated area. One of the priests penetrated the incision with his hand in order to get all the organs, while leaving the lungs and heart in place. It was believed that through the food organs, the flesh is contaminated, and subsequently the human soul. The extracted entrails were washed with balsam and palm wine. In no case were the organs thrown away, but carefully immersed in vessels filled with special balms. Such vessels were called canopes, each mummy had four of them. The heads of the sons of Horus were depicted on the lids of the vessels.
Embalming Secrets
It was time for the embalming. After washing the internal cavities of the deceased with wine, he was carefully rubbed from the inside with cinnamon, cedar oil, myrrh and similar embalming agents. Bandages made of linen fabric were soaked in special balms, with which the body was tamponed inside and wrapped around the outside. A little later, embalmers learned how to fill mummies with aromatic herbs infused with oils. After some time, the remaining oil was drained and the body was dried to remove the liquid and avoid decay. Drying lasted about 40 days. Now the priests filled the womb with incense and sewed up the hole, and the mummy was immersed in a concentrated solution of soda lye for 70 days. At the end of the term, the body was washed to begin the final process. The fine linen was cut into long ribbons and wrapped around the deceased, and the strips were fastened together with gum.
Desire for the afterlife among poor Egyptians
The poor could not afford to pay for such a laborious process, so they settled for cheaper mummification. In ancient Egypt, the deceased was injected with cedar oil into the abdominal cavity, without making an incision to extract the insides. After such a procedure, the dead man was lowered into the lye for several days. After a while, the filled oil was drained from the intestines, which has the property of dissolving the insides. Soda lye is known for its ability to decompose meat, therefore, subsequently, the relatives of the deceased received a withered mummy, consisting only of bones and skin. Although the poorest Egyptians could use an even cheaper way. It consisted in introducing radish juice into the abdominal cavity of the deceased and immersing the body in a solution of soda lye for 70 days.
The ruler in the afterlife has untold riches
In ancient Egypt, sacredly adhered to traditions. It was believed that the nobles after death should continue to live among the acquired wealth. A warrior will not be able to hunt after burial if he loses his weapon. The pharaoh will not take the high place among the gods due to his person if he appears at the court of Osiris without a supply of jewelry, gourmet food and many golden figurines. Therefore, untold riches were stored in the tombs, and "black" archaeologists sought to find a secret passage to them.
For the construction of impregnable tombs, various traps were invented, reliable locks that could be opened with special amulets. But all the efforts of the ancient rulers to save the jewels of the tombs were not crowned with success. Under the influence of human greed, many tombs were plundered, and spells and magic did not stop those who wanted to cash in on the objects of ancient civilization.
Artifacts from Tutankhamun's tomb
Almost completely intact, only the tomb of the nineteen-year-old pharaoh Tutankhamen, who ruled in 1332-1323 BC, has survived to this day. e. Its discoverers are two enthusiasts in the field of archeology Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon, who revealed to the world the extraordinary luxury of the ancient tomb.
For several years, archaeologists tried to find the burial place of the young pharaoh, and finally, in 1923, luck smiled at them. Crowds of onlookers and journalists rushed to the small town of Luxor to transmit essays and reports to all lovers of antiquity. On the steps, the archaeologists carefully moved deep into the hole in the rock, and in front they saw a walled wall, behind which was the entrance to the tomb. After clearing the passage, they moved along the corridor, but they had to take some more time to clear the passage from the blockage. Time passed, and, finally, again, scientists had to dismantle another walled entrance. Carter's heart thudded in his chest as he stuck his hand holding the candle through the hole in the masonry. A warm stream of air escaped from the burial chamber, causing the candle flame to flutter in the draft. In the semi-darkness, the outlines of the room gradually appeared, and the outlines of figurines of animals and statues of gold, flickering in the dim light, opened to the eye.
golden splendor
Archaeologists experienced a real shock when they were able to enter the first room of the tomb. The pharaoh was equipped for the afterlife journey with amazing splendor, although they did not have time to build a more spacious tomb for him. There were magnificent beds decorated with gold plates, chairs richly inlaid with gems and ivory, vessels, gloves for shooting, quivers for arrows, clothes and jewelry. Vessels with the remains of food and dried wine have also been preserved. In stone vessels, the researchers found expensive incense that retained a strong aroma. Even after death, the royal person had to lead a full-fledged existence, continuing to anoint the body with fragrant substances.
As a sign of special respect for the dead, their bodies were decorated with wreaths of seasonal flowers. It was in the tomb of Tutankhamen that scientists discovered a wreath of flowers that turned into dust when touched. A few leaves remained, they were lowered into tepid water to avoid destruction. After the analysis, it was possible to find out about the month of the burial of the pharaoh - from mid-March to the end of April. In Egypt, at this time, cornflowers bloom and the nightshade and mandrake ripen, which served to make a wreath.
To move the pharaoh through the afterlife, several golden chariots were hoisted into the chamber. The first room was followed by the second, which had no less stock of precious items.
Mummy of Tutankhamun
Several arks were found in the burial chambers, stacked one inside the other like a matryoshka. It was necessary to open the sarcophagi to get to the royal mummy. The remains were in the coffin, but they were so flooded with aromatic oils that they were firmly glued to it. The golden mask covered his face and shoulders; it completely repeated the lifetime features of the young pharaoh. They also tried to remove the mask, although it was attached to the coffin under the influence of resin. For the manufacture of the coffin of the pharaoh, a gold sheet up to 3.5 mm thick was used. During burial, the mummy of the Egyptian pharaoh was wrapped in several shrouds, and hands with a whip and a wand were sewn onto the uppermost shroud. After deployment, the mummies found many more treasures, the description of which amounted to 101 groups.
Curse or series of coincidences?
After the grand opening of the tomb of Tutankhamen, a series of unexpected deaths of members of the expedition stirred up the public. A year later, Lord Carnarvon dies of pneumonia in a Cairo hotel. His death was instantly overgrown with unimaginable details and fantastic conjectures. Some argue that the death was caused by a mosquito bite, although others talk about a razor wound that caused blood poisoning. One way or another, but for the next few years, the concept of the “curse of the pharaohs” was exaggerated in the press. One after another, 22 members of the expedition died suddenly, who were the first to be on the threshold of the famous tomb. The English newspapermen fanned the sensation, and the public was not interested in any reasonable explanations.
Unenviable fate
Only the mummies of the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt have survived to this day in fairly good condition. After all, the fate of the remains of the poor Egyptians remained unenviable. During the Middle Ages, there were many recipes for healing potions made from crushed mummies. Not without barbarism: in the 19th century, the bandages of the ancient dead began to be used as paper, and the mummies themselves became fuel. But the remains of royalty remained almost untouched to become silent witnesses of the former greatness of Ancient Egypt.
Surviving mummies of pharaohs
One of the greatest conquerors was Pharaoh Seti I. His reign dates back to the 19th dynasty. The great pharaoh led a tough policy, strengthened the borders of the kingdom to the territory where Syria is now located. He wisely ruled for 11 years, leaving strong Egypt to his successor, Ramses II.
The European press was shocked by the discovery of the grave of Seti I in 1817. Now the mummy of Seti 1 is on display in the hall of the Cairo Egyptian Museum.
Diagnosis of diseases of the ancient ruler
The legendary pharaoh of antiquity was Ramses II. He lived to a ripe old age and ruled Egypt for an estimated 67 years. His mummy was discovered in a cache among the rocks by scientists G. Maspero and E. Brugsch in 1881. The mummy of Ramses II can be seen in the Cairo Museum. In 1974, the museum staff sounded the alarm due to the destruction of the mummy. It was decided to urgently send her to a medical examination in Paris. I had to take care of an Egyptian passport for the dead king in order to cross the borders between states. During the research, Ramses was found to have injuries and fractures, as well as arthritis. After processing, the mummy was returned to the museum in order to preserve its greatness for future generations.
In 1907, the 5th Earl of Carnarvon, George Herbert, hired the Egyptologist and archaeologist Howard Carter to observe and excavate in the Valley of the Kings, and 15 years later, the long-awaited moment came - the opening of Tutankhamen's tomb. Photos of those years will tell us how it all happened.
Searches in the valley, which lasted for many years, gave very modest results, which eventually brought the wrath of the employer on Carter. In 1922, Lord Carnarvon told him that from next year he would stop funding the work.
1923 Lord Carnarvon, who financed the excavations, reads on the veranda of Carter's house near the Valley of the Kings.
Carter, desperate for a breakthrough, decided to return to the previously abandoned dig site. On November 4, 1922, his team discovered a step carved into the rock. By the end of the next day, the entire staircase had been cleared. Carter immediately sent a message to Carnarvon, imploring him to come as soon as possible.
On November 26, Carter, along with Carnarvon, opened a small hole in the corner of a door at the end of the stairs. Holding the candle, he looked inside.
"At first I couldn't see anything, hot air was rushing out of the room, causing the candle flame to flicker, but soon, as my eyes got used to the light, details of the room slowly emerged from the mist, strange animals, statues and gold - gold glitter everywhere."
Howard Carter
A team of archaeologists have discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun, a youth king who ruled Egypt from 1332 to around 1323 B.C.
November 1925. Death mask of Tutankhamun.
Despite traces of the tomb having been visited twice by ancient robbers, the contents of the room remained virtually untouched. The tomb was stuffed with thousands of priceless artifacts, including a sarcophagus with the mummified remains of Tutankhamun.
January 4, 1924. Howard Carter, Arthur Callender and an Egyptian worker open the doors for their first look at Tutankhamen's sarcophagus.
Each object in the tomb was carefully described and cataloged before removal. This process took almost eight years.
December 1922. A ceremonial couch in the shape of a Heavenly Cow, surrounded by supplies and other objects in the front room of the tomb.
December 1922. Gilded lion bed and other objects in the hallway. The wall of the burial chamber is guarded by black statues of Ka.
1923 A set of boats in the treasury of the tomb.
December 1922. A gilded lion bed and an inlaid breastplate among other objects in the antechamber.
December 1922 Under the lion bed in the front room are several boxes and chests, as well as an ebony and ivory chair that Tutankhamun used as a child.
1923 The gilded bust of the Heavenly Cow Mehurt and the chests were in the treasury of the tomb.
1923 Chests inside the treasure chest.
December 1922. Decorative alabaster vases in the front room.
January 1924. In a "laboratory" set up in the tomb of Seti II, restorers Arthur Mays and Alfred Lucas are cleaning one of the Ka statues from the front room.
November 29, 1923. Howard Carter, Arthur Callender and an Egyptian worker wrap one of the Ka statues for transport.
December 1923. Arthur Mays and Alfred Lucas work on the golden chariot from Tutankhamun's tomb outside the "laboratory" in Seti II's tomb.
1923 Statue of Anubis on a funeral stretcher.
December 2, 1923 Carter, Callender and two workers remove the partition between the front room and the burial chamber.
December 1923. Inside the outer ark in the burial chamber, a huge linen veil with golden rosettes, reminiscent of the night sky, covers the smaller ark.
December 30, 1923. Carter, Mace, and an Egyptian worker carefully roll up a linen cover.
December 1923. Carter, Callender and two Egyptian workers are carefully dismantling one of the golden arks in the burial chamber.
October 1925. Carter examines Tutankhamun's sarcophagus.
October 1925. Carter and a worker examine a solid gold sarcophagus.
TOMBS
Among the ancient peoples, who did not commit their corpses to burning, the tomb always reproduces the shape of the dwelling. Just like temples, tombs are above ground and 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.
Above-ground tombs and the oldest tombs located in the rocks (as in Beni Gassane), consist of two parts: a burial chamber and a room for religious ceremonies located in front of it. In the caves and tombs of the Theban dynasties, the room for religious rites is a separate temple. Ramesseum and Medinet Abu and were similar commemorative temples of Ramesses II and Ramesses III. Temple of the Sphinx carried the same functions pyramid of Cheops.
Note:The tomb since the time of Pharaoh Thutmose I (XVI century BC) 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 shape of a dwelling
The tombs of the first dynasties resemble a fellah's hut with sloping walls and a flat roof. " mastabas”, are undoubtedly a semblance of a house: the door treatment is easily distinguished from the outside. The interior plan and decorations mimic the living space. The ceiling is made of palm trunks, holes made for lighting, and even mats. The wall painting reproduces 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 proceeded.
In arrays of some mastabas ( figure 55, B) there is a walled well P, ending with a burial chamber. In other mastabas (A), instead of halls, there are narrow galleries with portrait statues of the deceased.
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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 (Gizeh);
D - a pyramid with a broken profile (Dashur);
S - step pyramid (Saqqara).
Just like in mastabas, the outer planes of the pyramids are oriented to the cardinal points. On the Figure 56, A the section of the pyramid shows burial chambers, shafts leading to them, and ventilation ducts V.
The burial chamber is a room with strictly sheer stone walls, sometimes with a flat ceiling, and sometimes with a vaulted ceiling. The chambers, and sometimes the mines 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 masonry and completely disguised. In some places, the galleries are lined with granite and partitioned off by descending granite slabs sliding in longitudinal grooves.
Figure 57, A depicts one of these plates in a semi-raised position. She was probably supported by sandbags; it was enough to empty them so that the plate smoothly lowered. Figure 57, B depicts a variant in which the slab was supported by a wooden support: the support was burned, and the slab, having fallen, blocked the passage.
Modern mastabas of the pyramid are also decorated with wall paintings, but usually more sparing and abstract - a blue sky with stars on the ceiling and hieroglyphic inscriptions instead of figured compositions.
Construction methods. Sequential laying. - 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 to build 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 premises arose.
Additions were made in one way or another, indicated in Figures 15 and 58 .
1. Option A: thickening the walls of the core with new masonry.
2. Option S: successively new rows of masonry are added to the outer planes of the stepped core, which are given a certain slope. This explains the origin of the 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 mass of a pyramid from the correct rows of 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 cladding was always given in the correct rows. At the direction of Herodotus, the final processing was carried out from the top and gradually brought to the bottom ( figure 58, R); this is the method which the Greeks later adopted.
Various purposes of the pyramids.- The pyramid is a symbol of longevity 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.
Jomar's assumption about the metrological nature of the pyramids was refined by M. Mauss. The measurements and proportions of all completed pyramids are directly related to the Egyptian system of measures. To prove it, it suffices to mention that the side of the Great Pyramid is 600 cubits, or 1 stadion. The Great Pyramid is, as it were, the canon of measures.
However, these various functions do not contradict each other and in no 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, as if emphasizes the cult nature of this monument.
underground tombs
The era of the pyramids ends in Lower Egypt around the 6th dynasty, the period of the mastabas - around the 11th. Later, the pyramid is found only as an exception. There is a kind 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, a small pyramid rises. Examples of the late type of pyramid are the elongated pyramids of Ethiopia.
Note: The composition of a small pyramid on a mastaba-like base is typical of the period of the Middle Kingdom. Its prototype is already the temples of the sun of the 5th dynasty, where an obelisk was placed 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 XVIII dynasty, the portico disappears, and the entrance to the dungeon is masked.
We have already spoken above about rock-cut tombs with porticos. Beni Hassan; figure 59 reproduces the internal plan of one of the Theban tombs, in which the entrance is completely masked by an earthen mound, similar to a natural mound.
These tombs are a somewhat modified and enlarged plan of the galleries in the pyramids; the only difference is the absence of descent plates that block the galleries of the pyramids. Here such slabs would be a poor defense, since with the looseness of the rock they would be easy to beat off; to divert the attention of the robbers, walls were erected to mask the continuation of the galleries, or even false sarcophagi were placed.
The wall painting of the tombs is of the same character as in the pyramids and mastabas, only the plot changes: instead of less and less common everyday scenes, mythological motifs begin to prevail.
Note: Not only the plots, but also the style of the paintings of the period of the Middle and especially the New Kingdom differ from the Old Kingdom.
Gradual expansion of underground tombs.- The same idea 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, leading the shaft in the other direction; on the Figure 59, A an example of such bypasses is given. Sometimes, on the way of a mine being laid, an already previously built tomb was encountered, and then again it was necessary to deviate to the side (the tomb of Ramesses III). Often the shaft remained unfinished: this meant that by the day the pharaoh died, the last chambers were not yet ready.
August Choisy. History of architecture. August Choisy. Histoire De L "Architecture
