What are the tombs. The secret tombs of the pharaohs of egypt

In connection with the development of the royal cult, a profound process of modification of the main forms of Egyptian religion takes place. The ancient gods of nature are gradually turning into state gods - patrons of the state, the king and royal power.

Thus, the god of dying and resurrecting nature, Osiris, over time turns into the king of the afterlife, the first king of Egypt and the patron saint of royal power, and therefore is often depicted as a pharaoh with all the signs of royal power. Priestly propaganda, both in religious dogma and in the visual arts, constantly sought to sharply emphasize the inextricable connection that connected the heavenly gods with the earthly god - the deified king.

Most important species architecture and visual arts Ancient Egypt and their features. Creation of a monumental style of architecture. Religious symbolism of the pyramids.

From the earliest times in Egyptian art the leading position was occupied by architecture, and since ancient times the main structures were the monumental tombs of kings and nobility. This is due to the special significance that funeral cults had in Egypt, closely associated with the widely developed cults of dying and resurrecting deities of nature. Naturally, the tsar and the slave-owning nobility, who played the main role in these cults, paid special attention to ensuring their posthumous "eternal life" and, consequently, to the construction of solid tombs; very early on, the most durable material available to ancient architects, stone, began to be used for their construction. And while brick and wood continued to be used for dwellings intended for the living, tombs - "houses of eternity" - were the first stone buildings. Secular buildings have hardly survived; O appearance We can judge palaces only by the images of their facades on steles and sarcophagi, while clay "houses for the soul" placed in tombs give an idea of ​​the houses.

According to the notions of the primitive man who lived in the Nile Valley, the afterlife was a semblance of the earthly, and the deceased person was just as in need of shelter and food as the living; the tomb was thought to be the home of the deceased, which determined its original form. From this was born the desire to preserve the body of the deceased, or at least the head. Since at the beginning the methods of embalming were imperfect, statues of the deceased were placed in the tombs as a replacement for the body in case of damage. So, the tomb - the house of the deceased - was supposed to serve as such a room where the mummy would be completely intact, where the statue of the deceased would be placed and where his relatives could bring everything necessary for his food. These requirements determined the structure of the tombs of the Old Kingdom.

The tombs of the nobility, the so-called "mastaba", consisted of an underground part, where a coffin with a mummy was placed, and a massive aboveground structure. Similar buildings from the time of the 1st dynasty looked like a house with two false doors and a courtyard where sacrifices were made. This "house" was a brick-faced mound of sand and debris. A brick prayer house with an altar was then added to such a building. For the tombs of the highest nobility, limestone was used already during the 1st dynasty. Gradually the mastaba became more complicated; chapels, and the premises for the statue were already arranged inside the above-ground part, entirely made of stone. As the dwellings of the nobility developed, the number of premises in the mastaba also increased, where corridors, halls and storerooms appeared by the end of the Old Kingdom.

For the history of architecture great importance had the construction of royal tombs, the construction of which was devoted to huge funds, technical inventions, new ideas of architects. Great importance was attached to the construction of the royal tombs because they were the place of worship of the deceased pharaoh. This cult played a prominent role in Egyptian religion, replacing the cult of the pre-class tribal leader. At the same time, the remnants of the idea that the leader of the tribe is the magical center of the tribe's well-being, and the spirit of the deceased leader, subject to proper rituals, will continue to protect his tribe, were transferred to the cult of the pharaoh. It is characteristic, for example, that the pyramid of Senusret I was called "Senusret looking at Egypt", and eyes were depicted on the tops of some pyramids.

The growing grandeur of the royal tombs clearly revealed the desire to establish a despotic monarchy, and at the same time, the unlimited possibility of exploiting the labor of the masses by this monarchy was manifested. The idea of ​​the architects and the improvement of technical methods proceeded along the line of increasing the above-ground mass of the building, however, the horizontal increase of the latter, in the end, could no longer produce the required impression of overwhelming monumentality. The most important stage in the development of royal tombs was therefore the idea of ​​increasing the building vertically. Apparently, this idea first arose during the construction of the famous tomb of the Pharaoh of the III dynasty of Djoser (c. 3000 BC)

The forms inherent in stone construction have not yet been found, the planning of the entire ensemble has not yet been properly organized, but the main building has already been realized and implemented - the building began to grow upward, and the stone was identified as the main material of Egyptian architecture.

Each of the pyramids at Giza was surrounded by an architectural ensemble; however, the location of the buildings in Giza shows a significantly increased skill of architects to give a clear plan of the whole complex and to balance its parts. The pyramid now stands alone in the center of the courtyard, the wall of which emphasizes the special position of the pyramid and separates it from the surrounding buildings. This impression is not disturbed by the small pyramids of queens, which are sometimes located within the same courtyard; the difference in their scale in comparison with the tsar's pyramid only strengthens the impression of the exorbitant size of the latter. The tsar's funeral temple adjoined the eastern side, connected by a covered stone passage with a monumental gate in the valley. These gates were built where the waters of the Nile floods reached, and, since to the east of them the fields irrigated by the Nile were green, and the lifeless sands of the desert spread to the west, the gates stood as if on the verge of life and death. Around the pyramid in a clearly planned order were located the mastaba of the courtiers of the pharaoh, who were at the same time his relatives. The clearest idea of ​​the funeral temples at the pyramids in Giza is given by the remains of the temple at the Khafre pyramid, which was a rectangular building with a flat roof, made of massive limestone blocks. In the center of it there was a hall with tetrahedral monolithic granite pillars, on the sides of which there were two narrow rooms for the tsar's statues for the dead. Behind the hall was an open courtyard surrounded by pilasters and statues of the king in the form of the god Osiris. Further there were chapels. The entrance to the entire complex of the pyramid was the facade of the gate in the valley, reaching 12 m in height and having two doors, which were guarded by sphinxes placed on their sides. Inside, this gate also had a hall with quadrangular granite pillars, along the walls of which were placed statues of the pharaoh made of different breeds stone.

A distinctive feature of the architecture of the Giza pyramids is the knowledge of the constructive role of the stone and its decorative possibilities. For the first time in Egypt, free-standing pillars are found in the temples at the pyramids of Giza. The entire decoration of buildings is based on a combination of polished surfaces of various stones. The brilliant edges of the columns of the burial church were in perfect harmony with the slabs of pink granite that lined its walls and with alabaster floors, just as the similar decoration of the gate hall in the valley constituted a remarkably colorful whole with statues of green diorite, creamy white alabaster and yellow slate.

The Valley of the Pharaohs is an amazing place on the planet, representing a huge ancient cemetery of the Egyptian nobility. To the tombs richest people ancient times and the burials of the Egyptian pharaohs can be traversed along the only narrow path. Where is the Valley of the Pharaohs? This area is located opposite the city of Thebes (west bank of the Nile).

Egypt: Valley of the Pharaohs

Luxor (ancient Thebes) is an Egyptian city that is constantly visited by tourists from all over the world. They are interested in the huge abundance of ancient monuments and significant sites, among which is the Valley of the Kings. It was formed in the 16th century and was used for burials until 1075 BC. NS.

More than sixty pharaohs sleep here in eternal sleep. Officially, this place, which also contained the graves of the wives and children of the rulers, was called the Great Magic Necropolis. During the time of Ramses the First, the arrangement of the Valley of the Queens began, but some wives were still buried with their husbands.

Location of the Valley of the Kings

Several reasons why the Valley of the Pharaohs was chosen for burials:

A mound based on limestone - construction material that protected the graves from fractures and cracks;

Convenience when promoting the funeral procession;

Inaccessible - the area was protected by steep cliffs and was under the supervision of guards, whose huts were located around the valley.

The Valley of the Kings consists of Eastern and Western parts... Most of the graves are located in the East. There is one tomb on the west side, which is open to the public. This is the grave of Tut's successor - Au. In this part, there are three more important burials, which are still being excavated.

Description of the tombs

The history of burials began by Pharaoh Thutmose the First; before that, all Egyptian rulers found their last refuge in the pyramids.

The tombs were deep wells built in the rock, the entrances of which were reliably covered with earth and heaped with huge stones, and steep steps descended down. The path to the tomb was littered with various traps and traps. It could be suddenly falling doors and so on.

The well rested against the burial chambers painted with frescoes, which depicted episodes of the deceased's earthly life and told about his afterlife. In the cells, sarcophagi were installed, abundantly filled with gifts for the deceased: expensive household items, jewelry intended to facilitate his life beyond the grave.

Tombs under the scrutiny of robbers

The tombs were always under the scrutiny of robbers, therefore they were carefully guarded by specially created military detachments. If the robbery attempts were successful, then the attackers destroyed the mummies themselves, whose revenge the vandals were afraid of. It has been established that often robbery attacks on the city were carried out with the knowledge of local officials who tried to replenish the impoverished treasury with processed treasures. The sarcophagi were often visited by religious fanatics. They tried to save the mummies from desecration and destruction and transferred them to other cells.

Tutankhamun's tomb

Unlike other tombs, looted and empty, the most famous one has survived practically in its original form. It was discovered only at the beginning of the twentieth century.

A deep corridor leads to a burial vault, painted with quotations from the Book of the Dead. There is also a sarcophagus, which is a stone structure. It is nested in 4 which are nested within each other. The ceiling and walls are painted with scenes from the life of the ruler. Those who found the tomb of Tutankhamun were shocked by the abundance of gold and silver jewelry, as well as household items, the number of which was about 5,000. Among them were works of art from a bygone era, a gilded chariot, lamps, clothing, writing materials, and even a bun of Pharaoh's grandmother's hair. Scientists spent several years compiling an inventory of what was found. The pharaoh's face was covered with a golden mask, representing a copy of the face.

The special decoration of the tomb was explained by the fact that, being very young, the 18-year-old ruler returned the usual gods to the Egyptians, to whom they offered their prayers. Prior to this, the imperious Akhenaten - the predecessor of Tutankhamun - introduced a law in the country that allowed worshiping only one god. The archaeologists did not have an opportunity to determine how luxurious the wealth of the tomb is in comparison with the sarcophagi of other mummies, because they were all devastated by the robberies of treasure hunters.

Burials of the Valley of the Kings

In the 80s, scientists began to compose detailed map Valley of the Kings. In the process, a tomb under the fifth number was discovered, the entrance to which was accidentally blocked during excavations of the tomb of Tutankhamun. It took several years to clear it, and only in 1995 did archaeologists manage to get into it.

84 rooms were found in the tomb. Their walls were covered with inscriptions stating that the premises were planned for the burials of the sons of Ramses II. There were found furniture, figurines, ritual offerings, various items prepared for the afterlife. There are suggestions that there are others below these rooms.

Burial No. 63 with several sarcophagi, but without mummies was found 5 meters from the tomb of Tutankhamun. To whom it belongs has not been established. According to scientists, this is the tomb of the mother of the pharaoh or his wife.

There are also unfinished tombs in the valley, in which, judging by the contents, there were mummies. This confirms the presence of some fragments of decoration and human bones. The tomb of Pharaoh Seti the First is very interesting and unusual. It is 120 meters long and consists of a large number chambers, it is a huge underground palace with a large number of ancient treasures. Most of the tombs are empty, and the mummies of them have been identified in the country's museums.

All buildings, structures and monuments can be called exhibits of the city of Luxor. About two million tourists visit this place annually. The Valley of the Kings (or the Valley of the Pharaohs) stores 64 sarcophagi, but not all are available for general viewing. The tombs are constantly restored, they are all similar to each other in layout and decoration, each is assigned a number. They were numbered in the order in which they were found. It is forbidden to take pictures here, because the flashlights negatively affect the ancient paint.

Howard Carter worked on the search for Tut's tomb with his companion Lord George Carnarvon. In 1923, Lord Carnarvon died suddenly in a hotel in Cairo. The official cause of death was not precisely determined, since the level of development of medicine in Egypt at that time was still weak. It was either pneumonia or blood poisoning from a razor cut.

It was after this death that the press began to actively “trumpet” about the “curse of Tutankhamun”. Talk began about some mythical fungi and microorganisms that the priests left behind to kill the robbers. And then Hollywood picked up the idea.

Of course, this is nothing more than fables. Lord Carnarvon was not a 20-year-old boy, at the time of his death he was already 57 years old. Pneumonia and blood poisoning in those days were deadly diseases, since antibiotics had not yet been invented.

Howard Carter himself died in 1939 at the age of 64. Logically, if the curse exists, then it should have touched him first.

Another version says that there is no mysticism in the deaths of some members of the expedition. They were allegedly killed by the Egyptian special services to cover up the falsification. This version is more realistic, we will talk about it in detail.

Falsification accusations

It is believed that these excavations and the entire tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun are a fake. Allegedly, Carter and the Egyptian authorities built a fake tomb. This makes some sense, since Egypt has made a lot of money selling treasures.

Fans of this theory give the following reasons:

At first, at the time of Carter's discovery, the entire Valley of the Kings had already been dug, and it was no longer possible to find something new there.

This argument can be dismissed at once. How is it impossible? Archaeologist Otto Schaden found another tomb here in 2005. And they will probably find more.

Second reason... Carter spent a very long time excavating - about 5 years. He allegedly wasted this time building a forgery.

This argument also means nothing. They can dig for 5 years, maybe 10, what's so surprising?

Thirdly, some items look brand new. This is also possible, some items are better preserved, some are worse.

Fourth The coffin lid was split open. Supposedly, this was done on purpose, since she did not crawl through the door of the tomb. This argument is very dubious - the lid of the coffin cracked, what's surprising?

And there are a lot of similar arguments that cast a shadow of doubt, but do not prove anything.

Let's think sensibly. These people claim that Carter spent 110 kilograms of gold to make a sarcophagus out of it, and another 11 kilograms of gold for a mask. Found or produced about 3,500 artifacts.

He cut out a tomb in the rock, produced two stone sarcophagi. Found somewhere an ownerless mummy of a man about 20 years old. Then he packed it all into a tomb and announced the opening.

Read it all! He should have made it all unnoticed! Do you believe this is possible? Where does the gold and money come from? How could this be done in secret? This is just unreal.

The museums that have bought these exhibits carry out expert examinations of the items in their collections. If Carter and the Egyptian government had carried out such a scam, it would have been scientifically uncovered long ago.

The emergence of the legend was facilitated by a series of mysterious deaths

In one of the ancient manuscripts that have come down to us from the depths of millennia, a descendant of the pharaohs teaches the heirs not to violate the tombs. The violator of the terrible spell supposedly awaits a terrible punishment.

For many centuries, people under the influence of mystical horror and bypassed places in which there was a high probability of incurring heavenly punishment. But in the enlightened XX century - the century of technological progress and science, ancient curses turned into a beautiful ancient fairy tale. Scientists do not believe her - but, according to the mystics, in vain.

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The first revenge of the pharaohs

Having found in the 20s of the twentieth century the burial of one of the great rulers ancient egypt, Tutankhamun, British explorers lord George Edward Carnarvon and Howard Carter without hesitation, they opened it. However, they discovered that the tomb had already been opened once about three thousand years ago. But all the treasures remained in place.

Question: "What prevented those ancient grave-diggers from taking possession of Tutankhamun's jewels?" and remained unanswered. And the joy of the scientists who made the discovery of the century was short-lived. A few months after the end of the expedition, Lord Carnarvon died unexpectedly. His death shocked his family and companions in the Egyptian expedition. And after him, his brother died just as suddenly, and then several friends related to the expedition and even the Lord's favorite dog.

In total, more than 20 people became victims of the "curse" about which they immediately started talking in the press.

By the way: In the middle of the 20th century, a hypothesis was put forward that researchers accidentally reopened the virus introduced into the tomb of Tutankhamun by ancient grave-diggers. But later this theory was refuted.

Unanswered questions

For many centuries, scientists have been trying to find rational explanations for the ominous mysteries that entangle the burial places of the ancient Egyptian rulers. It was even hypothesized that some radioactive materials were used inside the pyramids to irradiate the thieves. But the authors of this theory have failed to link radiation to car accidents, accidents and other situations in which many treasure seekers died.

History remembers many examples tragic fate those who encroached on the wealth of the pharaohs. So in 1805 a British medic Henderson kidnapped two mummies from the pyramid at Thebes. He soon lost his mind and ended his life in a psychiatric clinic. The same fate befell the Swedish traveler Felix Leadman. The collection of the treasures he had plundered died in terrible fire, the reasons for which have not been established. Russian archaeologist Vasily Krasovsky, in 1912, the first to discover the pyramid Hirena, died a few years later - as the scientist wrote shortly before his death, he was very tormented by some mysterious "soul of the pyramid." The English scientist, who went down with him into the burial, also soon died in a car accident.

By the way: There is a version that the famous "Titanic" also sank due to the curse of the pharaohs. The mummy of the great Egyptian soothsayer was carried in his hold Amenophis IV- and, according to the supporters of this version, it was she who destroyed the giant ship. In support of their theory, they cite the fact that under the head of Amenophis lay a figurine of a god Osiris, on which it was written: "Rise from the dust, and your gaze will crush all who will be in your path."

The last sacrifice

The exact number of workers who died during the excavation of the tombs of the pharaohs has not been established. The account goes to tens, if not hundreds. The unfortunate people were covered with earth, crushed with stones, and some superstitious archaeologists tried to make the workers go ahead - and, if something happened, would take on the main "wrath" of the pharaohs.

In 1953, under the guidance of an Egyptian archaeologist Mohammed Goneim pyramid research was carried out Sekhemkhet- the heir to the great Djoser, which is prescribed the construction of the first pyramids. While clearing the underground corridor, a huge block suddenly collapsed from the ceiling, killing one worker. Goneim then miraculously survived, but the "curse of the pharaohs" overtook him three years later. He was unfairly accused of drug smuggling. In a fit of despair, Mohammed threw himself into the Nile and drowned. The scientist is considered at the moment the last so well-known victim of the "wrath" of the ancient Egyptian rulers.

Skeptics argue that the "curse of the pharaohs" is nothing more than a legend, it was fueled by numerous works of art about the tomb robbers, in which evil demons, who escaped from the crypts, pursue the violators of their peace. Researchers are confident that the recorded tragic events that occurred with archaeologists specializing in the study of Egypt are just coincidences. No one would have betrayed them any value if not for the obsessive myths about the revenge of the ancient rulers of Egypt. However, supporters of the "curse" theory have a different opinion on this matter.

Lost tombs of Egypt

At the word "Egypt" we imagine not only modern resorts, but also "gray, like the world, antiquity", the great pyramids from which "forty centuries" of history look at us, the Sphinx, Luxor, Abu Simbel ... It seems that Egypt, like no other country, all in the past. And this past has been thoroughly studied by archaeologists. The same pyramids are not birch bark letters, you cannot hide them in the ground. They are all discovered, described, recounted. Is that it remains to look for some hiding places, secret passages inside the pyramids. Everything else has long been known. All discoveries have been made. And what is the use of an archaeologist to rush to Egypt? Meanwhile, the news bulletins never cease to amaze. Every few months, a pyramid, a tomb, or, at worst, a mummy or sarcophagus are found in the Nile country. Most of the discoveries are made in Saqqara, which has become almost the "archaeological capital" of Egypt. So what's in Saqqara?

... Once on the border of Upper and Lower Egypt was the city of Memphis, "The Scales of Both Lands" (this poetic name for Memphis is often found in ancient Egyptian texts). It was the capital of the country during the era of the Old Kingdom, in the III millennium BC.

In the first centuries of our era, Memphis gradually became empty. People left him. When the Arabs came here, the ruins of the city became a huge quarry for them. From the stone collected here, over time, a new capital of Egypt grew - located nearby Cairo.

The ruins of Memphis have disappeared over the centuries. Only the grandiose “city of the dead” remained, which neither the new rulers of the country, nor ordinary people never dared to disturb (only the robbers visited there for their feasible bribe). The Sakkara necropolis is located 20 kilometers from Cairo, on the western bank of the Nile. This is one of the most monumental monuments ancient Egyptian civilization. For three thousand years, prominent people of Memphis were buried here - kings and commanders, officials and scribes. Many tombs of those ancient times have not yet been discovered, they are waiting for their opening hour. For archaeologists, this is a real “conveyor belt of glory”. Ancient tombs and mummies, one after another, are removed from the mass of sand, like rabbits from the hat of an illusionist.

Djoser's pyramid

The entire history of Egypt is briefly, exactly in a synopsis, recorded in this underground "book of the dead." People began to bury people in Sakkara during the 1st dynasty, almost 5,000 years ago. The oldest burials found here are located in the northern part of the necropolis, at the edge of the desert. These are mastabas, a kind of rectangular superstructure over the grave, built of raw bricks and reminiscent of a person's earthly dwelling. Their architecture is similar to the Mesopotamian one, because both here and there the main material is still clay, mud brick. This is where the similarity ends - along the banks of the Nile, ridges of limestone hills stretched for many kilometers, from where it was possible to take stone for construction.

Here is one of the pharaohs orders to overlay his tomb with granite slabs. For another king, all of its aboveground part is erected from limestone slabs. But only during the III dynasty the main material of Egyptian culture - stone - finally triumphed. In its processing, the Egyptians achieve amazing skill.

In Saqqara, you can find almost all types of tombs known to the ancient Egyptians: the step pyramid of Djoser, the classical pyramids of the 5th and 6th dynasties, mine and gallery-type tombs, as well as numerous mastabas.

For a century and a half, excavations have been conducted here. But the “season of discoveries” is still far from over. What can you not find here! In the last three decades alone, 45 tombs have been discovered. Let's take a look at some of the notable finds made recently.

So, in the summer of 2010, to the west of the pyramid of Djoser, two tombs were discovered with excellent decoration. Both of them belong to the period of the reign of the kings of the 6th dynasty (2318-2168 BC). These are perhaps some of the most beautiful tombs built during the era of the Old Kingdom, noted Zahi Hawass, head Supreme Council on the antiquities of Egypt. The two false doors, covered with colorful paintings, which are surprisingly well preserved, aroused particular admiration of the scientists. Their colors glow brightly, as if applied recently. Similar doors were painted in Egypt on the walls of the tombs of kings and prominent officials. It was believed that through them the soul of the deceased was removed to the afterlife. The inscriptions on the doors have preserved the names of the people buried here. These are Shendwai and Khonsu, father and son. The first during his lifetime was the chief scribe of the pharaoh and "overseer of expeditions." His son eventually also became the chief scribe, and was also a trustee of the fine arts. According to Zaha Hawass, these tombs were not plundered in ancient times, as they were covered by a layer of sand.

A little earlier, in May 2010, archaeologists discovered in Saqqara the tomb of the mayor of Memphis, Ptahmes, which had been considered lost for over 100 years. Then it was scouted by robbers who stole several panels with reliefs from its walls. And then the "curse of the pharaohs" came true, if I can say so in relation not to the king, but to one of his officials. A young, angry Tutankhamun several decades later ruined, according to legend, almost the entire expedition of Howard Carter. The same official seemed to have collected, like arrears, everything that was in his tomb with walls together, and hid it in the "bins of sand". Or to put it more simply: huge sand dunes covered the tomb so that for many decades archaeologists searched for it and could not find it.

In early 2010, French archaeologists excavated the tomb of Behenu, the wife of one of the pharaohs of the VI dynasty, Piopi I or Piopi II. On the walls of her burial chamber 10x5 meters in size, the so-called "texts of the pyramids" have survived - ritual formulas and spells designed to ensure a safe journey to the afterlife. These texts were undoubtedly addressed to Queen Behen. Among the ruins of the pyramid, erected for her, her statue and a sarcophagus were also found, in which, however, there was no mummy. It is worth noting that most of the pyramids of the 6th dynasty are located in Saqqara. Since 1988, seven pyramids have been excavated here, built for the queens of this dynasty, including the second one with the “Pyramid Texts”.

In the summer of 2008, archaeologists discovered the pyramid of Pharaoh Menkauhor, a little-known ruler of the 5th Dynasty who reigned over Egypt for eight years. German archaeologist Karl Richard Lepsius mentioned it among his discoveries back in 1842 (only in the vicinity of Memphis he studied and described 64 pyramids). He called it a "headless pyramid" because it lacked the upper part (probably, the inhabitants of the surrounding villages over the centuries dismantled the entire top of the tomb, using it as material for their dwellings). However, soon this stronghold was covered with sand. The search for her continued for almost a century and a half. And now, finally, scientists managed to unearth the foundation of the lost pyramid of Lepsius - it was hiding under a layer of sand 8 meters high.

Judging by these discoveries, Sakkara still keeps many secrets. Obviously, the blank spots on her map are not empty areas at all. It's just that no excavations have been carried out here so far. Zahi Hawass believes that so far no more than a third of the necropolis in Saqqara has been explored. “I believe there are quite a few pyramids that we have not yet managed to find,” he admits. This means that the time of archaeological discoveries continues.