The pyramids are not the burial places of the pharaohs. Egyptian tombs

There are many legends and secrets associated with the ancient Egyptian rulers. Archaeologists and lovers of ancient history have always been interested in the graves and tombs of the pharaohs. And it’s not surprising, because these are real treasures.

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Pharaoh's Tomb: Interesting Facts

The supreme ruler of ancient Egypt was considered the pharaoh, who was literally equated with a deity. He was sacredly honored and respected during his life, and after his death he was also given many honors, especially during the funeral. The tombs were arranged according to special schemes; they still know how to keep their secrets and secrets.

For example, they searched for the tomb of Tutankhamun for six years, and when archaeologists completely despaired, when hope of finding a secret door was lost, a miracle happened. The tomb was not at all where it was expected to be found. In 1922, the search ended in success, and then followed many years of careful excavations, autopsies, and so on. You should really take the time to read the thorough description of Tutankhamun's tomb, where the mummy alone is striking in its size and opulence. When scientists dug up the entrance, the wall was walled up, but traces of robbers immediately became visible inside. No one can explain why the countless treasures were not removed from the tomb of the young ruler. It is unlikely that they were not found; most likely, another secret is involved here. Inside the rooms there was so much gold, jewelry, dishes, clothing, shoes, interior items, symbols of royal power, chariots, and ships that the head of the expedition had to stop excavations and go to negotiations with the authorities. Also found were two bodies of girls, daughters of the pharaoh, who were stillborn. To remove the treasures, it was necessary to carry out a separate railway to the grave.

Egyptian legends say that Tutankhamun ruled for only a few years and died at the age of 18-19, still a very young boy. But the pharaoh was buried with great honors; he was the last ruler of his dynasty.

There was a lot of talk about deaths allegedly related to the excavation of the famous Tutankhamun’s tomb. The curse has overtaken many. But is this really so, or is it just fiction of journalists, historians and other lovers of spicy stories? There was indeed an inscription on the wall of the tomb that death threatens those who dare to disturb the peace of the sleeping Tutankhamun. After the famous excavation of the grave, many members of the archaeological team and their close relatives or friends died over the course of 10 years. The series of deaths attracted the attention of the press and sensational news spread throughout the world. But many archaeologists were already old, some suffered from asthma, and some lived for decades after the discovery. So there is no reason to believe in the non-existent curse of the pagan gods. Although, of course, we cannot exclude the fact that a special fungus is widespread in the tomb, there are a lot of radioactive substances, poisons, and the mummy itself is thoroughly saturated harmful bacteria. Here you also need to take into account the musty cave air. So death or poisoning can be explained with scientific point vision, not mystical. The inscriptions in the tomb honestly warn about possible consequences. The ancient Egyptians were quite smart and wise people, many secrets were available to them.

Excavations in Egypt, the discovery of a new tomb, rumors of mythical bugs, mysticism and “curses”, all this alarmed not only the world of science, but quickly seeped into other spheres of society. Ancient Egyptian themes have become popular in world popular culture. Many books have been written, several science fiction films have been made, one of which has a quite predictable title - Tutankhamun: Curse of the Tomb (2006).

But the tomb of Tutankhamun is not the only one of its kind. A lot of interesting facts known about the tombs of Khafre, Cheops, Nimrod. The largest tomb, which is one of the wonders of the world, is the Pyramid of Cheops. It is a very beautiful building that has practically retained its original appearance.

In 2017, the monument of culture and architecture was visited by great amount tourists. Nowadays, new excavations in Egypt do not appear so often. After all, much has already been found, everything is protected by law, scientists are trying to preserve and not damage what they managed to restore from the bowels of the earth. Although many are interested in the presence of the burial places of the mysterious Nefertiti. It is said that her remains may be kept in the tomb of Tutankhamun.

What is the name of the pharaoh's tomb?

Today the names of the tombs of the pharaohs are very simple; they simply assigned the names of their owners or architects. This makes it easier for scientists to classify the found burials. We have already talked a little about what is known about Tutankhamun today, and we also mentioned that strangers had already visited the tomb before archaeologists. But how the robbers entered the treasury is not known exactly. They risked their lives because there were guards, guards, caretakers everywhere. But apparently the treasures were worth it. By the way, during the fall of Egypt and economic difficulties, the robbers were not only scammers, but also representatives royal family. It was not considered a sin to borrow a couple of golden bowls or frescoes from deceased ancestors.

Even if you have never been to Egypt, you probably know and have an idea of ​​what the Pharaoh’s pyramid looks like. The pyramids did not look like dwellings ordinary people, they resembled a peculiar shape of a volumetric triangle and were not simply located in a chaotic order from one another. It is difficult to say why the tombs of the pharaohs were shaped like a pyramid, but we should not forget that the ancient Egyptians never did anything for nothing. There was a meaning to everything, which sometimes remains secret to us. There are many versions of the construction of pyramidal buildings, but no one can claim to be right.

We can judge what the rulers of the ancient kingdom looked like from the mummies found. In the field of embalming bodies, creation, the Egyptians had no equal in the whole world. This people possessed countless secrets and secrets; Egyptian science was truly advanced high level development. Perhaps close communication with pagan gods and the other world helped the Egyptians achieve such high results.

You might be interested to know what the first predecessors of the tomb pyramids were called. These were original mastaba buildings. It is the first pyramid of Djoser that consists of steps that resemble mastabas.

Inside, the pyramids, with their countless corridors, hiding places, rooms, and tombs, resemble mysterious caves. Great importance was given to painting in different rooms, this was the so-called decor. The decoration of sarcophagi in tombs still continues to inspire admiration. What did the inhabitants of ancient Egypt not think of? At that time, the cult of the dead was so developed that not just basic necessities were placed in the tombs, but even chariots, ships, and all treasures. The Egyptians made sure that the representatives of power on earth did not need anything even after the transition to the other world. The architecture of the pyramids will not leave anyone indifferent, because everything here is thought out to the smallest detail (ventilation, protection from exposure external environment, protection from moisture). Centuries have passed, and many things have retained their beautiful appearance, which would not have happened if they had simply been buried in damp earth.

Of course, since so much attention was paid to the construction of the graves, then we can already talk about the palaces of the pharaohs. If these luxurious buildings had been preserved in their original form, then modern architects would have a lot to learn from their ancestors. The Egyptians were far ahead of the development of civilization; they really managed to leave behind a unique mark.

Just look at the unusual rock temples, which, by the way, were also created by hand. Sometimes it took several centuries to build the original temple. Huge niches, corridors, rooms, sometimes even entire streets are found in some special rocks. Among tourists, a city in the rock called Petra, which is located on the territory of modern Jordan, is extremely popular. Rock temples were built in honor of the gods and also played the role of tombs.

The 5th Earl of Carnarvon, George Herbert, hired Egyptologist and archaeologist Howard Carter in 1907 for observations and excavations in the Valley of the Kings, and 15 years later the long-awaited moment came - the opening of Tutankhamun’s tomb. Photos from those years will tell us how all this happened.

Searches in the valley, which lasted for many years, yielded very modest results, which over time brought the wrath of Carter's employer upon him. In 1922 Lord Carnarvon told him that next year will stop financing 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 excavation site. On November 4, 1922, his team discovered a step carved into the rock. By the end next day the whole staircase was cleared. Carter immediately sent a message to Carnarvon, begging him to come as quickly as possible.

On November 26, Carter, along with Carnarvon, opened a small hole in the corner of the door at the end of the stairs. Holding the candle, he looked inside.

“At first I saw nothing, hot air rushed out of the room, causing the candle flame to flicker, but soon, as my eyes adjusted to the light, details of the room slowly appeared from the fog, strange animals, statues and gold - the glitter of gold everywhere.”
Howard Carter

A team of archaeologists has discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun, the youth king who ruled Egypt from 1332 to about 1323 BC.

November 1925. Death mask of Tutankhamun.

Despite signs that the tomb had 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 containing the mummified remains of Tutankhamun.

January 4, 1924. Howard Carter, Arthur Callender and an Egyptian worker open the doors to get their first look at Tutankhamun's sarcophagus.

Each object in the tomb was carefully described and cataloged before removal. This process took almost eight years.

December 1922. A ceremonial bed in the shape of a Celestial 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 Ka statues.

1923 A set of shuttles in the tomb treasury.

December 1922. A gilded lion bed and an inlaid breastplate are among other objects in the front room.

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 A gilded bust of the Heavenly Cow Mehurt and chests were in the treasury of the tomb.

1923 Chests inside the treasury.

December 1922. Decorative alabaster vases in the front room.

January 1924. In the "laboratory" created in the tomb of Seti II, restorers Arthur Mace and Alfred Lucas clean 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 Mace and Alfred Lucas work on the golden chariot from Tutankhamun's tomb outside the "laboratory" in the tomb of Seti II.

1923 Anubis statue on a funeral bier.

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 cloth with golden rosettes reminiscent of the night sky envelops the smaller ark.

December 30, 1923. Carter, Mace, and an Egyptian worker carefully roll up the linen.

December 1923. Carter, Callender and two Egyptian workers carefully dismantle one of the golden arks in the burial chamber.

October 1925. Carter examines the sarcophagus of Tutankhamun.

October 1925. Carter and a worker examine a sarcophagus made of pure gold.

Religion Ancient Egypt obliged people to arrange tombs, which, following the tradition of their religious ideas, always had the shape and structure of a home. The structure of the tomb, like the temple, was very similar and complex in its organization; the tombs were divided into above-ground and underground. Construction different types The tombs were the same, and they had the same parts: a room for the burial ceremony (crypt and sanctuary) and a burial chamber. Archaeologists distinguish two types of tombs in Ancient Egypt: above-ground tombs and ancient tombs located in the rocks.

Aboveground tombs were very similar in structure to a hut. An example of such a tomb is “Mastabas”, which translated from Arabic means a stone bench; they are undeniably a semblance of a house (Fig. 1). On the outside of this type of tomb, the treatment and selection of the door differs, internal organization and the design elements are similar to the living space. The ceiling is made of palm trunks, has holes for lighting, and even mats. The wall paintings reproduce scenes from Everyday life deceased.

When locating the above-ground and underground parts of the burial ground, the builders were guided by religious beliefs, which dictated the conditions for their location according to the cardinal directions - a person lying with his head to the east or west (sunrise and sunset sides) has the opportunity to be resurrected. The most ancient mastaba today is located near Saqqara. Men is buried in it; it is he who is credited with the unification of Egypt, the second pharaoh of the 1st dynasty.

The ground part of the complex looked like the graves of nomads. Neat brickwork covered a high earthen mound; inside there were 27 chambers, they were filled with things that the pharaoh might need in the afterlife: food, jugs of wine, weapons and fishing gear. The main material for the construction of the tomb was unfired brick, but individual elements, such as doors, were made of stone. The walls of the mastaba were about 3 meters high, with outside had many projections and recesses, ending in a flat, slightly sloping roof. The entire structure was enclosed by two stone ramparts with a wide passage between them.

The underground part of the mastaba was a room carved out of the rock; it was divided into five rooms of different sizes by partitions. There were no doors separating any of these rooms. Characteristic feature mastaba is the absence of holes in the walls and ceiling, since ancient people believed that the souls of the dead had the ability to penetrate walls. In the middle was the largest chamber, which contained a sarcophagus with the mummy of the pharaoh. Like the pyramids, the mastabas had a false entrance, located in the eastern part of the superstructure, where a shallow niche was built for it. A flat altar was also installed there for the gifts brought by relatives and the reading of prayers. The size of the mastaba directly depended on the position in society of the deceased.

A striking example of tombs located in rocks can be considered the tombs of the Theban dynasties, most of The Theban tombs of the ball were built during the reign of the kings of the 18th and 19th dynasties, but the first burials of the Valley date back to the Old Kingdom; in the Middle Kingdom, the Theban nomarchs - the pharaoh's governors, who ruled the fourth Upper Egyptian nome Waset - were buried here. At the same time, the kings of the 9th and 10th dynasties founded their necropolis in Western Thebes, and the ruler of the 11th dynasty, Mentuhotep I, began the construction of a funeral complex in Deir el-Bahri, completely unusual for that time, which was completed under his successors. During the second transition period, the kings of the 17th dynasty chose Dra Abu el-Naga as a place for their burials. The rulers of the New Kingdom moved their necropolis to the Valley of the Kings, leaving the eastern part of the Theban Highlands to their close dignitaries. The Theban necropolises are located on the hills, foothills and gorges of the mountainous plateau on the western bank of the Nile, stretching from northeast to southwest for several kilometers along the edge of fertile land. In total, there are 13 necropolises in the city of the dead:

I. Necropolis of Intef.

II. Necropolis of Mentuhotep II and III.

III. Necropolis of Mentuhotep V.

IV. Necropolis of the XII-XIII dynasties.

V. Necropolis of the 17th dynasty.

VI. Necropolis of Drabu-l-Negga.

VII. Necropolis Asasif.

VIII. Necropolis of El Khokha.

XI. Necropolis of Sheikh Abd el-Gurna.

H. Necropolis Gurnet Murai.

XI. Necropolis of Deir al-Medina.

XII. The royal necropolis in the "Valley of the Kings".

XIII. The royal necropolis in the "Valley of the Queens".

Let us consider in more detail the five most ancient necropolises, which are among the most ancient Theban cemeteries.

I. Necropolis of Intef. It was in this necropolis that archaeologists discovered a huge number of dedicatory steles near the walls of the tomb, in most cases the name “Intef” was mentioned on them, which determined the modern name of the necropolis. The burials of this necropolis look like either elongated pits - graves, or rock-type tombs slightly dug into the ground. The calm landscape of the area, without mountain protrusions, obliged people to dig a 3-4 meter deep open front courtyard in the hard soil, the back wall of which formed the front side of the tomb, and the interior rooms were located in the thickness of the hill. Rectangular openings in this wall led from the forecourt into the interior of the tomb, which seemed to be framed at the front by pillar-like columns forming an open gallery. Usually, passages to the side rooms were also cut out on the sides of the front open courtyard, which created the impression that the front courtyard was surrounded on three sides by a colonnade. Of the almost 100 tombs of this type, three of the largest tombs can be distinguished; their open front courtyards reach a width of 60-70 meters, and they are deepened into the ground by 5-7 meters. Scientists suggest that they belonged to the first three pharaohs of the XI dynasty: Intef I, Intef II and Mentuhotep I.

II. Necropolis of Mentuhotep II and III. occupies the southern side of the gorge at Deir el-Bahri, joining from the south the nearby magnificent temple of Queen Hatshepsut. The gorge got its name from the Coptic monastery located here in the early Christian period, which in Arabic means “Northern Monastery.” The new necropolis was created in order to correspond to the changed position of the rulers of Thebes, who became the pharaohs of all Egypt. The construction of this necropolis was started by Mentuhotep II, but completed by Mentuhotep III. He managed to create an architectural ensemble of exceptional beauty and grandeur. He combined the mortuary temple and tomb, combining the experience of his ancestors and the skill of modern masters of the time, which was reflected in the architecture of the temple of Queen Hatshepsut.

The wide and majestic road framed by statues of rulers ended in a spacious courtyard, which in the west opened into a gallery formed by two rows of quadrangular stone columns covered on top. A wide ramp in the center of this gallery led to the first terrace on which the sanctuary stood. The main part of the sanctuary was surrounded on three sides by a gallery of two rows of quadrangular columns covered on top, and in the very center of the sanctuary there was a massive base for the pyramid towering above it, surrounded by 140 columns of the same type. All the columns were covered from above. To the west of the colonnades of the first terrace there was an open courtyard, also surrounded by columns. In the center of this courtyard began the entrance to the underground burial chamber of Mentuhotep III, and behind the open courtyard stretched a huge hypostyle hall with 80 columns in the form of octagonal stone pillars, and even further the holy of holies... the entire structure, resting in the extreme west on the steep slope of a steep rock. While Mentuhotep III placed his burial chamber under an open courtyard behind the pyramid, the complex's first builder, Mentuhotep II, created it directly under the base of the pyramid. In addition to the majestic tombs for the rulers, there were also mass graves for fallen soldiers (about 60). egypt architectural temple pyramid

III. Necropolis of Mentuhotep V. This necropolis produced giant construction works. Huge construction work was carried out here. About 80,000 cubic meters of limestone rock were moved, most likely to create a tomb-temple complex such as existed at the necropolis of Mentuhotep II and III at Deir el-Bahri. However, due to the change of dynasty, all work was suspended. After the vizier of Mentuhotep V Amenemhet became Pharaoh Amenemhet I and the founder of the new, XII dynasty, the capital of Egypt was transferred to the north of the country to the city of Ittawi. The royal court left Thebes, and therefore the necropolis of Mentuhotep V was abandoned, thus the huge tomb of the pharaoh and the tombs of his nobles were unfinished.

IV. Necropolis of the XII-XIII dynasties. Due to the fact that the royal court was now located in the new northern residence, the necropolis in Thebes was not so large. The pharaohs built themselves pyramids according to ancient custom near their capital Ittawi. All small burials of that time were carried out mainly in the old necropolises of the XII dynasty in the Deir el-Bahri area. Several larger burials with wide front courtyards and colonnades appeared during these years on some hills in the Sheikh Abd el-Gurn area, their structure was similar to the tombs in the Intef necropolis. Also, a small complex of burials from the XII Dynasty arose on the hills southeast of Deir el-Bahri. The most significant burial of that time can be considered the tomb of Intefoker - the vizier of Sonusert I; it was larger in size than the burials of other nobles created in the Theban city of the dead. The beginning of this tomb was a long corridor in the thickness of the rock, and the end was a wide square chapel, at the rear edge of which a vertical shaft opened that led to the burial chamber; the walls were decorated with scenes from the life of an ordinary working person.

V. Necropolis of the 17th dynasty. During the era of the New Kingdom, the burials of this necropolis were plundered. They resembled small but quite high pyramids without internal rooms, usually located under the pyramid in the rock, or at its eastern edge; it was from such rooms that a vertical shaft or a descent with steps led to a burial chamber with a sarcophagus carved into the rock. Due to the fact that the necropolis was looted, only two sarcophagi were discovered. Here, at the southern edge, there were mass graves of soldiers.

The remaining eight necropolises arose later, during the era of the New Kingdom, and it was they who determined the characteristic appearance of the Theban cities of the dead. Of these, two necropolises are royal - the “Valley of the Kings” (Вiban el-moluk) and the “Valley of the Queens” (Вiban el-harim). The other six necropolises are filled with tombs of private individuals, mainly nobles - close pharaohs of the XVIII-XX dynasties; courtiers, priests and high-ranking dignitaries were buried in these tombs. It was believed that in this way they get the opportunity to afterlife stay close to their rulers. A necropolis was allocated for the tombs - the Valley of the Nobility; it was located along the eastern slope of the Fmvan mountains. In fact, it consists of 5 cemeteries grouped around the rock massifs of Sheikh Abd el-Qurna, Dra Abu el-Naga, Asasif, Qurnet Murey, el-Khokha and el-Tarif. The nobles could not afford tombs like the "houses of eternity" of their rulers. They are usually composed of such parts as an open courtyard, the space of which was limited by the walls of the sanctuary leading underground to the burial chamber. Starting from the 19th dynasty, the entrance to the courtyard changed; now it was made in the form of a giant gate (pylon), which was at that time mandatory element architecture of Egyptian temples. Funeral steles were installed in the courtyard, and statues of the buried person were installed in the sanctuaries. Main reading room sacred texts and sacrifices were considered a sanctuary. From above, the facade of the tomb was surrounded by tomb cones or cylinders - “nails”, which went up to the “caps” into the thickness of the walls. Another feature of indicating that a tomb belongs to a specific owner can be considered the designation of his name on the cones on the outside; his earthly and posthumous titles were also located there. A special decoration of the tombs of the royal nobles were reliefs and paintings; they reflected the most significant scenes from the life of a servant of the Egyptian rulers. So the paintings of the tomb of the vizier Thutmose III and Amenhotep II Rekhmir are unique source, telling us about the life and duties of this official, all images are accompanied by text accompanying the painting.

In order to more fully know the history of Egypt, scientists and archaeologists had to go through a long and difficult path of research. The tombs of the pharaohs were especially interesting; by finding and studying them, one could obtain valuable information. They were found. But they were already plundered. It was believed that all pharaohs were buried in the Valley of the Kings. But one day archaeologists discovered a tomb containing more than forty royal mummies; their bodies were buried in a neighboring valley, far from Tsarskaya. These were the mummies of famous rulers: Ahmose the First, Thutmose the Third, Seti the First, Ramses the Second. There were no valuables with them, which large quantities accompanied the dead pharaohs to the other world. It turns out that hunters for royal treasures existed even before our era. And when this blasphemous crime was first discovered (this was in the 11th century BC), they decided to save at least the mummies. For this reason, they ended up not in their tombs, but in new ones made nearby, where most of the mummies were secretly transported and walled up.

The burial rites of the pharaohs, therefore, were still unknown to scientists. And so it was until 1922, when the expedition of the English archaeologist Howard Carter finally found an unplundered tomb. It belonged to the famous pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty (1351 - 1342 BC) Tutankhamun. The luxury with which Egyptian pharaohs were buried amazed scientists. Together with the rulers, the Egyptians buried all his untold wealth that he might need in his new life. This tomb was located in the Valley of the Kings under the ruins of ancient huts where the builders of the tomb of another pharaoh, Ramses the Sixth, lived. Strange steps leading under the rock led to a walled-up entrance to the tomb, where scientists discovered the untouched seal of the burial manager. After several passages, the seal of Tutankhamun himself was discovered. Several rooms of the huge burial were littered with gilded chariots, beds with gold decorations in the form of lions and mythical monsters, statues of the king, chests, caskets, armchairs, expensive vessels, and weapons. The caskets contained countless treasures - gold jewelry with precious stones: rings, necklaces, bracelets. The clothes and shoes in the chests were also richly decorated. Here they also found a golden scepter and several golden fans with multi-colored ostrich feathers, and various staves. They even found containers with petrified and dried food. There was also bread and roasted poultry, fruit, and hams. The Egyptians believed that all this would be necessary for the great Tutankhamun in the afterlife.

His own mummy was discovered after several more crossings. The room contained a stone structure with a door. Entering inside, the archaeologists saw that the structure was constructed according to the “matryoshka” principle, that is, inside it there was another stone case, in it there was a third one, and in the third one there was a fourth one. And it was only in the fourth case that the sarcophagus itself was discovered, made of yellow quartzite stone, almost three meters long, and one and a half meters wide and high. The figures of the goddesses protect the sarcophagus with the body of the pharaoh with their outstretched wings. Inside it is the golden coffin of the ruler, made in the form of a human figure, wrapped in expensive funeral fabrics. The coffin turned out to be wooden, but upholstered with sheet gold. Inside this coffin there is another one, and in it there is a third one, completely cast in gold and about two meters in length. Here lay the mummy of Pharaoh Tutankhamun, wrapped in thin cloth and decorated with jewelry in the form of gold and silver amulets, necklaces, rings, bracelets with expensive stones and multi-colored glass. Two daggers were found next to the body: one was gold, and the second had an iron blade and a gold handle. Iron, by the way, was a new product for the ancient Egyptians at that time, and often cost several times more than gold. On the head of the mummy lay a golden mask decorated with lapis lazuli. A talented master reproduced the face of the young pharaoh in a mask. In the next room, objects of funeral rites were found: a figurine of Anubis (the black jackal - the god of the underworld among the Egyptians), figurines of other gods and four vessels with the entrails of the pharaoh, which were removed before embalming.

The pyramids of Ancient Egypt near Cairo are still business card countries are the tombs of the Egyptian pharaohs, who began to build them immediately after taking the throne. The most famous pyramid-tomb is Gizeh (near the village of Gizeh), next to which stands the head of the sphinx (57 meters long and 20 meters high) and two smaller pyramids. It is also called the Pyramid of Cheops. Khufu (Cheops) built it for his burial, he himself chose the architect, who found a place for the future pyramid on the left bank of the Nile, drew a plan, made necessary calculations, recruited detachments of slaves: stonemasons, carvers, masons, carpenters. The pyramid took thirty years to build. Its height is 147 meters, each side of the base is 233 meters. The next pharaoh - Khafre (Khefre) - built his tomb pyramid ten meters lower, it is 137 meters high. Both of these buildings were destroyed, not even mummies were found. The ancient Greek scientist Herodotus, traveling around Egypt, wrote down legends and traditions. He has a record of a story that hungry, desperate people, who hated their pharaohs for wastefulness and cruelty, smashed and destroyed all the contents of the pyramids, and simply tore the bodies of the pharaohs to pieces. Herodotus wrote that even hundreds of years later people did not call these pharaohs by name.

When Howard Carter, who was excavating in the Valley of the Kings in Luxor, telegraphed the head of the expedition to the English Lord Carnavorn, he was overcome with great excitement:

“We made a sensational discovery. In the Valley of the Kings we found the sealed tomb of an ancient Egyptian pharaoh. We are waiting for you for further instructions on the continuation of work. Howard Carter."

Excavations continued unsuccessfully for more than seven years. Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon, who provided the financial side of the event, were convinced that the magnificent tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun hid its treasures somewhere in the sands.

About two weeks later, the lord went to the excavation site. Immediately upon arrival, he went to inspect the find. The royal seals on it were intact, which meant that the burial had not been found by tomb robbers. Several chambers were densely packed, like sea bales, with golden treasures. The last hall of the pharaoh's tomb, Carnarvon steps into the darkness:

— Do you see anything, Carter? - he asks the archaeologist in front.

The candle flame swayed, illuminating the path for Howard:

- Yes, countless treasures.

The gold left in the tomb for Pharaoh Tutankhamun blinded the scientists and they did not pay attention to the stone tablet, the inscription on which read: Egyptian hieroglyphs: “He who disturbs the peace of Pharaoh will perish.” Did they believe the warning? Most likely, they took note. But... they tried to hide these words from the workers who carried out work in the tomb. The tablet with the inscription was not included in the register of found valuables. And still no one knows where she is. All measures were taken into account by the organizers of the excavations, except one... There was an amulet in the collection of treasures of the Egyptian pharaoh. The inscription on it read:

“I put the grave desecrators to flight. I guard the peace of the tomb of Tutankhamun."

Call of the Guardian of Tutankhamun's Tomb

In total, the expedition consisted of 17 people, including Carter and Lord Carnarvon. On February 13, 1923, the burial chamber of the Ancient Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun was entered.

Afterwards, the archaeologist in his notes described the first impression that followed the discovery of the royal seals:

“As soon as we opened the doors, all team members felt like uninvited guests in this place.”

Just a few days after the discovery of the treasure, the English philanthropist Carnarvon left the excavation site and Luxor, hastily going to Cairo. What caused such a quick departure of the man who had fully financed the excavations for all seven years remained a mystery to everyone. Was it really so unbearable for him to be in the vicinity of Tutankhamun’s tomb, the doors of which were opened by his order, despite the intended warning?

A month later, at the beginning of April, bad news came from the lord: he remained bedridden with a serious illness. Doctors could not determine the cause sharp deterioration his health.

Carnarvon's son, who had just returned from a trip to the UK from India, noticed while dining on the terrace with his father that he was not feeling well. The condition worsened every hour. He had chills and a fever. His colleague Howard Carter found him in this state.

The younger Carnarvon spoke about the events leading up to the lord's death:

“Shortly before my father’s last breath, he began to experience hallucinations and delusions. He shouted the name of Tutankhamun and talked about him. No one could understand the essence of the conversation. But in the last few minutes of his life he was in a conscious state. He turned to his wife with the words: “It’s over. The call calls me and I follow it.” These were his last words on deathbed".

As soon as Lord Carnarvon closed his eyes, the light suddenly went out in all of Cairo. The main power plant failed, for what reason engineers were never able to figure out.

New victims of the Pharaoh's curse

The English Lord Carnarvon died in Cairo at the age of 57. He had good health, and nothing foreshadowed such a quick death. Meanwhile, within the walls, the mummy of Pharaoh Tutankhamun was waiting in the wings. An amulet was hidden under the bandages of the young king’s desecrated body. on his back side Words of curse were inscribed on the grave robbers in the ancient Egyptian dialect.

Following the patron, two employees who participated in the opening of the tomb died: George Jay-Gol and Arthur C. Mace.

Archaeologist Mace helped Howard Carter move the last stone that covered the entrance to the pharaoh's burial chamber. Suddenly he began to complain of weakness and apathy. As a result, he completely lost his mind. His days ended at the Continental Hotel in Cairo, as did Lord Carnarvon. The doctors did not dare to name the cause of his sudden death.

George Jay-Gold, an American by birth, a large businessman whose fortune was measured in millions of dollars, carefully followed the news of archeology. After receiving a message from his friend, Lord Carnarvon, about the discovery of the tomb of the Ancient Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun, he went to Luxor. He examined all the objects found at the king's burial place in detail, accompanied by Carter himself. On the evening of the same day, J-Gold died without regaining consciousness. In the press, doctors announced the diagnosis: Bubonic plague…

Video about the pharaoh of Ancient Egypt Tutankhamun. The Curse of the Valley of the Kings.