The Golden mask and the curse of Tutankhamun: myths and reality

2018-02-17 11:55

The Golden mask and the curse of Tutankhamun: myths and reality
16 February 1923 by the British Explorer Howard Carter opened the tomb of Tutankhamen and found a Golden mask of the Pharaoh, which, together with Venus de Milo and the Mona Lisa, has become one of the main symbols of world culture.

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16 February 1923 by the British Explorer Howard Carter opened the tomb of Tutankhamen and found a Golden mask of the Pharaoh, which, together with Venus de Milo and the Mona Lisa, has become one of the main symbols of world culture, reports Rus.Media.

In Egypt found the tomb of a priestess of Ancient kingdoms

In the great pyramid found a mysterious “big cavity”

For several years, 13 people who were somehow connected with the expedition, died under different circumstances. It was the occasion for the mystical rumors.

Valley of the kings

Scientific Egyptology started the French during the Egyptian campaign of Napoleon – the Emperor appreciated the Ministers of science and took them everywhere with me.

Once, during a cavalry attack marluxia Bonaparte built soldier in a square and gave the famous command: “Scientists and donkeys in the middle!”

The study of ancient Egypt was continued by the British. The Germans, meanwhile, have unearthed the ruins of Babylon, because Iraq was part of the friendly Berlin Ottoman Empire and Egypt 1882 was a British protectorate.

Archaeologist, Carter and his sponsor, a passionate lover of antiquity, George Herbert, aka the Earl of Carnarvon, collaborated together since 1907.

The tomb of Tutankhamen found in the valley of the kings. Rocky gorge on the West Bank of the Nile near the capital of Ancient Egypt city of Thebes (now Luxor) in the XVI-XI centuries BC became the resting place of 63 rulers from Thutmose I to Ramses X.

The last significant discovery was the tomb of five well-preserved mummies, was made in the valley of the kings in 2006. 100 years ago was dominated by the view that the area is already studied up and down, and Carter and Carnarvon wasting your time.

3 November 1922, the expedition found the old hut of stairs that led down. They cleared them and found a locked door.

And chicken egg

Carter telegraphed to London, the Earl of Carnarvon. November 25, he came on excavations with his daughter, lady Evelyn.

Behind the door the researchers saw two underground chambers filled with jewels and household items. There was a Golden throne, a chariot, vases, boxes, lamps, stationery.

Valuables were so many that Carter rushed to Cairo for talks with Egyptian authorities.

27 Dec excavations resumed. Archaeologists slowly dismantled, described, and raised to the surface hundreds of items. Leather and fabric mostly decayed.

Finally found the entrance to two more rooms. One of them is almost entirely occupied by wooden case with a length of 5.11, a width of 3.35 and a height of 2.74 meters, decorated with blue mosaic and gold plates.

Inside, as in matryoshka, one in one were three more boxes, and finally a sarcophagus of yellow quartzite, weighing more than a ton.

Revealing it, the archaeologists saw a gold-plated relief portrait of the deceased in full growth, was the coffin. Picked it up, and the world saw the mummy with the face covered by a gold mask.

Only tomb found about 3,5 thousand items. Total weight of gold jewellery amounted to 110.4 kg, the weight of the mask is almost 11 kg. she is Now in the National Museum of Cairo, and her image adorns the reverse of these coins are in denominations of 1 Egyptian pound.

Weak defense

Contrary to the legends of ingenious death traps, tombs of the pharaohs were technically almost not protected. Contemporaries relied on the guards, but in times of shocks, which occurred on average every two centuries, it has not worked.

In addition, the new rulers when it became quite tight, without hesitation ran his hand into the treasures of the dead predecessors.

The tomb of Tutankhamun – the only one that came to us with all its splendor.

At the same outer door, according to Carter and his colleagues, had signs of forced entry, and the nearest camera – side stay. Why the aliens, officials, or thieves did not take anything, is unknown.

In this case there are a lot of mysteries.

The young ruler

Tutankhamun, who ruled from 1332-1323 years BC, about two hundred years before the Trojan war, and almost 600 years before the founding of Rome, ascended the throne at the age of 10 and died at 19.

All this time, instead it was ruled by others, and today his name is known only thanks to the tomb.

The cause of death of Pharaoh is unknown. In some sources was the version of falling from a chariot during a hunt, but studies of the mummies have found obvious signs of a serious injury or serious illness.

The hypothesis of a poisoning the court is also in doubt. Tutankhamun does not hurt, the military and the priests with him and did everything I wanted.

Most historians are inclined to think that he was sickly and not viable due to frequent nasty his family.

To say with absolute certainty is impossible, but some ancient sources indicate that Tutankhamun was not his wife, and the sister of his father, and he, therefore, was the fruit of incest.

The young king did not leave behind children. Dynasty it broke. The next Pharaoh was the first Minister, ay, who was replaced by the military commander Horemheb.

The Grandson Of The Sun

The father of Tutankhamun Amenhotep IV was more extraordinary personality.

Image copyright Getty Images

He ruled firmly, and in 1349 BC, abolished the old Pantheon of gods headed by Amun-RA and ordered his subjects henceforth to pray to the one God Aten, embodied in the sun disk.

He proclaimed himself the son of Aten and took the name Akhenaten, meaning “pleasing to Aton”.

For minors and the weak son, the priests resumed more convenient for his former cult.

The heir received at birth name of Tutankhaton ( “the earthly manifestation of the Aten”), and became Tutankhamun at the age of 14 at the behest of the environment.

Most historians consider the reign of Akhenaten the first classical example of the struggle between authoritarian reformer and oligarchy.

Russian writer and researcher of the problems of the development of civilization Alexander Nikonov indicates a possible relationship of these events to natural disasters.

On the Mediterranean island of Santorini there was a huge volcanic eruption. The sky over Egypt for a long time tightened clouds of ash, the temperature dropped. Pharaoh took the opportunity to force people to pray to the solar disk and at the same time to identify himself with God.

By the time of his death, the environmental situation is normal, and priests it was not difficult to bring back the old gods.

Despite its large scale, today Akhenaten is not as famous as his wife Nefertiti, who became famous thanks to the famous bust that has come down to us.

Was it the curse?

Six weeks after the opening of the tomb, on 5 April 1923 Lord Carnarvon died at the age of 56 years.

Over the next 10 years left at the light and another 12 members of the expedition or people who had close contact with them.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who previously came up with a terrible story, “No. 249” about the Egyptian mummy that came to life, suggested that the air of the tomb was unknown to modern science poison or germs.

Version about the mystical curse especially actively spread by the Daily Mail newspaper and its correspondent in Egypt, Arthur Weigall.

They, in particular, seemed suspicious that on the day of the death of Lord Carnarvon in Cairo for an hour was not electricity, and along with him died his beloved dog. However, and remained in the family castle in England in the tomb of Tutankhamun’ve never been.

Image copyright Getty Images

Italian dictator Benito Mussolini after the death of Carnarvon in any case, ordered to remove from his residence the mummy, which was stored there.

Especially worried about all the writing on the wall of the room, where was the sarcophagus of Tutankhamun, “Death will soon overtake those who dare to disturb the peace of the dead ruler.”

But to write the priests could do anything, and the facts rather point to a materialistic explanation of a number of deaths.

Lord Carnarvon has long suffered from severe asthma.

Three of the “victims of the curse” at the time of death was 70. Four more died a violent death or has killed himself, one died from blood poisoning after a dental operation.

The main troublemaker of the Pharaoh Howard Carter lived after its inauguration 16 years, and the daughter of Lord Carnarvon, lady Evelyn entered the tomb of one of the first 57 years.

With other archaeologists, and in Egypt for two hundred years the excavations there were found about 800 mummies – and with tens of thousands of tourists who descended into the tomb of Tutankhamen, also nothing bad happened.

The Tomb Of Tamerlane

Known another similar incident associated with the burial of a historical character.

At the end of may 1941 the expedition of the Hermitage, arrived in Samarkand to open the tomb of Tamerlane in Gur Emir. Last but not least the Soviet government was interested in possible hidden in her treasure.

The curator Masood Alaev said about belief: who disturbed the ashes of the terrible conqueror, that will release in my country the demons of a devastating war.

Archaeologists using NKVD reported to Stalin. He told me not to believe the tales and continue working.

The tomb of Tamerlane was opened on 21 June 1941.

Everyone has the right to consider it a mystery or a coincidence.