Secrets of the tombs of the pharaohs. Mysterious incidents associated with the tombs of the pharaohs. The mysterious death of Pharaoh Tutankhamun
Agatha Christie
The Mystery of the Egyptian Tomb
I had the opportunity to participate with Poirot in the investigation of one of the most sensational and dramatic criminal cases we have ever encountered. It was a series of mysterious deaths of scientists who found and opened the tomb of Pharaoh Menkher-Ra in Egypt.
This happened shortly after the famous tomb of Tutankhamun was discovered by Lord Carnarvon. The group of archaeologists in question was led by Sir John Willard, and the expedition was financed by Mr. Bleibner of New York.
Excavations were carried out in the area of the Giza pyramids near Cairo. Scientists accidentally came across several grave crypts. This attracted great interest - as it turned out, it was the tomb of Menkher-Ra, one of the most little-known pharaohs of the Eighth Dynasty - the period of the beginning of the collapse of Ancient Egypt. The discovery of the tomb was widely covered in the press.
But very soon an event occurred that surprised many people with its unexpectedness: Sir John Willard died suddenly at the excavation site from a heart attack.
The most sensationalist newspapers immediately took advantage of this. They brought into the light all sorts of old legends about the fate of the treasures of the Egyptian pyramids, not forgetting the superstitions and anecdotes associated with this. They again began to fervently remember the ill-fated mummy from the British Museum - this whole old, mossy story, which at one time was calmly refuted by the museum, but for a long time was still widely circulated in the public.
Less than two weeks after the death of Sir John Willard, Mr. Bleibner died of acute blood poisoning. A few days later, his nephew shot himself in New York. “The Curse of Menkher-Ra” became the main topic of conversation everywhere, and the mysterious magical powers of the long-gone Ancient Egypt seemed to be revived again and began to be extolled to the skies by gullible people.
It was at this time that Poirot received a short note from Lady Willard, the widow of the deceased archaeologist, head of the Menkher-Ra excavations. She asked Poirot to come to her in Kensington Square. I went with him.
Lady Willard was a tall, thin woman, dressed in deep mourning. Her haggard, haggard face spoke without words of a recent bereavement.
It's very kind of you to come so quickly, Monsieur Poirot.
I am at your service, Lady Willard. Would you like to consult with me?
As far as I know, you are a detective, but I wanted to talk to you as more than just a detective. You are a person with a fresh outlook on life, I know that. You have imagination, knowledge of people and experience. Tell me, Monsieur Poirot, what do you think about supernatural forces?
Poirot did not answer immediately. He seemed to be considering the question asked. Finally he said:
I wish we could understand each other correctly, Lady Willard. After all, this is not the most important thing you wanted to ask me about. Your question relates to a specific person, doesn't it? Are you talking about the death of your spouse?
Yes, that’s true,” she confirmed.
And you would like me to investigate the circumstances of his death?
I would like you to help me firmly understand what in the newspapers can be dismissed as outright nonsense and what is based on irrefutable facts. Three people died, Monsieur Poirot. Of course, each of these deaths, taken separately, can be explained. But if you consider them together, you will agree that this is an almost incredible coincidence! And all this happened within one month after the opening of the tomb! I admit that this is an empty superstition, but there could also be some powerful ancient curse here, the effect of which has not yet been unraveled by modern science. The fact remains that three people died one after another! And I'm afraid, Monsieur Poirot, I'm terribly afraid that this won't be the end of the matter.
Who are you afraid for?
For my son. When the news of my husband's death came, I was sick. My son, who had just graduated from Oxford, went. He brought home his father's body. But now he has gone to Egypt again and has not heeded any of my requests and pleas. He was so fascinated by the work there that he decided to take his father’s place and see the job through to the end of the excavation. You may think me a stupid and gullible woman, but I am afraid, Monsieur Poirot. What if the spirit of the deceased pharaoh was not satisfied? Of course, it seems to you that I am talking utter nonsense, but...
“Not at all, Lady Willard,” Poirot hastily interrupted her. - I also believe in the power of superstitions. This is one of the most powerful forces the world has ever known.
I looked at him in surprise. I could never believe that Poirot is a superstitious man. But it was obvious that at that moment he was speaking quite sincerely.
So you want me to take care of your son's safety? I will do everything in my power to protect him from possible troubles.
I believe that in the ordinary sense you will do this. But how to protect him from evil mysterious forces?
In medieval books, Lady Willard, you can find many remedies against black magic. They probably knew more about this than we modern people, with all our vaunted science... But let's get to the facts - I have to start somewhere. Your husband has always been a dedicated Egyptologist, hasn't he?
Yes, from a young age. He was considered one of the greatest experts in this field.
And Mr. Bleibner, as far as I know, was just an amateur?
Yes, just an amateur. He was very rich and, in his free time from business, could do, as an amateur, whatever came into his head. My husband was able to interest him in Egyptology, and at Mr. Bleibner's expense this expedition was organized and well equipped.
And his nephew? What do you know about his inclinations? Was he part of this expedition?
Don't think. I didn’t know anything about the existence of this nephew until I read in the newspapers about his suicide. It seems to me that he and Mr. Bleibner were not at all closely related. In any case, Mr. Bleibner himself never said that he had relatives.
Who took part in the expedition?
Dr. Tosswill is some minor clerk from the British Museum; then Mr. Schneider of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York; the duty of secretary of the expedition was performed by one young American; Dr. Ames accompanied the expedition as physician; and, finally, with my husband was his faithful servant, the Egyptian Hassan.
Do you remember the name of the American, the secretary of the expedition?
I think it's Harper, but I'm not entirely sure. As far as I know, he recently began working for Mr. Bleibner. A very pleasant young man.
The most mysterious child of all times should be recognized as the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun, who ascended the throne at the age of 9 and died before he was 20 years old.
Tutankhamun's tomb was discovered unlooted by the famous British archaeologist Howard Carter in the Valley of the Kings near Luxor in 1922.
Countless treasures were discovered in the tomb, they were made from a huge amount of precious metals and give only a distant idea of the treasures of the great pharaohs of Ancient Egypt. The total weight of gold items and jewelry found in the tomb alone exceeded 1.2 tons.
The main find was a 110-kilogram sarcophagus made of pure gold, decorated with turquoise, with the mummified body of Tutankhamun inside.
The most recognizable treasure of Tutankhamun's tomb is considered to be the skillfully executed funeral mask of the king, which made this pharaoh one of the most famous kings of Ancient Egypt, along with Cheops and Ramses II, despite the fact that Tutankhamun's reign was very short and modest in the history of Ancient Egypt.
For many decades, the mystery of the origin and early death of Tutankhamun was shrouded in a romantic aura. His mother was considered the legendary beauty Nefertiti, and his fathers were Akhenaten, Amenhotep the Third and Smenkhkare. The cause of death of the child king was called murder, an accident during a hunt, or a complication after an illness.
Posthumous popularity
Tutankhamun gained worldwide fame thanks to his tomb
The remains of Tutankhamun himself were tested in 2005. His mummy was one of the first to be studied by Egyptian archaeologists in order to accurately identify all the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt.
It is generally accepted that Tutankhamun, also called the boy king, ruled Egypt in 1333-1324. BC. He is believed to have ascended the throne at the age of nine and married 13-year-old Ankhesenamun - the third daughter of Akhenaten and Nefertiti - when he was 12.
Tutankhamun died at the age of 19. During the years of his reign, he did nothing remarkable and gained world fame only in the twentieth century due to the fact that his grave was completely preserved. A rich collection of objects made of gold and ebony was found in it.
Rumors that a terrible curse led to the premature death of those who participated in the excavation of Tutankhamun's tomb also contributed to the growth of the pharaoh's popularity.
Not much is known for certain about Tutankhamun (who ascended the throne under the name Tutankhaten, which literally means the living image of Amun). Despite studies of the mummy of this pharaoh of the New Kingdom era (XVIII dynasty), there is no consensus among scientists about the causes of his death. What can we say about his life?
Tutankhamun, whose throne name was Nebheprura, reigned, as written in the TSB, from about 1400-1392 BC. Or maybe around 1332-1323 BC (dating the famous German Egyptologist Dr. Rolf Krauss). The dating proposed by Dr. Peter Brand is close to it, around 1333-1324 BC. In Egyptology there are other dating dates that are different from these. And this is not all the mysteries of Tutankhamun.
He was the son-in-law of the famous reformer pharaoh (some Egyptologists even call him a revolutionary) Amenhotep IV (Akhenaton), but perhaps was his son or younger brother.
Presumably Tutankhamun was the son of Akhenaten from one of his secondary wives, Kiya, who bore the title “Great Beloved Consort.” This title was given to queens, as a rule, if they gave birth to an heir. Professor James Allen proposed his theory: Tutankhamun could be the son of King Smenkhkare, who reigned briefly after Akhenaten. In support of his hypothesis, the scientist cites the fact that Akhenaten, at the late stage of his reign, appointed Nefer-neferuaten as his co-ruler, whom he would hardly have made as such if he had an heir. Tutankhamun may have been the son of Smenkhkare and Meritaten, one of the six daughters of Akhenaten and Nefertiti.
According to another version, Tutankhamun was the son of Pharaoh Amenhotep III (brother of Akhenaten). However, it is known that Tutankhamun took the throne at the age of 8 or 9, and Amenhotep III died 16-18 years earlier. In addition, Amenhotep III's wife, Queen Theya, must have been over 50 years old at the time of Tutankhamun's birth. Although, on the other hand, Amenhotep III had other wives and concubines who could bear him a son.
On the stele, which some historians call the “Restoration Stele”, and the famous Russian Egyptologist Yu.Ya. Perepelkin called it “The Restoration Inscription of Tut-ankh-amun”, it is written that before Tutankhamun the temples were in oblivion and desolation and the gods turned away from Egypt, leaving the people without help. Tutankhamun, after ascending the throne, restored the previous cults. In addition to Amon, Ptah is also especially highlighted among the gods in the text of the stele. In addition to the restoration of former religious cults, under Tutankhamun the country's foreign policy intensified, and military operations were carried out against the Nubians and Asians.
Power in Egypt during the reign of Tutankhamun was actually in the hands of Vizier Ey and other high-ranking nobles. Under him, the religious reforms of Akhenaten were canceled, the cult of the god Amun was restored, Tutankhamun himself abandoned the name Tutankhaten and returned the residence of the pharaoh from Akhetaten to Thebes. His wife also changed her name - Ankhesenpaaton to Ankhesepamon - “She lives for Amon.” .
Ankhesenpamun (Ankhesenamun) was the daughter of Akhenaten and Nefertiti. Based on which theory about the origin of Tutankhamun is considered correct, she was either his aunt, sister, or niece. It is likely that Ankhesenpamun became the wife of Tutankhamun when he was 12 years old. The couple had two daughters who died in infancy: their mummies were found in the tomb of Tutankhamun. Research has shown that both girls were most likely stillborn.
Some time ago, the Egyptians for the first time showed the world the mummies of two babies removed from the tomb of Tutankhamun. They were discovered back in 1922 during the famous excavations of Howard Carter and Lord Carvarnon. But few people knew about the terrible finds. For some mysterious reason, the existence of tiny mummies was not advertised. Until now, they were kept at the Faculty of Medicine of Cairo University and were not exhibited anywhere, unlike the mummy of Tutankhamun himself.
However, some Western scientists did once gain access to the babies - almost 30 years ago. Embryos are more than 3 thousand years old
Both embryo mummies are premature girls. The height of one is 30 centimeters, the other is 38.5. And judging by the size, the first was about five months old, the second - from seven to nine. They preserved the brain and entrails, which are usually removed during mummification, but were covered with funeral masks.
The mummy of one of the pharaoh's daughters is smaller in size. The larger one is less well preserved.
“In 1969, I was working with the remains of Tutankhamun,” says Robert CONNOLLY, an anthropologist at the University of Liverpool (UK). - “I determined his blood type. In 1979, my Norwegian colleague Katerina Helier and I were given the opportunity to study one of the babies - the larger one. The mummy’s blood type coincided with the pharaoh’s.”
The scientist is almost one hundred percent sure that Tutankhamun was the father of at least one of the girls. And perhaps both. He also believes that the girls themselves were twins, despite the difference in height.
This happens, Connolly explains, one of the embryos in the womb grows faster, taking away nutrition from the other. By the way, x-rays of mummies revealed an abnormal shape of the bones of babies.
The presence of offspring casts doubt on the popular hypothesis that Tutankhamun was sterile and effeminate, impotent. But it makes it possible to clarify family ties in the royal family, which so far look extremely confusing.
Most scientists are convinced that Ankhesenamun and Tutankhamun were a loving couple. This is how they are depicted in the paintings in the tomb, and the fact of mummification of unborn children is almost unique. They were half-brother and sister and had known each other since childhood. All this indicates very close family relationships. Moreover, the perfectly preserved garland of wildflowers found in the tomb of Tutankhamun was clearly placed there not according to a ritual, but by the loving hand of a young widow.
Tutankhamun's tomb (KV 62) is small for a deified pharaoh and was assembled hastily. No one expected the sudden death of the young king.
The decoration of the tomb itself was not skillful when compared with other tombs of the pharaohs, so scientists hypothesized that it was not intended for a royal person, but most likely for those close to the throne of the pharaoh, because some of the inscriptions on them were erased and replaced with the name of the pharaoh. All these facts indicate that the death of the pharaoh took his subjects by surprise. The funeral of Tutankhamun was led by Vizier Ey.
The first version of the sudden death of the pharaoh was put forward by the discoverer of the burial, archaeologist Carter. Poison was found in the tissues of the mummy and it was assumed that Tutankhamun was poisoned.
Another version of his death was put forward back in 1968, when traces of a blow to the back of the head were found on the mummy’s skull. Researchers have suggested that Tutankhamun died as a result of a blow to the head. Not so long ago (2005) it turned out that Tutankhamun’s skull was damaged after his death - either during embalming or when removing the mummy from the tomb.
During a tomographic examination of the mummy, it was discovered that the pharaoh had a wound on his leg. A version was immediately born that Tutankhamun probably died from an infection in a wound on his thigh, which in itself did not pose a danger. And yet it cannot be completely ruled out that the leg could also have been damaged after the death of the pharaoh. When Carter and his companions opened the tomb with the mummy, during their exploration they treated it in the most barbaric way. The absence of several ribs in the mummy was explained by the fact that the ruler could have died by falling from his chariot while hunting. However, how the spine remained intact remains beyond explanation.
And then Dutch Egyptologists proposed their hypothesis, according to which Tutankhamun died neither more nor less than from obesity. Having examined the material in which the pharaoh's mummy was wrapped, experts from Leiden University came to the conclusion that the volume of Tutankhamun's hips was 30 cm greater than the volume of his chest. In their opinion, this ultimately led to his premature death. Egyptian scientists do not agree at all with this interpretation, arguing that the pharaoh was thin during his lifetime and had no problems with being overweight.
The first suspect in the death of the pharaoh is considered to be his adviser, Ey, who ordered his image to be placed in the tomb of Tutankhamun. For his subjects, this was a sign that he should become the next pharaoh.
The spouses and children reigned for only six years. Tutankhamun died under mysterious circumstances. After the death of her husband and paternal brother Tutankhamun, Ankhesenamun ascended the throne.
In just six months of her reign (under her own name and formally with full power), she proved herself to be a subtle diplomat and a master of political intrigue, but could not outplay the experienced courtier Eiye
Professor Bob Bryer claims that Eye had a motive for killing the pharaoh. Thus, the contents of one of the letters indicate that Ey wanted to marry Ankhsenpaaten, the widow of Tutankhamun. In a message to the king of the Hittites, Ankhsenpaaton asks him to send his son to Egypt so that she can marry him and not Ey. The queen wrote to Suppiluliuma the First: “My husband is dead. I have no son, but you, they say, have many sons. Give me one of your sons to become my husband. I will never marry a servant!” The king of the Hittites sent a prince, who was killed on the way. Bryer argues that only Eye could have had such motives. Apparently, the Hittites thought so too - the murder of the prince led to a long war between the two states. Egyptologists suggest: Ey forced Ankhsenpaaten to marry himself. On the ancient ring made of blue faience that has come down to us, the cartouches of Ey and Ankhsenpaaton are engraved.
According to one version, having not received Ankhsenpaaton’s consent to the marriage, Ey killed her and married the dead queen. The ancient Egyptians believed that a person was still alive in the first days after death, since his soul had not yet left the mortal world. The experts who put forward this hypothesis claim that the military leader Horemheb, loyal to Tutankhamun, killed Ey for treason, “nailing” him to the throne with an arrow. Others insist that Tutankhamun's general, Horemheb, took the throne after Ey and ordered all mention of Tutankhamun destroyed.
“Perhaps Tutankhamun was killed by his own wife out of jealousy?” - supporters of the next hypothesis ask themselves. Repenting of what she had done, the widow placed a bouquet of flowers in the coffin, which was discovered by archaeologists centuries later.
In 2002, British professor Robin Richards reconstructed the appearance of Pharaoh Tutankhamun. This is how French researchers saw Tutankhamun. For the first time in history, scientists have restored the face of Tutankhamun, the most famous Egyptian pharaoh.
The experiment involved groups of specialists from France, Egypt and the United States, each of which independently recreated the face of Tutankhamun from photographs of the skull - and they all came to similar results (see above).
At the same time, the French and Egyptians knew that they were working on a portrait of the pharaoh, while the Americans were not told about this.
As a result, a man who died 3,300 years ago appeared before us as a young man with plump cheeks and a rounded chin.
This portrait is very reminiscent of the classic image of a young pharaoh
Having studied the resulting three-dimensional portrait, as well as data from an X-ray study in 1968, another British scientist, Richard Boyer, discovered signs of Klippel-Feil syndrome in Tutankhamun - a congenital short neck. As a result of this disease, multiple layers occur in the cervical spine, causing the head to tilt to one side. A strong blow to the back or a fall on the back, when a person hits the back of the head, could lead to the death of a young man.
The overwhelming majority of forensic experts are convinced that “no traces of violence were found on Tutankhamun’s body; the skull bones were damaged after his death, apparently when the death mask was separated from his face.”
“A detailed study of the results of a computer study of the mummy of Tutankhamun, carried out in 2005, confirmed that the young pharaoh was not killed. After consultations with Italian and Swiss experts, Egyptian scientists made a clear conclusion: the 19-year-old king died of gangrene, which developed as a result of a fracture of the tibia of his left leg a few days before his death.
The ancient Egyptian ruler had a normal physique and a height of 170 centimeters. He was a moderate dolichocephalic - had an elongated skull."
Scientists believe that Tutankhamun fell from his chariot while hunting in the desert, which led to him suffering a severe fracture and blood poisoning. Previously, it was believed that the young pharaoh was a sickly child from childhood, who was protected from physical exercise and stress. But now scientists, on the contrary, believe that Tutankhamun led an active lifestyle. This opinion is supported by various finds, such as his worn-out hunting chariot found in the burial, hundreds of arrows, which were also not put into the tomb new, which indicates that the pharaoh actively used his weapons.
Tutankhamun on a chariot. Image from a tomb in the Valley of the Kings.
There is another indirect evidence pointing to Tutankhamun's hunting experience. On his mummy they found the already mentioned garland of flowers, placed by the grieving wife, including cornflowers and daisies. In Egypt, these plants bloom only in March and April, therefore, at this time, Tutankhamun was buried. But taking into account the time it took to mummify the body, which is approximately 70 days, it turns out that the pharaoh died in December or January, and this is the height of the hunting season. But the most important evidence in favor of the fact that Tutankhamun was a hunter and used chariots was in a pile of his clothes: this is a special corset that should protect the rider’s stomach from blows.
A comprehensive study of Tutankhamun's mummy has refuted another misconception regarding a serious illness that the young monarch allegedly suffered from and which, in turn, caused the deformation of his skull. The Egyptian pharaoh turned out to be a healthy young man. His teeth, with the exception of one, were in excellent condition. The lengthening of the occipital part of Tutankhamun’s skull, according to anthropologists, is of a natural anthropological nature.
But Egyptologist, Dr. Chris Carter Naunton, having examined the original records, as well as conducting a virtual autopsy of the body using X-rays and computed tomography technology, came to the conclusion that Tutankhamun died during the crash of a chariot that took part in the battle. Judging by the injuries, a heavy cart crashed into the pharaoh while he was kneeling. As a result of the collision, the left half of the young ruler’s torso was crushed. That is why scientists had not previously discovered the heart, and the bones of the ribs and pelvis were crushed.
"Despite the fact that the death mask and other treasures are very familiar, the staggering amount of evidence has not received enough attention. It is amazing how many questions have not yet been asked," Dr Naunton said.
By the way, there are still several mummies that have not been fully identified, one of which supposedly belongs to Queen Taya, the supposed grandmother of Tutankhamun
The Mummy Returns
Suddenly, another mystery related to the boy king was solved, namely: his penis, which mysteriously disappeared 40 years ago, was found.
Tutankhamun's reproductive organ was definitely in place in 1922, when the mummy was removed from the tomb, as evidenced by photographs taken by Harry Burton (1879 - 1940), a photographer on the Howard Carter expedition. But in 1968 he was no longer there. Disappeared after the first X-ray study conducted by British scientist Ronald Harrison. It was even rumored that the penis was stolen and sold.
It turned out that male dignity had not disappeared anywhere. It just fell off and spent many decades buried in the sand that lies under Tutankhamun. They recently found him there.
As Zahi Hawass explained, at first they did not pay attention to the loss, and the sand was covered with a cloth on which the mummy was placed after an X-ray. And finally they decided to rummage through it after a tomography done in 2005. And they found it.
Although who knows, maybe the penis was simply thrown out of sin: o)...
According to Eugene Cruz-Uraib, an expert from Northern Arizona University, the ancient Egyptians were able to give their penises an erect state during mummification. And they did this with Tutankhamun, which makes his reproductive organ look very impressive for a mummy.
Tutankhamun loved red wine
Wine jugs were found in Tutankhamun's tomb
The Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun was a lover of red wine. Scientists who studied the burial of the pharaoh came to this conclusion.
Wine was considered an exclusive drink in ancient Egypt. The bottles, just like today, contained information about the year of the grape harvest from which the wine was made, the name of the winemaker and the name of the wine and the area where it was produced.
Until now, scientists have not been able to determine what color the wine that the ancient Egyptians drank was. Spanish scientists have developed a new technology with which they were able to prove that the wine was in fact red.
Tutankhamun died in 1352 BC. It was buried along with items that the ancient Egyptians believed the pharaoh might need in the afterlife.
"The Egyptians wanted the dead person to have the same food and things that he was used to in life," says the leader of the scientific team.
On a jug of wine from Tutankhamun's tomb it was written: "Year 5. Wine from the house of Tutankhamun. Chief wine merchant Haa."
However, over thousands of years, the wine completely evaporated, and scientists could not extract any additional information from the jugs.
Archaeologists have previously assumed that the wine drunk in ancient Egypt was red. This was indicated by the drawings depicting black grapes. A group of Spanish scientists confirmed these guesses.
The scientists used liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry to determine the content of residual substances on the walls of the jugs. It turned out that samples taken from two jugs from Tutankhamun’s tomb contained the substance malvidin, which gives the drink a red color.
Scientists were also able to prove that the shedekh drink, which was considered the most precious drink in ancient Egypt, was also made from grapes, and not from pomegranates, as previously thought.
And one last thing...
According to the Reuters news agency,
Sensational results were obtained by biologists from the iGENEA genealogical research center located in Zurich, where their Egyptian colleagues transferred part of the DNA extracted from the mummy of Pharaoh Tutankhamun.
According to Zahi Hawass, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities of the Arab Republic of Egypt, DNA samples of the legendary boy pharaoh were extracted from his bone tissue - specifically from his left shoulder and left leg.
“Very careful punctures were made, in which the mummy was not harmed at all,” Hawass assured. And he emphasized that the main goal of studying the DNA of mummies is to establish and clarify the family ties of the pharaoh’s family, which are very confusing. Because they are burdened with secrets and numerous incests.
iGENEA specialists compared the DNA of Tutankhamun and modern Europeans. And it turned out that many of them were relatives of the pharaoh. On average, half of European men are “pharaohs.” And in some countries their share reaches 60-70 percent - as, for example, in the UK, Spain and France.
This is what Tutankhamun should have looked like during his lifetime: after all the genetic tests, anthropologists still leaned toward this portrait of the pharaoh
“The secret remains a secret. We are not completely sure how Tutankhamun died, but we can say that he was not killed. Case is closed. The ashes of the pharaoh should no longer be disturbed,” the head of the Supreme Council of Antiquities of Egypt, Dr. Zahi Hawas, said authoritatively.
However, Western experts have already stated that the current results of DNA tests will most likely be insufficient to accurately determine Tutankhamun’s pedigree. Scientists insist that they need to be supplemented with other archaeological evidence.
Based on materials from www.pravda.ru, www.yaplakal.com
PS. And British scientists have obtained a new detailed image of Tutankhamun through a virtual autopsy. The computer model was created based on 2000 scans of the mummy of an Egyptian boy pharaoh who lived in the 14th century BC. e. and died at age 19. In the image, Tutankhamun is unattractive by modern standards. He has long protruding teeth, an overbite, wide hips, narrow shoulders. His left leg was severely twisted, causing him to have a clubbing, limp and walk with a cane. 130 sticks were found in his tomb, but until recently, experts did not know that the pharaoh himself needed them.
At the same time, a genetic analysis of Tutankhamun’s family was carried out; experts were convinced that all of the pharaoh’s relatives died at a young age. “His immediate ancestors and descendants died early and younger with each generation,” said Hutan Ashrafian, a lecturer in medicine at Imperial College London. The results of the genetic study and the resulting portrait of the pharaoh led to the conclusion that the young man was sick with a whole bunch of hereditary diseases caused by related marriages of his ancestors.
Just like that! Well, who to believe?
At the age of 18, Tutankhamun died. This happened unexpectedly and his tomb was not yet ready. The young pharaoh had to be buried in a hastily prepared small tomb in the Valley of the Kings. Soon the burial was forgotten, and the builders who built the tomb of Ramesses VI blocked the entrance with garbage. was not disturbed until 1922, when British archaeologist Howard Carter and his financial partner Lord Carnarvon made the most exciting discovery in the history of archaeology. After Carter's discovery, crowds of reporters, photographers and tourists flocked to the Valley. 
Meanwhile, Lord Carnarvon, in urgent need of rest, sailed south to enjoy a few days of peace and quiet at Aswan. There he was bitten on the cheek by a mosquito. While shaving, he accidentally cut the bite and caused an infection. The temperature rose sharply, a fever began, accompanied by chills. Lord went to Cairo for medical help, but died in a Cairo hotel room on April 5, 1923.
Finally, journalists have waited for an incident worthy of mention! Carnarvon's death marked the beginning of a series of unexpected deaths. All the dead visited the tomb of Tutankhamun. The newspapers were full of headlines about the revenge of the pharaoh who was disturbed in his tomb. 
Soon there was a rumor about an allegedly discovered inscription that cursed everyone who disturbed the peace of the pharaoh, but no one confirmed the presence of such an inscription. Arthur Conan Doyle, author of the Sherlock Holmes stories, opined that Lord Carnarvon was killed by an evil force, which the writer called "the primordial." Egyptologist Arthur Weigel published a story that on the day the tomb was opened, Carter's canary was swallowed by a cobra. Cobra is an ancient symbol of royal power in Egypt.
Tales of the curse spread, and people began to worry about Egyptian artifacts—both real and fake—in their private collections. Many simply destroyed objects of Egyptian origin or anonymously donated them to museums. There was even a theory put forward that the death of the Titanic passenger liner in 1912 was due to the fact that the mummy of an Egyptian soothsayer from the time of Pharaoh Amenhotep IV was transported on board. 
In 1934, Egyptologist Herbert Chinlock decided to study the fate of everyone who was present at the opening of Tutankhamun's tomb. He found that six of the 26 people died within ten years, while only two of those present at the opening of the sarcophagus died shortly afterwards. It is curious that the “main culprit” who was the first to disturb the peace of Tutankhamun’s ashes, archaeologist Carter, seemed to be spared the pharaoh’s curse. Carter, who discovered Tutankhamun's tomb and examined the pharaoh's mummy, died of natural causes in 1939 at the age of 66.
Humanity's interest in antiquities as historical monuments, which took shape in the science of archeology, was born from much more base motives. In the second half of the 18th century, those who went on excavations of antiquities dreamed not of finding unique evidence of bygone eras, but of gold and jewelry for personal enrichment.
Treasures of the Valley of the Kings
But in the 19th century, the situation gradually began to change, and archaeological excavations became the work of enthusiasts who were ready to spend time and money on their hobby, in return dreaming of glorifying their own name.
One of the most attractive points for archaeologists was Egypt, whose rich ancient history was not a secret.
Expeditions flocked to the Valley of the Kings, where dozens of tombs of pharaohs, as well as high-ranking representatives of the nobility of Ancient Egypt, were located in the rocky gorge.
The problem, however, was that the archaeologists who explored the tombs were not the first “guests” there. Despite all the stories about the “superstitious fear of the ancient Egyptians of the wrath of the gods,” the tombs were mercilessly plundered even in the era of the pharaohs, so that researchers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries only got what the plunderers, for some reason, disdained.
Professional and amateur
Howard Carter, the son of an English artist from Norfolk, came to Egyptology at the age of 17, joining the British Organization for the Archaeological Research of Egypt. Fellow Egyptologists noted Carter after he made a number of interesting discoveries during his exploration of the Djeser Djeseru - built in the 15th century BC. e. terraced mortuary temple and rock tomb at Deir el-Bahri.
Howard Carter. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org
Having become a famous archaeologist, Carter spent several years as inspector general of the Egyptian Department of Antiquities, inspecting the work of the American archaeologist Theodore Davis. During these works, the tombs of Thutmose IV, Horemheb, Ramesses Saptah,
Carter dreamed of a revolutionary discovery - the discovery of an untouched tomb. In 1906, he found a companion - an amateur archaeologist and collector of antiquities Lord Carnarvon. The lord was not just sick of Ancient Egypt, he dreamed of finding the tomb of Tutankhamun, the ruler of the 18th dynasty, whose very existence was questioned by historians.
Carter and Carnarvon began joint excavations in 1914, and managed to open the tomb of Amenhotep I and the burials of several queens of the 18th dynasty.
Then the expedition had to be curtailed due to the First World War, but after its end, Carter convinced the lord to return to the search.
The secret under the rubble
But time passed, and there was no result. Lord Carnarvon was also ready to abandon the senseless waste of money, but now Carter insisted on continuing the search. While working in other tombs, he accidentally discovered objects with the name of Tutankhamun. This meant that the pharaoh was a real figure and not a legend.
Lord Carnarvon. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org
In 1922, Lord Carnarvon announced to Carter that he was financing the last season of excavations, and if there was no result now, there would be no result at all.
In November 1922, workers from the Carter expedition demolished the walls of barracks that had been abandoned by the archaeologists themselves five years earlier. At the same time, they removed a meter-long layer of rubble that was underneath them.
On November 4, 1922, work stopped. Carter, looking into the hole dug by the workers, found a step carved into the rock.
Apparently, the workers who once built the nearby tomb of Pharaoh Ramesses VI filled in the path leading to the entrance to the existing tomb. So they accidentally preserved it for millennia, hiding it from the eyes of robbers.
Excavations continued with renewed energy. At the bottom of the stairs, a door was discovered, blocked with stones, walled up and equipped with a double seal.
Carter was delighted to discover that he was dealing with a royal seal, which was used to wall up the tombs of the pharaohs. It seems his dream is finally coming true!
Tomb of Tutankhamun (KV62), discovered by Carter. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org
“Strange animals, statues and... gold began to emerge from the darkness.”
The archaeologist sent a telegram to Lord Carnarvon in England: “At last you have made a wonderful discovery in the Valley: a magnificent tomb with intact seals has been closed again until your arrival. Congratulations".
On November 23, the lord arrived at the excavations. When they continued, Carter discovered that one of the seals was not royal, but priestly. This happened if the tomb had to be closed again after the discovery of a theft by grave robbers.
Carter was upset by this fact, but the very presence of the seal indicated that the tomb had not been completely cleansed.
On November 26, 1922, the passage to the interior was cleared. This is how Howard Carter described the historical moment: “With trembling hands, I made a narrow crack in the upper left corner of the stonework. Behind it there was emptiness, as far as I could determine with an iron probe... they tested the air on the candle flame to check for the accumulation of dangerous gases, and then I slightly widened the hole, stuck the candle into it and looked inside. Lord Carnarvon Lady Evelyn Herbert And Egyptologist Callender stood nearby and anxiously awaited my verdict. At first I couldn’t see anything, because the stream of hot air from the tomb was blowing out the candle. But gradually my eyes got used to the flickering light, and strange animals, statues and... gold began to appear in front of me from the twilight - gold sparkled everywhere! For a moment - to those who stood next to me, it seemed like an eternity! “I was speechless with amazement.”
Tutankhamun on a chariot. Image from a tomb in the Valley of the Kings. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org
"Golden Palace" of the Pharaoh
The room, which opened in November 1922, would later be called the Front Room. The treasures here were not located in the order that was originally intended. Apparently, the robbers were preparing to remove valuables, but were taken by surprise. The priests also did not restore everything to its original form, sealing the tomb.
Statue of Tutankhamun. Photo: Frame youtube.com
More than six hundred objects were discovered in the Front Room, which were carefully described and sketched. After completing this work, archaeologists were ready to open the burial chamber.
This happened on February 16, 1923. The “Golden Palace” turned out to be completely untouched by the robbers. Among the various valuables, which numbered in the thousands, the sarcophagus of the pharaoh was found, and in it his mummy with a death mask. Today, Tutankhamun's death mask, made of 11.26 kg of pure gold and many precious stones, is considered one of the most valuable objects ever discovered by Egyptologists.
The discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb, the first unlooted tomb in the Valley of the Kings, created a worldwide sensation. Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon entered the history of science forever.
“Forks of Death”: the truth about the “curse of Tutankhamun”
Like any sensation, especially one associated with Ancient Egypt, the story of the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb could not help but acquire legends, the main of which, of course, is the “Curse of the Pharaoh.”
Carter himself also added some wood to the fire when he spoke about what happened at the moment of opening the burial chamber: “At that moment we lost all desire to open these seals, because we suddenly felt that we were invading forbidden possessions; this oppressive feeling was further intensified by the linen coverings that fell from the inner ark. It seemed to us that the ghost of the deceased pharaoh had appeared before us, and we must bow before him.”
Legend has it that those who disturbed the peace of Tutankhamun suffered an untimely death. The inscription in the tomb warned about this: “The pitchfork of death will pierce the one who disturbs the peace of the pharaoh.”
The first “victim of the curse” was Lord Carnarvon, who died on April 5, 1923 from pneumonia. The 56-year-old enthusiast died at a time when the study of the found valuables was just beginning.
Supporters of the reality of the “curse” count more than 20 victims of the “wrath of Tutankhamun”, including Howard Carter himself.
The archaeologist died in March 1939 in London, aged 64, from cancer. Already here you can feel that the “curse” is far-fetched - one of the two main “desecrators” lived for 16 years after the opening of the tomb.
As for the inscriptions threatening death, such were present in almost all tombs, which did not prevent robbers from taking out everything that had at least some value.
The best evidence that the “curse” is a real “fake” is statistics. A study of the biographies of the participants in the Carter expedition shows that their average life expectancy was 74.4 years. Perhaps the most anecdotal example is the presence of “victims” on the list Sir Alan Henderson Gardiner, author of a grammar of Middle Egyptian. The scientist died in 1963 at the age of 84!
But it just so happens that people are attracted to mysticism, and not real science. This was the case under Tutankhamun, and this continues today.
Ancient Egypt has been exciting the minds of scientists and ordinary people since the Great Sphinx was first cleared of sand. And although archaeologists have already made many discoveries related to Egypt, the land of the pharaohs still keeps many secrets under its sands. And sometimes it happens that new discoveries give rise to even more mysteries and answered questions.
1. The Lost Labyrinth of Egypt
2,500 years ago in Egypt there was a huge labyrinth, which, according to the Egyptian chroniclers, “exceeded even the pyramids.” It was a huge building, two floors high, containing 3,000 different rooms, connected by a winding labyrinth of passages so complex that no one could find the exit without a guide. Below was an underground level that served as a tomb for the kings, and above was a massive roof made from a single giant stone.
Countless ancient authors described the labyrinth, claiming to have seen it with their own eyes, but 2,500 years later, scientists have no idea where it went. The closest thing that has been found is a massive 300-meter rock plateau, which some believe was the base of the labyrinth. If this is so, then history needs to be rewritten.
In 2008, a team of geolocation specialists checked the plateau and discovered that underneath there was an underground labyrinth, as described by one of the ancient writers. At this point, however, no one has even begun excavating what may be Egypt's greatest archaeological wonder.
2. Unknown Queen of Egypt
In 2015, archaeologists stumbled upon the tomb of a woman who was buried among the great pyramids of Egypt's Old Kingdom. In her tomb there were inscriptions that called her "the wife of the pharaoh" and "the mother of the pharaoh." 4,500 years ago she was one of the most powerful women on the planet. But no one knows who it is. Historians have dubbed her "Khentakawess III", based on the assumption that she was the daughter of Pharaoh Neferirkare Kakai and Queen Khentkawess II, as well as the wife of Pharaoh Neferefre and the mother of Pharaoh Menkauhor. But this is just a guess. Whoever she was, she was once an incredibly powerful woman, but today everyone has forgotten about her.
3. Israeli Sphinx
In 2013, in Tel Hazor, Israel, archaeologists discovered something they never expected to find so far from Egypt: a 4,000-year-old Egyptian sphinx. To be more precise, they found the statue's paws resting on the pedestal. The rest is believed to have been deliberately destroyed thousands of years ago.
Before anyone destroyed this sphinx, it was approximately 1 meter tall and weighed half a ton. Nobody knows what an Egyptian statue is doing in Israel. The only clue they were able to find was an inscription on the pedestal that read “Pharaoh Mykerinus” (the pharaoh who ruled Egypt around 2500 BC). It is very unlikely that Tel Hazor was conquered by the Egyptians. During the reign of Mikerin (or Maenkaur), Tel Hazor was a trading center in Canaan, directly between Egypt and Babylon. It was vital to the economic well-being of the two major powers in the area. Scientists suggest it could have been a gift.
4. The mysterious death of Pharaoh Tutankhamun
Pharaoh Tutankhamun was only 19 years old when he died, and no one knows exactly what happened to him. His death is a mystery. Scientists believe that Tutankhamun had a whole bunch of illnesses, and it is impossible to say specifically why he died. He had malaria and was born with so many genetic disorders that historians are convinced his parents must have been brother and sister. He had a crooked leg and genetic defects that some believe may have made his death no more than a matter of time.
The mummy also had a fractured skull, so archaeologists for a long time believed that the pharaoh was killed by a blow to the head. But today there is a version that his head was simply damaged during embalming of the body. Tutankhamun injured his knee shortly before his death, leading to the theory that he died in a chariot accident. But this is also just a theory. In any case, his body was so deformed that the young pharaoh, apparently, could not even stand without assistance.
5. Hidden camera in the Cheops pyramid
The largest pyramid was built 4,500 years ago for Pharaoh Khufu (Cheops). It is a huge structure, almost 150 meters high, built from more than 2.3 million stone blocks. Until recently, everyone believed that there were three chambers inside it. If anyone feels like there is too much free space left inside, they are not alone. That's why a team of researchers checked the pyramid in November 2017 to see if scientists had missed anything.
Above the Great Gallery of the pyramid they found signs that there may be a large hidden chamber (about the size of the largest chamber found in the entire pyramid). It is strange that the Egyptians deliberately built a hidden chamber, making it completely inaccessible. There are no corridors or other paths to it. The only way to place something inside was to do it during the construction of the pyramid and seal it. No one has ever seen what is inside the hidden chamber. But whatever it was, Pharaoh Khufu apparently didn't want it to ever see the light of day again.
6. A mummy wrapped in a foreign book
In 1848, a man bought an ancient Egyptian mummy from a shopkeeper in Alexandria. For years he displayed it as an ordinary artifact, not realizing how strange the artifact he had found was. It was only after removing some of the bandages from the mummy several decades later that scientists discovered something very unusual. The mummy was wrapped in the pages of a book, but the book was not written in Egyptian. It took years of research to understand what kind of language it was.
Today, scientists know that the book was written in the Etruscan language, which was used by an ancient civilization that once lived in what is now Italy. This is a language that almost no one knows anything about today. The text in which the mummy was wrapped is the longest Etruscan text ever found by researchers. But no one knows what it says. Scientists have been able to understand a few words that appear to be dates and names of gods, but we can only speculate why the dead body was wrapped in pages. Moreover, it is unknown why the Egyptian mummy was wrapped in an Etruscan book.
7. Light of Dandara
On the wall of the temple at Dandara in Egypt there is a huge relief showing a very strange image. It shows (according to the usual interpretation) a snake in a large ball of fire flying from a large lotus flower, which is supported by a pillar with human hands. It's a strange picture, but not just because the counter has arms. It just looks a lot like a Crookes tube, a type of early light bulb invented in the 19th century. In fact, it looks so much like a light bulb that some people think it might be a diagram showing how to create one.
Although this theory is similar to those usually told by pseudo-historians on Youtube, it has some pretty convincing arguments. The room in which the Light of Dandara is depicted is the only room in the entire temple that did not have the usual oil lamps. Archaeologists found carbon deposits, which indicate Egyptian use of lamps, in all parts of the building except this room. Therefore, if there was no similar early version of the light bulb in a given room, how could anything be seen in it at all?
8. Destroyed Pyramid
The Pyramid of Djedefre was to be the tallest pyramid in Egypt. Although Djedefre did not have the resources to create the largest pyramid, he used a little trick. He built a pyramid on a hill. But for some reason, although all the other pyramids in Egypt stood for thousands of years, the Djedefre pyramid was the only one that was completely destroyed. All that was left of it was the foundation.
Nobody knows what happened to the pyramid, there are only theories. Some believe that Djedefra simply died before the pyramid was completed, leaving it in ruins. Others believe that the Romans dismantled it into stone 2,000 years ago, destroying the historical monument. Or maybe the people of Egypt hated Djedefre so much that he destroyed the entire pyramid.
9. The Disappearance of Queen Nefertiti
Queen Nefertiti is legendary because she is one of the few women who ruled Egypt. She was the Great Wife of Pharaoh Akhenaten, and also, probably, the mother of Pharaoh Tutankhamun and, as scientists believe, she ruled Egypt single-handedly for some time. But at the same time, Nefertiti’s resting place is unknown.
The search for her grave continued for years. Until 2018, archaeologists were almost certain that they had found her burial in a secret chamber hidden in the tomb of King Tutankhamun. However, in May they carefully examined the wall and found that there was nothing there. Curiously, there is no mention of her death in Egyptian history. After the twelfth year of the reign of her husband Akhenaten, all mention of her simply disappeared from historical documents. Some believe that this happened because Nefertiti became a pharaoh and took on a different name, but not everyone agrees with this theory. Some believe that the answer is more prosaic. According to Dr. Joyce Tidzely, Nefertiti was never a pharaoh. One way or another, her fate remains a mystery.
10. Lost Punt
Ancient Egyptian writings are full of references to a country called Punt. It was an ancient African kingdom full of gold, ivory and exotic animals that captured the imagination of the Egyptians. And it must have been extremely powerful. The Egyptians dubbed this place the “Land of the Gods.”
But there is no doubt that Punt really existed. There are numerous references to this in ancient scriptures. In the ancient Egyptian temple there is even a painting of Queen Punta, but scientists were unable to find any traces of the existence of this state. The only information that hints at the existence of Punt is the artifacts that the Egyptians owned. Scientists, desperate to find out where this kingdom was located, studied the mummified remains of two baboons that the Egyptians brought from Punt and determined that the baboons most likely originated from around modern-day Eritrea or eastern Ethiopia. This at least gives a starting point as to where to look for Punt, but in reality it is a huge area for archaeological exploration.
And recently in . An amazing discovery.