What year was the first mummification attempt? The curse of the pharaohs and mummies: how Egyptian Gothic originated

In popular culture, the rite of mummification is associated exclusively with ancient Egypt. This is due to the fact that it was the Egyptian mummies that became known to our distant ancestors. But modern historians have found out a more ancient culture that practiced mummification. This is the South American culture of the Andean Chinchorro Indians: here they found mummies dated back to the 9th millennium BC. But still, the attention of modern historians is riveted precisely to the Egyptian mummies - who knows what secrets these well-preserved dead can hide.

In Egypt, mummification originated only in 4500 BC. Such an exact date was made possible by the excavations of the English expedition, carried out in 1997. Egyptologists attribute the earliest burials of mummies to the so-called Baddarian archaeological culture: at that time, the Egyptians wrapped the limbs and heads of the dead in linen and matting, impregnated with a special compound.

Ancient evidence

The process of classical mummification of antiquity is still not possible for historians to recreate. The fact is that the only evidence of the stages of mummification that has survived today belongs to ancient authors, including such great philosophers as Herodotus, Plutarch and Diodorus. At the time of these travelers, the classic New Kingdom mummification process was already degraded.

storage vessels

All organs removed from the corpse were carefully preserved. They were washed with a special composition, and then placed in vessels with balm, canopies. There were 4 canopic canopies per mummy - their lids were decorated with the heads of the gods: Hapi (baboon), Dumautef (jackal), Quebehsenuf (falcon), Imset (man).

Honey and shell

There were other, more refined ways to embalm the deceased. For example, the body of Alexander the Great was mummified in an unusual "white honey" that never melted. In the early dynastic period, on the contrary, embalmers resorted to a simpler method: the bodies were covered with plaster, on top of which there was an oil painting. Thus, the shell remained, with the ashes inside.

Mummies of the Incas

At the end of 1550, a Spanish official stumbled upon Inca mummies hidden in a secret cave near Peru. Further research revealed other caves: the Indians turned out to have a whole warehouse of mummies - 1365 persons who were once the founders of the main clans of culture.

Ancient Egypt is probably the most famous civilization of the ancient world. The people who lived on the banks of the Nile a thousand years before our era had their own distinctive pantheon of gods and a rich culture. In the philistine mind, the mummies of the pharaohs are most associated with Ancient Egypt, which attract interest with their mystery and belonging to the cult of death.

The meaning of mummification

The ancient Egyptians believed that after death, a person goes to the afterlife. Therefore, the bodies of the richest and most influential residents of the country were necessarily mummified after death. This was done with pharaohs, high priests, aristocrats. The process of processing a corpse was full of various subtleties that were known only in ancient Egypt.

The superstitious inhabitants of the African country believed that the mummies of the pharaohs help their owners to freely go to the afterlife. In the mass consciousness, there was a strong opinion that the rulers were of divine origin, this made their connection with supernatural phenomena even closer. The mummies of the pharaohs were buried in special tombs - pyramids. This style of architecture was a unique Egyptian invention that was an unprecedented innovation in the ancient world. Neither in the Mediterranean, nor in Mesopotamia, anything like this was built then. The most famous are the pyramids of Giza.

Mummification process

Mummification was considered the lot of the elite, but in fact it could be bought if a person wanted to ensure a peaceful stay in the afterlife, and also if he had enough money for this. But there were procedures available only to the pharaohs and their family members. For example, only their organs were placed in special vessels (canopies). For this, the body of the deceased was cut in a special way. The holes were filled with oil, which was drained after a few days. The masters who were engaged in mummification were privileged members of society. They knew the science of embalming, which was inaccessible to others. Over the centuries of the existence of the Egyptian civilization, these secrets did not become known to other peoples, such as the Sumerians.

Organs in vessels were kept next to the mummy's sarcophagus. The secrets of the pharaohs were buried with their bodies. All personal items were placed in the tomb, which, according to the religious conviction of the ancient Egyptians, also regularly served their owners in the other world. The same was with the organs that were supposed to return to the pharaohs when they find themselves on the other side of being.

Mummy Processing

The treated body was subjected to drying, which could last up to 40 days. The procedure allowed him to survive for many years. In order for the body not to lose its shape from natural processes, it was filled with a special solution, which also contained sodium. The necessary substances were obtained by embalmers on the banks of the Nile, which was the sacred river of all civilization.

The mummies of the pharaohs of Egypt were also treated by cosmetologists and hairdressers. At the last stage, the body was covered with a special oil made from wax, resin and other natural ingredients. Finally, the corpse was wrapped in bandages and placed in a sarcophagus, where a mask was put on it. In total, the mummification process took about 70 days and included the work of a dozen people. The secret craft was taught by the priests of the cult. It was impossible to disclose it. Those who broke the law faced the death penalty.

Valley of the Kings

Together with the mummy, all the property of the deceased was also buried in the tomb: jewelry, furniture, gold, as well as chariots, which in general were a symbol of belonging to the main social stratum. Members of the same family, as a rule, had their own tomb, which became the family crypt. Archaeologists find several mummies in such pyramids. There were sacred places where especially many pyramids were built. They were in southern Egypt. This is the Valley of the Kings, as well as the Valley of the Queens. Representatives of several dynasties that ruled the ancient state found their rest here.

There was the city of Thebes. It is in its place that the famous Valley of the Kings is located. This is a vast necropolis, which kept many of the mummies of the pharaohs. The valley was discovered almost by accident by the brothers-scientists Rasuls during their expedition in 1871. Since then, the work of archaeologists has not stopped here for a single day.

Cheops

One of the most famous is the mummy He ruled Egypt in the 26th century BC. e. His figure was known to ancient historians, including Herodotus. This fact alone indicates that this pharaoh was indeed great even in comparison with his predecessors and successors, because the names of many pharaohs were not preserved at all in any historical source.

Cheops was a despot who severely punished his subjects for any oversight. He was merciless towards his enemies. Such a character was habitual for whose power, as contemporaries believed, came from the gods, which gave the pharaohs carte blanche to any whims. At the same time, the people did not try to resist. Cheops also became known for fighting in the Sinai Peninsula against the Bedouins.

The Pyramid of Cheops

But the greatest achievement of this pharaoh is precisely the pyramid that was built for his own mummy. The rulers of Egypt were preparing for their death in advance. Already during the life of the pharaoh, the construction of his pyramid began, where he was supposed to find eternal rest. Cheops was no exception to this rule.

However, his pyramid struck with its size all contemporaries and distant descendants. It was included in the list of 7 ancient wonders of the world and remains the only monument from this list that has survived to this day.

Cult complex in Giza

The lost mummy of an Egyptian pharaoh was kept inside a huge labyrinth of corridors inside a 137-meter-high structure. This figure was beaten only at the end of the 19th century, when the Eiffel Tower appeared in Paris. Cheops himself chose the place of his tomb. They became a plateau on the territory of the modern city of Giza. In his era, it was the northern edge of the cemetery of ancient Memphis - the capital of Egypt.

Together with the pyramid, a monumental sculpture of the Great Sphinx was created, which is known to the whole world as well as the pyramid itself. Cheops expected that over time a whole complex of ritual structures dedicated to his dynasty would appear on this site.

Ramses II

Another great pharaoh of Egypt was Ramses II. He ruled for almost his entire long life (1279-1213 BC). His name went down in history thanks to a series of military campaigns against neighbors. The conflict with the Hittites is best known. Ramses built a lot during his lifetime. He founded several cities, most of which were named after him.

It was the ruler who changed and transformed Ancient Egypt. The mummies of the pharaohs were often hunted by grave diggers. The tomb of Ramses II was no exception. The priests of Egypt ensured that the royal necropolises remained untouched. While the ancient civilization still existed, the body of this ruler was reburied several times. First, the mummy of Pharaoh Ramses was placed in the crypt of his own father. It is not known exactly when it was plundered, but in the end the priests found a new place for the body. They became a carefully hidden cache that belonged to Pharaoh Herihor. Mummies from other tombs robbed by robbers were also placed there. These were the bodies of Thutmose III and Ramses III.

Fight against grave robbers

The cache was discovered only in the 19th century. It was first found by Arab grave robbers. It was a lucrative business in those days, as the African sands still contained many treasures that sold for a good price on European ones. As a rule, robbers are interested in treasures and gems, and not in the mummies of the pharaohs of Egypt. Photos of ruined graves confirm this trend.

However, already in the 19th century, the Egyptian authorities created a special ministry that monitored the illegal trade in antiquities. Soon the source of the jewels was discovered. So in 1881, the untouched mummy of Ramses fell into the hands of scientists. Since then, it has been kept in various museums. Studying it, researchers around the world are still getting new information about mummification. In 1975, the remains were subjected to a unique modern conservation procedure that allowed the surviving artifact of the past to be preserved.

Such a case is an extreme stroke of luck for the scientific community. As a rule, when a new tomb is discovered, there is nothing left in it, including mummies. The secrets of the pharaohs and their riches have attracted adventurers and merchants for centuries.

Tutankhamen

Tutankhamun's mummy is best known in popular culture. This pharaoh ruled at a young age from 1332 to 1323 BC. e. He died at the age of 20. During his lifetime, he did not stand out in a series of his predecessors and successors. His name became known due to the fact that his tomb was not touched by ancient marauders.

Modern scientific studies of the mummy made it possible to study in detail the circumstances of the death of the young man. Prior to this, it was widely believed that Tutankhamen was forcibly killed by his regent. However, this is not confirmed by the mummy of the pharaoh of Egypt itself. The pyramid in which it was kept was full of bottles of malaria medicine. Modern DNA analysis has not ruled out the version that the young man had a serious illness, due to which he died prematurely.

When a team of archaeologists discovered the crypt in 1922, it was full of all sorts of unique artifacts. It was the tomb of Tutankhamen that allowed modern science to recreate the environment in which the mummies of the pharaohs of Egypt were buried. Photos of the tomb immediately penetrated the Western press and became a sensation.

Curse of the pharaohs

Even more hype around the tomb of Tutankhamen began when Lord George Carnavon, who had funded the study of the distant find, died unexpectedly. The Englishman died in a Cairo hotel shortly after the ancient tomb was opened. The press immediately picked up this story. Soon there were new dead associated with the archaeological expedition. Rumors spread in the press that there was a curse that fell on the heads of those who entered the tomb.

A popular view was the idea that the pharaoh's mummy was the source of the evil. Photos of the dead were included in widely circulated obituaries. Over time, denials emerged that debunked the myth of the curse. Nevertheless, the legend has become a popular subject in Western culture. In the 20th century, several feature films were made dedicated to the curse.

To a large extent, it was thanks to them that the theme of Ancient Egypt gained popularity among the general public. Any news in which this or that mummy appears has become known. The tomb of the pharaohs, which would be intact and intact, has not been found since the discovery of Tutankhamun.

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Egyptian mummies

A mummy is a body preserved by embalming. A mummy is a body (not only of a person, but also of any other living being), subjected to special chemical treatment, as a result of which the process of tissue decomposition stops or slows down. For the first time the word "mummy" appears in European languages ​​(in Byzantine, Greek and Latin) around 1000. It comes from the Persian word "mum" ("wax"). The word "mumia" Arabic and Jewish medieval healers meant a special medicine. The ancient Egyptians themselves called mummies "sahu".

Ancient Egypt is probably the most famous civilization of the ancient world, which made mummies from the dead. In the philistine mind, the mummies of the pharaohs are most of all associated with Ancient Egypt, which attract interest with their mystery and belonging to the cult of death.

The ancient Egyptians believed that after death, a person goes to the afterlife. Therefore, the bodies of the richest and most influential residents of the country were necessarily mummified after death. This was done with pharaohs, high priests, aristocrats. The process of processing a corpse was full of various subtleties that were known only in ancient Egypt.

The superstitious inhabitants of the African country believed that the mummies of the pharaohs help their owners to freely go to the afterlife. In the mass consciousness, there was a strong opinion that the rulers were of divine origin, this made their connection with supernatural phenomena even closer. In addition, the mummies of the pharaohs were buried in special tombs - pyramids. This style of architecture was a unique Egyptian invention. Neither in the Mediterranean, nor in Mesopotamia, anything like this was built then. The most famous are

Mummification

The Egyptians believed that death was a transition to another world, where the dead would need their bodies. In order for the body not to decompose, it was subjected to a special treatment - embalming. The result was a mummy that was preserved for thousands of years. Embalming was very expensive, therefore, the highest quality services were available only to the rich. Mummies were also made from the bodies of sacred animals - monkeys, cats and crocodiles. The mummy was placed in several wooden coffins nested one inside the other and placed in a stone sarcophagus.

Mummification was considered the lot of the elite, but, in fact, it could be bought if a person wanted to ensure a peaceful stay in the afterlife, and also if he had enough money for this. But, there were procedures available only to the pharaohs and their family members. For example, only their organs were placed in special vessels (canopies).

The masters who were engaged in mummification were privileged members of society. They knew the science of embalming, which was inaccessible to others. Over the centuries of the existence of the Egyptian civilization, these secrets did not become known to other peoples.

The embalmer offered the relatives of the deceased several methods of mummification, and those, based on
their financial condition, choose the most appropriate. After all the conditions were discussed, the craftsmen set to work. The mummification process was carried out not by one "master", but by a whole team.

The ancient Egyptians considered the heart to be the most important part of the human body. And the brain seemed to them an absolutely useless organ. “First, they extract the brain through the nostrils with an iron hook. In this way, only part of the brain is removed, the rest - by injecting dissolving drugs. Then, an incision is made with a sharp Ethiopian stone just below the abdomen and the entire abdominal cavity is cleaned from the insides. After cleaning the abdominal cavity and washing it with palm wine, the masters then clean it again with crushed incense. Finally, the womb is filled with pure, ground myrrh, cassia, and other spices (except frankincense) and sewn up again. After that, the body is placed in soda lye for 70 days. More than 70 days, however, it is impossible to leave the body in lye. After this 70-day period, they wash the body, wrap it around with a bandage of linen linen cut into ribbons and smear it with gum (it is used instead of glue) ”(Herodotus, 2.86).

This is the first, best method of embalming in Herodotus' description. The second, cheaper, is as follows: “With the help of a washing tube, cedar oil is injected into the abdominal cavity of the deceased, without cutting, however, the groin and without extracting the insides. Oil is injected through the anus and then, plugging it up so that the oil does not leak out, they put the body in soda lye for a certain number of days. On the last day, the previously poured oil is released from the intestines. The oil acts so strongly that it decomposes the stomach and entrails, which come out with the oil. Soda lye decomposes meat, so that only skin and bones remain from the deceased ”(Herodotus, 2.87).

The third method, intended for the poor, is even simpler: “They pour radish juice into the abdominal cavity and then put the body in soda lye for 70 days. After that, the body is returned to the relatives” (Herodotus, 2.88).

Organs removed from the corpses of pharaohs and their families were not thrown away or destroyed. They also kept. After extraction, the organs were washed, and then immersed in special vessels with balm - canopes. In total, each mummy was supposed to have four canopies. The lids of the canopies, as a rule, were decorated with the heads of four gods - the sons of Horus: Hapi, who has the head of a baboon; Duamutef, with the head of a jackal; Quebehsenuf with the head of a falcon, and Imset with a human head. Certain organs were placed in certain canopies: Imset kept the liver, Duamutef the stomach, Kebeksenuf the intestines, and Hapi contained the lungs.

Organs in vessels were kept next to the mummy's sarcophagus. The secrets of the pharaohs were buried with their bodies. All personal belongings were placed in the tomb, which, according to the religious conviction of the ancient Egyptians, in the future, also regularly served their owners in the other world. The same was with the organs that were supposed to return to the pharaohs when they find themselves on the other side of being.

The mummies of the pharaohs of Egypt were also treated by cosmetologists and hairdressers. At the last stage, the body was covered with a special oil made from wax, resin and other natural ingredients. During mummification, the deceased retains their lifetime facial features. Many Egyptians kept their dead relatives at home, and because they were well preserved, they admired them.

Members of the same family, as a rule, had their own tomb, which became the family crypt. Thebes was the ancient capital of Egypt. It is in its place that the famous Valley of the Kings is located. This is a vast necropolis, which kept many of the mummies of the pharaohs. The valley was discovered almost by accident by the Rasul brothers during their expedition in 1871. Since then, the work of archaeologists has not stopped here for a single day.

Mumiyo is mine

The mummy's value lies in the jewels that surround it and its historical significance, from understanding the embalming process to genetic research. But, some time ago, mummies were another rather strange interest...

Mumiyo is an organo-mineral alternative medicine product of natural origin. Mumiyo resembles that thick black composition with which the Egyptians embalmed the bodies of the dead from the beginning of the 3rd millennium BC. Since the demand for this remedy was very high, the hardened mass in later times began to be scraped off skulls and bones, scraped from body cavities and processed. In acute deficiency, there was no need to be scrupulous: the mysterious embalming agent was smeared along with withered muscle fibers and skeletal remains. Shilajit obtained in this way could be supplied in large quantities.

Mumiyo - the so-called earthen, or rather, mineral resin, known by the Greek name "asphalt". It was highly valued as a remedy for various bodily ailments. But, rare raw materials were clearly not enough. This craft of mumiyo began a monstrous robbery of Egyptian tombs. At first it was about a universal remedy, then real hell began. The extract extracted from mummies was not cheap. Entrepreneurial merchants and Alexandria made sure that mumiyo became an important export to Europe. They hired whole crowds of Egyptian peasants to excavate necropolises. Merchant corporations exported ground human bones to all parts of the world - and made good money.

In the XIV - XV centuries, mumiyo became a common remedy sold in pharmacies and herbal shops. When raw materials became scarce again, they began to use the corpses of executed criminals, the bodies of those who died in almshouses or dead Christians, drying them in the sun. This is how “real mummies” were made! In addition, gangs of robbers stole freshly buried bodies from graves, dismembered them and boiled them in cauldrons until the muscles separated from the bones; the oily liquid dripped from the cauldron and, poured into flasks, was sold to the Frank merchants for big money. According to the documents, in 1420, the city judge of Cairo ordered the flogging of several grave defilers until they confessed that they had dismembered the corpses of people and, in a kind of "pharmaceutical lard", processed them into a salable drug. And in 1564, the French doctor Guy de la Fontaine from Navarre, in the warehouse of one of the merchants in Alexandria, discovered piles of bodies of slaves that were intended for processing into the notorious drug.

The Egyptian authorities tried to put an end to the trade in corpses by issuing a law. However, no regulations have been able to curb the export of shilajit. The profits were so high and tempting that transports with large loads of mumiyo (mummies) continued to cross the Mediterranean and reach Europe.

Over the centuries, dozens of recipes have been cited for making medicines with the addition of, for example, a quarter ounce of powder from a mummy or a piece of her burial veil. Magical recommendations were also given: the mummy's hand, lying in a casket made of Lebanese cedar, protects the house and property from adversity, and the nail from the mummy's middle finger, worn around the neck in a silk bag, ensures the benevolent attitude of others.

Among the goods brought from Egypt to Europe, mummies were considered the most expensive. Ivory, precious stones, gold and Chinese silk were valued cheaper. True, when more ancient remains were found in Egypt, their prices decreased.

Mummies were very difficult to transport. The crew often began to loudly protest, threatening to leave the ship - the sailors were afraid of the death of the galley and other misfortunes. Sometimes, however, prayers and sprinkling of mummies with holy water helped. According to the stories of many sailors, ghosts in ancient Egyptian robes appeared on board sailboats trying to take the remains of ancient inhabitants out of Egypt, and angry voices were heard in the roar of the storm, shouting curses in an incomprehensible language.

The captain of the French galley Laurel Belle, which in 1729, by order of a certain Marseille collector, transported two sarcophagi with mummies, swore upon arrival that during the entire two-week journey ahead of the ship, foggy figures glided along the waves - an elderly man and a young woman in flowing clothes.

Charlatans and pharmacists dissolved the remains of mummies in wine vinegar and vegetable oils and made ointments that supposedly helped with pneumonia and pleurisy. The French physician Savary was so convinced of the healing power of this drug that he considered the assertion proved that only completely black and pleasantly smelling mummies have a positive therapeutic effect. Kings, princes and ordinary townspeople continued to look for a drug to which rumor attributed fabulous properties. People no longer saw the difference between the natural medicine of antiquity and that disgusting mixture that was sold on the market. Mumiyo became synonymous with mummies, and mummies themselves remained the basis for the manufacture of medicines until the 19th century.

The dead, both of simple and noble rank, were dragged out of the tombs, torn to pieces while still in the burial chambers; they first turned to dust and ashes, and then, in sealed porcelain vessels, they went to the international market. So, the remains of those who lived in the era of the pharaohs were taken out of Egypt in unlimited quantities. They became unwitting victims of scientific research and superstitions associated with magic. Perhaps such superstitions have not been eliminated to this day. For example, in some American pharmacies, you can still buy a few ounces of a mixture of "real" shilajit.

Mummy of Cheops

One of the most famous is the mummy of Pharaoh Cheops. His figure was known ancient historians, including Herodotus. This pharaoh was indeed great, even in comparison with his predecessors and successors, because the names of many pharaohs were not preserved at all in any historical source.

Cheops was a despot who severely punished his subjects for any oversight. He was merciless towards his enemies. Such a character was familiar to the rulers of ancient Egypt, whose power, as contemporaries believed, came from the gods, which gave the pharaohs carte blanche to any whims. At the same time, the people did not try to resist. Also, Cheops became known for fighting in the Sinai Peninsula against the Bedouins.

But, the greatest achievement of this pharaoh is precisely the pyramid that was built for his own mummy. The rulers of Egypt were preparing for their death in advance. Already during the life of the pharaoh, the construction of his pyramid began, where he was supposed to find eternal rest. However, the Cheops pyramid amazed all contemporaries and distant descendants with its size. The lost mummy of an Egyptian pharaoh was kept inside a huge labyrinth of corridors, inside a structure 137 meters high. Cheops himself chose the place of his tomb. They became a plateau on the territory of the modern city of Giza. In his era, it was the northern edge of the cemetery of ancient Memphis, the capital of Egypt.

Together with the pyramid, a monumental sculpture of the Great Sphinx was created, which is known to the whole world as well as the pyramid itself. Cheops expected that over time a whole complex of ritual structures dedicated to his dynasty would appear on this site.

Mummy of Ramses II

Another great pharaoh of Egypt was Ramses II. He ruled almost all his long life (1279 - 1213 BC). His name went down in history thanks to a series of military campaigns against neighbors. The conflict with the Hittites is best known. The warlike pharaoh also went down in history as a great peacemaker. When he was tired of skirmishes on the border with the Hittites, he concluded the first peace treaty known in the history of mankind: by an alliance with another power, he approved peace for 50 years. Ramses built a lot during his lifetime. He founded several cities, most of which were named after him.

Ramses, despite his many royal duties, found time for his wives. And there were at least six main ones and a dozen just spouses and concubines, who brought him about a hundred children. As a teenager, Ramses received a whole harem as a gift from his father. The pharaoh himself recalled this with gratitude "He made sure that in my harem it was as beautiful as in his own." And the choice of the father was good. Obviously, of these first spouses, one turned out to be special - for 25 years, Nefertari remained the embodiment of charm, friendliness and love, and, as the pharaoh himself swore, his most confidant. And it was she who gave birth to the first son of Amonkherkhopeshef, whose hot blood manifested itself at the age of five, during a military campaign.

But, Nefertari had to share her husband with rivals, to whom the pharaoh often gave his favor, performing a diplomatic duty. Loving Ramses shared his bed with his closest relatives. At least one of his sister and two daughters were legally married to him. And the daughter of Mary-Tamun, apparently, after the death of her mother, Nefertari took her place as the Great Queen.

Probably, Ramses II was over 90 when he died in the 67th year of his reign. X-rays of the mummy convincingly say that his body was affected by arthritis and that the aged pharaoh lived for a long time in severe insanity. But he didn't want to die. Ramses survived twelve heirs. The thirteenth son, Merenptah, was already 60 years old at the time of his father's death - the eldest, but still a living son. As the new pharaoh, Merenptah led the procession to the tomb prepared for his father long ago in the Valley of the Kings...

Unlike the pharaohs of the Old Kingdom, who found their chambers in tombs near the pyramids, the rulers of the New Kingdom set up their necropolis on the slope of Mount Qurnus - carved into the rocks, with well-hidden entrances and false passages inside. In the darkness, and by an imperceptible stone threshold, thousand-year-old tombs with luxurious ornaments, statues, sarcophagi and treasures were waiting for their explorer. So, in the Valley of the Kings, the family mausoleum of Pharaoh Ramses II was discovered. In a huge tomb, the ancient Egyptians apparently buried 52 sons of Ramses, heirs to the throne, many of whom were survived by their own father. Here, apparently, all the offspring of the pharaoh finally united in death, who during their lifetime suffered from their powerful, domineering and tenacious father and all the time quarreled with each other because of his inheritance.

“This was the tenth, last and most terrible plague of Egypt, which was sent by the God of the people - all the firstborn in Egypt must die, and every firstborn in the land of Egypt will die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sits on his throne, to the firstborn of the slave woman, who is at the millstones.”

First, the mummy of Pharaoh Ramses was placed in the crypt of his own father. It is not known exactly when it was plundered, but in the end the priests found a new place for the body. They became a carefully hidden cache that belonged to Pharaoh Herihor. Mummies from other tombs robbed by robbers were also placed there. These were the bodies of Thutmose III and Ramses III.

In 1881, the untouched mummy of Ramses II fell into the hands of scientists. When the body, which had remained under a tight shroud for three thousand years, was unswaddled, some muscle unbent in it - and before the eyes of the scientists, the pharaoh raised his hand. That was the last royal gesture of the great Ramses. In 1975, the remains were subjected to a unique modern conservation procedure that allowed the surviving artifact of the past to be preserved. The greatest of the pharaohs is now a museum piece. His withered body is on display in a glass case at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

The Egyptian Museum of Cairo is a real collection of antiquities and Mumuys. There are always a lot of people there. On one of the usual hot days, when stuffiness enveloped the halls of the museum, after sunset, electric lights were turned on in the building. And then the unthinkable happened. From the sarcophagus where the mummy of Pharaoh Ramses II was kept, a lingering sound was emitted. The hinges of the tomb creaked. And then those present saw a picture from which everyone shuddered. The mouth of the king's mummy was twisted by an inaudible scream. The body trembled, the embalming bandages burst, and the arms crossed over the chest straightened, striking the glass lid of the sarcophagus with force. The pieces scattered in all directions. People in a panic rushed to the stairs, one of the guests jumped out the window.

In the morning press, all the circumstances of this shocking event were discussed with gusto. However, the Ministry of Antiquities in its comments indicated that, in fact, the explanation for such a strange "behavior of the mummy" is quite simple. With the accumulation of people in the hall, unbearable stuffiness and humidity were created. And the mummy should be kept in the dry air of a cool tomb.

Whatever it was with the climatic conditions, but, the mummy froze, turning its head in a northerly direction - towards the Valley of the Kings. The broken glass was soon replaced. Hands swaddled, as before, in a cruciform state. However, the face of the pharaoh of Ancient Egypt remained turned to the north.

Mummy of Tutankhamen

But, the most famous mummy of Tutankhamun. This pharaoh ruled at a young age from 1332 to 1323 until
ad. He died at the age of 18 - 20 years. During his lifetime, he did not stand out in a series of his predecessors and successors. His name became known due to the fact that his tomb was not touched by ancient marauders.

Who was the last to be seen by the Pharaoh's almond-shaped eyes before closing forever? Scientists who have studied the mummy of Tutankhamun are inclined to the version of his violent death. Scientists have made about 50 x-rays of the head of the mummy of the pharaoh, perfectly preserved to this day. The pictures clearly show that the bones of the skull are unusually thin in the ear area. This gave reason to believe that it was in this place that one or even several blows were delivered. Most likely, scientists suggest, Tutankhamun really received a blow to the temple with some kind of blunt object, say, a wooden mallet for a gong. But, he only stunned him. Then followed the second blow, fatal for the pharaoh, who before that, it seems, was prudently drugged. However, even then, the mortally wounded Tutankhamen tried to rise. He was given strength by a reflex developed by the ancient Egyptians, associated with the belief that the victim must see his killer before death, so that her ghost, parting with the body shell, relentlessly pursued the tormentor. But, who could dare to kill the pharaoh?

Tutankhamun's wife, 16-year-old Ahnesepaaten, apparently still sincerely loved her husband. One of the evidence of this is the bouquet of modest wildflowers she placed in the sarcophagus of the deceased, which, having lain there for over three millennia (!!!), appeared intact before the admiring glances of scientists who discovered this only unplundered tomb. And yet, love is love, and politics is politics. Ankhesenamun was the daughter of the famous reformer pharaoh Akhenaten and his no less famous beautiful wife Nefertiti. The reign of Tutankhamun is the time of Egypt's exit from the civil war caused by the struggle of two religious directions. The assassination of Tutankhamen was, apparently, the last desperate attempt of Akhenaten's supporters to declare themselves, to try to regain power. But, this is only one of the possible versions of the death of the young pharaoh.

However, the very mummy of the pharaoh of Egypt refutes the violent death. The tomb in which she was kept was full of bottles of malaria medicine. Modern DNA analysis has not ruled out the version that the young man had a serious illness, due to which he died prematurely.

Approached the truth investigated after studying the gene pool of his family. “Artifacts have shown that the kings of the 18th dynasty had an androgynous appearance and an unknown form of gynecomastia,” the scientific council announced. This conclusion was made after examining the mummy of Tutankhamun's grandfather, his father and two stillborn children found in his tomb. As it turned out, two children were born from the marriage of the boy pharaoh to his half-sister Ankhesenamun.

Tutankhamun, as it turned out, suffered from a bunch of serious diseases. He had brittle bones and wolf
mouth. The boy clubfooted and dragged his left leg - the left foot was twisted. Congenital dislocation. A more thorough scan showed that the boy was far from handsome. But, and call him a freak, too, the language does not turn. Although Tutankhamun's teeth were crooked. In addition, the pharaoh also had genetic ailments: which turned him almost into a woman - with thick hips and a semblance of mammary glands.

Scientists from London also suggest that Tutankhamun had epilepsy. “It is assumed that the heir to the dynasty suffered from temporal lobe epilepsy, which is transmitted through the male line. In people with this disease, when exposed to sunlight, activity and religious zeal are noted.

Perhaps Tutankhamun was the weakest and most infirm of the pharaohs. The clue to the state of his health was in his tomb, where about 130 walking sticks were found. It was the tomb of Tutankhamen that allowed modern science to recreate the environment in which the mummies of the pharaohs of Egypt were buried.

Curses of the Egyptian pharaohs

The Egyptians tried to make the graves inaccessible to living people - they filled up the entrances to the underground tombs with tons of rubble and stones, created false passages, and carefully masked the real ones, set up deadly traps. The inscriptions on the tombs threatened curious terrible death and deprivation of the afterlife - "their bodies will not wait for rest, punishment will fall on their descendants." And sometimes, if the criminals could read, it helped.

The mystery of the “curse of the Egyptian pharaohs” that has excited the minds of historians, archaeologists, physicians and just curious people all over the world for decades, still remains unsolved. Where did all this come from?

In the 60s of the 19th century, a wealthy Englishman Douglas Murray, who collected a collection of uniqueness, bought a lid removed by "tomb robbers" from the sarcophagus of some Egyptian mummy. A couple of days after the acquisition, during a hunt, a gun exploded in Murray's hands, and the collector lost his arm. A little later, the lid of the sarcophagus was loaned to them for a private exhibition in another city and sent by ship. During those few days while she was in the hold, the unfortunate ship burned twice.

The biggest misfortune befell Murray's friend, who helped him acquire part of the sarcophagus. She received news of the death of her husband, son and two sisters during a flood in. The lady immediately went to the British colony for the funeral of her relatives, but the ship ran into reefs and sank near the Cape of Good Hope.

In 1860, during the excavation of the pyramid, five local residents found a tomb with the mummy of the high priestess of the temple of Pharaoh Amenemhet II Amon-Ra from the city of Great Thebes. The sarcophagus with the mummy was bought from them by four British archaeologists. The Arabs started a quarrel among themselves because of the money received, which ended in a bloody fight. They all died from stab wounds. These were the first five victims of the Egyptian priestess.

The Egyptologist, who was transporting the mummy to Cairo, injured his finger on the sarcophagus, as a result of which he received blood poisoning. Surgeons had to urgently amputate his hand to save his life (think about it, because of a scratch!). The scientist's assistant, who was involved in sending the mummy to London, soon shot himself. The third member of the archaeological expedition died of a fever. The fourth was crushed in the street by a cart of a draft cab ...

The next owner, a London antiquary, on the third day after acquiring the mummy, lost his young wife: she died after falling from a horse. A journalist who was preparing an article for a women's magazine about the priestess of Amun-Ra had a series of misfortunes during the month of work on the report: her mother died, the groom broke off the engagement, two young and healthy spaniels suddenly died. The girl fell into a severe depression and refused to work on the article. Friends helped her find a Scottish fortune teller who performed special cleansing rituals to get rid of evil spells.

The photographer, who was commissioned by the Egyptian authorities to take pictures of the priestess, went crazy. His imagination painted terrible pictures for him - the priestess came to life and thirsted for the blood of the people who had awakened her. To the dismay of the witnesses, a mask appeared on the photographic negatives, which in no way resembles the face of the Theban priestess painted on the lid of the sarcophagus. The second photographer died eight days after the shooting from sunstroke (!).

Scientists refused further research and in 1889 the fatal exhibit was transferred to the British Museum. During its transportation, one of the loaders broke his leg, and the second fell ill with some mysterious illness and after a couple of days gave his soul to God.

The object was cataloged as 22542 and placed in the first Egyptian room. Rumors soon spread that the curator of the Egyptian collection of the museum, Sir Ernest Badge, who was keenly interested in magic, received a secret order during one of the seances to get rid of the mummy and save only the empty sarcophagus. It was said that for a very long time they could not find a buyer for the remains of the priestess. It wasn't until 1912 that an eccentric American millionaire purchased the mummy and sent it to the New World aboard the Hampshire steamer. On the way to New York, the ship sank. There are other versions of the disappearance of the mummy. Anyway, since then, the sarcophagus is empty.

In 1921, at night, in the presence of several witnesses, a rite of exorcism was held in the museum. But it is not known whether he helped - almost daily at the glass display case with the sarcophagus, those who stare too long at the image of the calm, thoughtful face of the deceased priestess faint. And museum workers, especially night watchmen, assure that from time to time in the corridors adjacent to the hall, one can see the ghost of a woman, easily gliding through the air, wrapped in linen ribbons, with her hands tightly pressed to her body ...

In 1890, Professor Soren Resden from Göttingen unearthed a burial in the Valley of the Kings and immediately
stumbled upon an ominous warning: "He who desecrates the tomb of the temple scribe Sennar will be swallowed forever by the sand before the moon changes its face twice." Resden, however, continued to work, and having completed the excavations, he soon sailed from Egypt. He was found dead in the cabin - the ship's doctor stated strangulation without the use of violence. To the amazement of those present, a handful of sand fell out of the fist of the deceased ...

On April 4, 1912, one of the most grandiose ships in history, the Titanic, sailed off the coast of Southampton. He went to New York. There were 2,000 passengers on board the ship. It was run by one of the best captains, Sea Wolf Smith, who has an excellent reputation and has not made a single mistake in his entire career. But, on this day, something unimaginable happened to him: he gave orders, completely unaware of their consequences. He ordered to increase the speed, changed the direction of the ship.

About 40 thousand kg of supplies were placed in the holds of the Titanic: vegetables, fruits, 7 thousand bags of foret, 35 thousand eggs ... and one mummy of Ancient Egypt. She was transported from London to New York by Lord Canterville. The remains belonged to the famous Egyptian oracle Amenophis IV. A figurine of Osiris was placed under the head of the mummy, on which the words were inscribed: "Arise from the dust and all who stand in your way will perish." After some organizational measures, it was decided to place it near the captain's hold. Victims of the mummy curse have been known to suffer from mental confusion and delusions. Maybe it was this mummy of Ancient Egypt that became a trap for Captain Smith? After all, we all know well what eventually happened to the Titanic and how many people died...

In December 1993, the tomb of Pharaoh Peteti and his wife was opened in Giza. The age of the tomb was about 4,600 years. Archaeologists were attracted by the inscription: "The great goddess Hathor will punish twice anyone who dares to desecrate this grave." These words were not an empty threat. The head of the excavation, Zaki Hawass, suddenly suffered a heart attack, which almost led to death. The earthquake destroyed the home of his archaeologist colleague, who was at the dig. Ultimately, the train carrying the recovered valuables derailed, and most of the artifacts were completely destroyed.

But, the most famous story about the curse of mummies is connected with the misfortunes that befell everyone who was present at the opening of the tomb of Tutankhamun. As you know, the leaders of the expedition, the British Lord Carnarvon and Howard Carter, their secretaries, servants, as well as members of their families and even dogs died under mysterious circumstances within a few years after the opening of the tomb.

For several years, one by one, all the members of the expedition who excavated and extracted treasures from the tomb, and those who were involved in the study of the mummy of the pharaoh of Ancient Egypt, died. Only 22 people. For all of them, death was equally unpredictable and fleeting. Death did not spare doctors, linguists, historians of world renown: La Flor, Callender, Winlock, Astori...

Lord Carnarvon, who financed the excavations, died on April 5, 1923, 4 months after he had been in the tomb at the Continental Hotel in Cairo from pneumonia, and hoaxes around his death arose almost immediately.

On May 16, 1923, 59-year-old American financier George Gould, who also visited the tomb, died of transient pneumonia against the backdrop of a fever caught in Egypt.

On July 10, 1923, a member of the Egyptian royal family, Prince Ali Kamel Fahmi Bey, who was present at the opening of the tomb, was shot dead by his wife.

On September 26, 1923, after a dental operation, Carnarvon's half-brother, traveler and diplomat Colonel Aubrey Gerber, died of blood poisoning.

Archibald Juglas was entrusted with the X-ray examination of the mummy extracted from the golden sarcophagus of Tutankhamun
Reed. His work was carried out flawlessly and deserved high praise from experts. But, as soon as he arrived at home, he felt a sharp attack of nausea, weakness, and after two hours of delirium died.

On November 19, 1924, Governor-General Sir Lee Stack was shot dead by a terrorist in Cairo.

On April 6, 1928, archaeologist Arthur Mays died at the age of 54. His health had gradually deteriorated since the opening of the tomb and was the subject of press attention and speculation, officially it was stated that the researcher died from arsenic poisoning.

On May 26, 1929, Carnarvon's younger half-brother Marvin Herbert died of "pneumonia associated with malaria".

On November 15, 1929, Carter's secretary, Captain Richard Barthel, died unexpectedly. A young, healthy man had a heart failure. The story of the curse of the pharaoh went all over Europe.

On February 20, 1930, Bartel's father Sir Richard, Baron Westbury, threw himself from a seventh floor window; according to some newspaper reports, the hearse with the body of the baron crushed the boy to death in the street.

Geoffrey Dean, chief physician at Port Elizabeth Hospital, found a virus - a fungus that caused the symptoms that patients had: dizziness, weakness, loss of reason. Any animal, including bats, could become spreaders of pathogens. It was they who were the permanent inhabitants of the chambers of the pharaoh of ancient Egypt. This disease is transmitted by the respiratory route, therefore, the nurse of Lord Carnarvon soon suffered the same fate.

In 1962, after the announcement of the result of research on pathogenic bacteria by Dr. Dean, physician Ezzeddin Taha from the University of Cairo called a special meeting. For a long time, Dr. Taha monitored the health of archaeologists and staff members of the Egyptian Museum who worked with the mummy. In their lungs, he found the presence of microscopic fungi Aspergillus niger, which for a long time remained closed in pyramids and tombs. The scientist concluded that now you can quite safely go in search of new treasures, since there is a vaccine against these pathogenic bacteria. Perhaps science would have known the true causes of the death of Lord Carnarvon and the members of the team, if he himself had not suffered the same fate: the curse killed Taha.

Desert road in the middle of the sands between Cairo and Suez. A car passing by here is a rarity. No road markings, signs, sharp turns and descents. Dr. Taha, traveling with two co-workers, took this road to Suez. There was an accident on the road, they crashed with a limousine: all three died on the spot, the passengers and the driver of the other car were not injured. At autopsy, an embolism was found in the airways of a physician - a rupture of the vessels of the respiratory tract ...

Even if we take into account the fact that fungi caused the death of Lord Carnarvon and his entourage, the circumstances of the death of other people associated with the discovery of the tomb of the pharaoh remained a mystery. Scientists have also put forward a version that in ancient Egypt a recipe for preparing poison was known with the help of these same microorganisms. He served as the best protector for the treasures of the tombs and the peace of the pharaohs.

But what about the fate of Howar Carter, who spent many years, day after day, in a stuffy crypt in the Valley of the Kings in Luxor? He was tormented by a constant migraine, he suffered from hallucinations. However, he lived for quite a long time after the opening of the tomb. It can be assumed that due to long contact with these bacteria, his body developed immunity.

Along with poisonous mixtures, there were other protective means that the priests in ancient Egypt used to protect burials with mummies, including those in the pyramids. According to the religious beliefs of the ancient Egyptians, the essence of the human "I" was embodied in three substances: "Hat" is its physical shell, "Ba", personifying the spiritual power, that is, the soul, and "Ka", which was the unity of Hat and Ba. The inner essence of each person, his Ka, is individual and unique. This beginning provides a protective shell for the energy field and provides a connection between the two beginnings.

Ka governs only the living body. As soon as a person goes to the Kingdom of the Dead of Osiris, Ka loses control and peace. In order to mitigate the fate of Ka, prayers were read, rituals of sacrifice were performed. The image of the deceased was depicted on sarcophagi and tombs. They helped Ka find a new shell and incarnate in it. For this reason, Ka was tied to the burial place. The angry spirit, left without its abode, the body, did not spare anyone. The ancient Egyptians firmly believed in his existence and were afraid of his wrath. There were those who skillfully controlled this energy, mostly priests.

This explains the fact that not ordinary citizens were engaged in robberies, they would not dare to disturb the peace of the pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. The tombs were plundered by those who possessed knowledge and had the appropriate rank in the performance of religious services. They possessed data on the exact location of the tomb and treasures.

Scientists have established that the tomb of Tutankhamen has already been opened. This is evidenced, as Carter himself claimed, royal seals. Probably, the burial place was discovered by Oremheb, who was in the position of the chief military commander under Pharaoh Tutankhamen in Ancient Egypt. After the death of the young king, he took his throne, continuing the dynastic line. Whether Oremheb was guilty of his death has not been proven by science. But it is known that he made every effort to erase the name of Tut from the walls of all temples and shrines. By the way, he had unlimited power over the priests. However, for an unknown reason, a few years after the discovery of the tomb, the pharaoh's mummy was returned to the place where it had lain in complete solitude and darkness for several centuries.

It is known that before the closing of the tomb of the pharaohs, a ritual of bloody sacrifice was performed near it. Many slaves involved in the construction of the tomb died. They knew the entrances and exits, the location of corridors and cells. But, the reason was not only this. Their essence Ka, which did not find rest in the crypt, was bound to destroy in anger anyone who entered the tomb. But modern science is unlikely to be able to explain this ancient Egyptian religious custom...

The tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamen was not the only excavation site in the Valley of the Kings. Archaeologists have discovered here hundreds of immured crypts with mummies. Did they all bear the same seal of curse?

Archaeologist Belzoni spent several years doing research in Luxor. Here is what he said about his work: “The Valley of the Kings, or, as it is even more accurately called the “Valley of the Dead”, is one of the most mysterious, but at the same time, the darkest and cursed places on earth. We have carried out a number of works in this area, and what can I tell you. Working conditions are terrible. The closeness of the narrow rooms of the tombs makes it impossible to breathe. Many workers faint. And all this in the heat of +45 - +60°C. Fine sand - limestone is constantly pouring from the ceiling. The lungs are saturated with this mixture. The nose and throat do not breathe. Also, don't forget, we're surrounded by a lot of mummies that give off fumes. Sunlight practically does not penetrate these places. We light candles or torches, while seeing a terrible sight of mummies around. One day, I accidentally sat on someone's mummified remains instead of a wooden chair. The feeling was uncomfortable."

Perhaps the ancient Egyptians used radioactive radiation to protect the chambers of the pharaohs. The famous Egyptologist Goneim noted: “It has long been scientifically proven that the ancient Egyptians used resins extracted from the Red Sea coast when carrying out mummification. They contained radioactive particles. Mummies' bandages found in tombs were soaked in this substance. Obviously, the dust in the crypts was a source of radiation. This suggests that the ancient Egyptians used this substance in their religious ceremonies. Most likely, they personified him with the incarnation of Ra - the cult of the Sun.

But, more recently, a group of physicists from the National Center for Nuclear Research of Egypt disproved this theory. According to experts, Egyptian mummies found at different times in ancient burials do not contain any radioactive elements and are absolutely safe for human health.

With the help of the most modern instruments, specialists studied more than 500 mummies in various museums in Egypt for almost a year. Examination was made not only of the remains of such legendary figures as the pharaohs Ramses II and Amenhotep, exhibited in the Cairo National Museum, but also the mummies of hundreds of unknown viziers and entourage, which were kept at the medical faculty of Qasr al-Aini University. The experiments carried out made it possible to state with confidence: there are no sources of harmful radiation in mummies.

Even in the days of silent cinema, films appeared in which mummies revived or revived through the efforts of sorcerers pursued people, strangled them, and drove them to suicide. Fiction. Fairy tales. And yet... Modern bioenergy therapists who have studied Egyptian antiquities unanimously assert that mummies have a very negative energy field, therefore, they should be studied with extreme caution. It seems that the mysteries of the ancient Egyptian civilization will never be fully solved.

Johannes Krause, a paleogeneticist at the University of Tübingen, said that the genomes of three of the 151 mummies that the German researchers worked with were completely restored. Their DNA is well-preserved despite the hot Egyptian climate, the high humidity in the burial sites, and the chemicals used for embalming.

The restoration of the genome promises - albeit in the long term - the restoration of its owner. By cloning. Which will suit the ancient Egyptians, who hoped to somehow and someday rise from the dead. For this they became mummies. As if they foresaw that the remains of flesh and bones would come in handy...

Tours to Egypt – specials of the day

ar.) - a corpse protected from decomposition by mummification or embalming. The creation of mummies was practiced by different peoples, it reached a special perfection in Ancient Egypt.

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MUMMY

in Dr. In Egypt, the body of the deceased is protected from the decay of the arts. way. This was required by faith in the afterlife. life and immortality of the soul. Before the era of Dr. kingdoms, noted the construction of the pyramids, mummification was not widespread. It was believed that after death, only the bodies of the pharaoh and his nobles should be preserved. However, as the commemoration intensifies. The cult of mummification ceased to be the privilege of the pharaoh and became publicly available. According to Herodotus, it was divided into 3 classes. The common desire was to preserve the body of the deceased from decay by removing the brain and entrails (except for the heart). Then the corpse was kept in a saline solution. After expiration ritual. a period of 70 days, the corpse was taken out and, depending on the available. funds for mummification, were poured with fragrant resins and swaddled with linen or filled with sawdust in the cavities of the chest, abdomen and skull. By the era of Dr. kingdom, the tradition goes back to depicting on this canvas the appearance of the deceased in full growth. Last. a custom appeared to remove the mask from the face (even later it was replaced by a funeral portrait). The insides were also treated with incense and canning. substances and lowered into the sarcophagus. Amulets, placed between the burial shrouds at the head and legs, they were supposed to protect the deceased in the afterlife.

A mummy is a body of a living creature specially treated with a chemical substance, in which the process of tissue decomposition slows down. Mummies are stored for hundreds and even thousands of years, carrying the history of our ancestors, their customs and appearance. On the one hand, mummies look terribly scary, sometimes goosebumps run from one glance, on the other hand, they keep the most interesting history of the ancient world. We have compiled a list of 13 of the most creepy and at the same time the most interesting mummies ever discovered in the world:

13. Guanajuato Mummies Museum, Mexico

Photo 13. Guanajuato Mummies Museum - 59 mummies that died in 1850-1950 are on display [blogspot.ru]

The Guanajuato Mummies Museum in Mexico is one of the strangest and most terrible in the world, with about 111 mummies (59 of which are on display) that died between 1850 and 1950. The distorted facial expressions on some of the mummies indicate that they were buried alive. Hundreds of thousands of tourists visit the museum every year.

12. Baby mummy in Qilakitsoq, Greenland

Photo 12. Mummy of a 6-month-old boy in Greenland (Qilakitsoq township) [Choffa]

Another example of a living burial is a 6-month-old boy found in Greenland. Nearby, 3 more mummies of women were found, perhaps one of them is the boy's mother, with whom he was buried alive (according to the Eskimo customs of that time). The mummies are dated 1460. Thanks to the icy climate of Greenland, the clothes of that time are well preserved. In total, 78 pieces of clothing made from the skins of animals, such as seals and deer, were found. There were small tattoos on the faces of adults, but the face of a child is just awful!

11. Rosalia Lombardo, Italy

Photo 11. 2-year-old girl who died in 1920 from pneumonia [Maria lo sposo]

Little Rosalia was only 2 years old when she died of pneumonia in 1920 in Palermo (Sicily). The saddened father instructed the famous embalmer Alfred Salafia to mummify the body of Rosalia Lombardo.

10. Mummy with a painted face, Egypt

Photo 10. The mummy from Egypt is presented in the British Museum [Klafubra]

When we think about mummies, the first thing that comes to mind is Egypt. Many films have been made featuring these surviving corpses, which, bandaged in bandages, come back to life, attacking civilians. The photo shows one of the typical representatives of mummies (the exhibit is on display at the British Museum).

9. Christian Friedrich von Kalbutz, Germany

Photo 9. Knight Christian, Germany [B. Schroeren]

The photo shows the German knight Christian, an aura of mystery surrounds this terrible look of the mummy.

8. Ramses II, Egypt

Photo 8. The mummy of the Egyptian pharaoh - Ramses the Great [ThutmoseIII]

The mummy shown in the photo belongs to Pharaoh Ramses II (Ramses the Great), who died in 1213 BC. and is one of the most famous Egyptian pharaohs. It is believed that he was the ruler of Egypt during the campaign of Moses and is represented as such in many works of art. One of the distinguishing features of the mummy is the presence of red hair, symbolizing the connection with the god Set, the patron saint of royal power.

7. Skrydstrup woman, Denmark

Photo 7. Mummy of a girl 18-19 years old, Denmark [Sven Rosborn]

Mummy of a woman 18-19 years old, buried in Denmark in 1300 BC. From her clothes and jewelry, it can be assumed that she belonged to the family of the leader. The girl was buried in an oak coffin, so her body and clothes are surprisingly well preserved.

6. Ginger, Egypt

Photo 6. Mummy of an Egyptian adult [Jack1956]

The mummy of Ginger “Ginger” is an Egyptian mummy of an adult male who died over 5,000 years ago and was buried in the sand in the desert (at that time the Egyptians had not yet begun mummification of corpses).

5. Man Gallah, Ireland

Photo 5. Gallagh man buried in a swamp [Mark J Healey]

This strange type of mummy, known as the Gallagh Man, was discovered in a swamp in Ireland in 1821. The man was buried in a swamp wearing a cloak with a fragment of a willow branch around his neck. Some researchers believe he may have been strangled.

4. Man Rendsvuren, Germany

Photo 4. Man bog Rendsvuren [Bullenwächter]

The Rendswühren swamp man, like Gallach the swamp man, was found in a swamp, this time in Germany in 1871. The man was 40-50 years old, it is believed that he was beaten to death, the body was found in the 19th century.

3. Seti I - the pharaoh of ancient Egypt

Photo 3. Seti I - Egyptian pharaoh in the tomb. [underwood and underwood]

Seti I ruled 1290-1279 B.C. The pharaoh's mummy was buried in an Egyptian tomb. The Egyptians were skilled embalmers, so we can see their work in our time.

2. Princess Ukok, Altai

Photo 2. Mummy of Princess Ukok [