Posted on 04/01/2014 1:39:48 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
A tomb newly excavated at an ancient cemetery in Egypt would have boasted a pyramid 7 meters (23 feet) high at its entrance, archaeologists say.
The tomb, found at the site of Abydos, dates back around 3,300 years. Within one of its vaulted burial chambers, a team of archaeologists found a finely crafted sandstone sarcophagus, painted red, which was created for a scribe named Horemheb. The sarcophagus has images of several Egyptian gods on it and hieroglyphic inscriptions recording spells from the Book of the Dead that helped one enter the afterlife.
There is no mummy in the sarcophagus, and the tomb was ransacked at least twice in antiquity. Human remains survived the ransacking, however. Archaeologists found disarticulated skeletal remains from three to four men, 10 to 12 women and at least two children in the tomb.
(Excerpt) Read more at livescience.com ...
Dating back around 3,300 years this tomb was discovered recently at an ancient cemetery at Abydos in Egypt. At left the rectangular entrance shaft with massive walls served as a base for a small pyramid that was an estimated 23 feet (7 meters) high. Credit: Photo courtesy Kevin Cahail
another one, probably not warranting a separate topic, “I, Claudius”:
Roman Emperor Dressed As Egyptian Pharaoh in Newfound Carving
http://www.livescience.com/44350-carving-shows-roman-emperor-dressed-as-egyptian-pharaoh.html
"A tomb newly excavated at an ancient cemetery in Egypt would have boasted a pyramid 7 meters (23 feet) high at its entrance, archaeologists say. "
Well,,, that's assuming that the Egyptians built Pyramids on top of tombs. Which they didn't.
We have yet to find a burial TOMB inside a pyramid. And there are thousands of pyramids around the planet.
Oddly, most of the public still believes that Pyramids were built to be burial tombs for ancient rulers.
The Mayans put at least one tomb inside a pyramid, and of course the Giza pyramids were all used as tombs. An Old Kingdom record survives regarding the plundering of the tomb of Khufu’s mother who died while the Great Pyramid was under construction, and interred near its base.
Menkaure, the smallest of the three large Giza pyramids, was used as that pharaoh’s tomb, and also reused as a tomb during the New Kingdom.
Not only the pyramid tombs, but also almost every last one of the Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens tombs were robbed in antiquity — apart from those few which were missed back then and robbed during the Middle Ages and up until the 19th century.
So you are saying that Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure were not entombed in the great pyramids on the Giza plain? You really want to stick with that story?
It’s got a for sale sign out front. It needs some work on the roof. Looks like beachfront property.
It’s a nice looking, uh, ruin. The ‘Gyppos didn’t really build tombs with the view in mind. :’)
Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure built those pyramids.
But were they buried in them ?
The Mayans put at least one tomb inside a pyramid,
Yes, but 'when' ? Just because a later civilization decides to put a notable person's tomb inside an existing pyramid doesn't mean that is what the original civilization built it for.
and of course the Giza pyramids were all used as tombs.
I have read that they have found tombs AROUND the pyramids. Are there any 'inside' and 'when' did they put them there ?
An Old Kingdom record survives regarding the plundering of the tomb of Khufu’s mother who died while the Great Pyramid was under construction, and interred near its base.
Again, it wasn't inside. Why wouldn't they put her tomb inside if that is what the pyramid was for ?
Menkaure, the smallest of the three large Giza pyramids, was used as that pharaoh’s tomb, and also reused as a tomb during the New Kingdom.
Menkaure... isn't he the one who died while building the pyramid ? Maybe he was buried in it by his son who continued building the pyramid. This is one case where I find someone was 'entombed' in the Pyramid, but still doesn't mean that is what the pyramid was built 'for'.
and also reused as a tomb during the New Kingdom.
Correct. Several additions were made to the 'pyramid complex', and those parts were used as tombs. Still, does nothing to prove that the purpose of the pyramid itself was to be a burial tomb for one person.
Not only the pyramid tombs, but also almost every last one of the Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens tombs were robbed in antiquity — apart from those few which were missed back then and robbed during the Middle Ages and up until the 19th century.
Well, the Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens may well have been the cemetery of the ruling elite, but in the case of the pyramids, how do we 'know' the bodies were there, if there are no bodies there ? I.E. We assume it was a 'tomb' for (most likely) one person, but we can't find the body. Seems like a weak argument.
I read that the reason we can't find some of the royal 'mummies' is because they were buried somewhere 'else' to keep them from being 'robbed/vandalized'. Was that true, or just an explanation for why the bodies weren't found inside the pyramids, but have been found in other places ?
One of the Mayan pyramids was built as a tomb. Prior to its discovery, it was believed (from past excavations) that the pyramids were just built like nesting dolls, one on top of the other, as part of their various calendar cycles. Turns out, that view was incorrect. And it’s now known that the Mayan cities were in a continual state of war, and rulers captured in battle would be, uh, vivisected.
There is NO BASIS for claiming that the Egyptian pyramids were NOT built as tombs. The burden of proof remains on those who make such claims. Saying that, just because they were used as tombs doesn’t mean they were built as tombs makes no sense at all.
The sarcophagus is right inside the “king’s chamber” in the Great Pyramid, but it was looted in antiquity. That pyramid was open to tourists during Ptolemaic and Greek times, then resealed during the Byzantine rule, which worked out because the muzzies took over in the 7th century.
During the Middle Ages one of the muzzie rulers decided to break into the Great Pyramid, but the location of the door was lost, and he had the hole chipped out that is used as the entrance today. After moling around the henchmen found their way into the lower corridor and viewed the original entrance from the back. Also during the Middle Ages the facing limestone was stripped from the Great Pyramid and Menkaure, and most of it was stripped from Khafre. Prior to that time, the exterior of the Great Pyramid had writing on it, which may still exist, but the stone was carted off to build mosques and other useless junk in Cairo.
During the archaeological era, the remnants of the painted plaster could still be seen inside the Great Pyramid, and the fragmentary text referred to such and such a year of the Cattle Drive from the reign of Khufu. Graffiti in one of the relieving chambers above the “king’s chamber” has Khufu’s name in a cartouche, and reads, “how mighty is the Great White Crown of Khufu work gang”, one of the worker squads that built the thing.
The pyramid as a structure began as a mastaba very early in Egyptian history. The mastaba was evolved into a stepped pyramid, some nice examples of which survive, but they were still of mud brick and despite the arid climate they are not structurally all that sound.
During the 4th dynasty Sneferu, father of Khufu, started building stone pyramids, the finest example of which is the Red Pyramid, which still contained fragments of human remains in the sarcophagus.
Khufu built the Great Pyramid. His son Djedjefre succeeded him and began building his pyramid at Abu Roash. He died after construction started but well before completion and was succeeded by his son who was a child. The unfinished Abu Roash pyramid was abandoned, and during recent centuries was rediscovered just in time to be carted away to build more stuff in Cairo.
Not long after Khufu’s younger son Khafre took over and began his own pyramid back at Giza. He was succeeded by his son Menkaure, who built quite a bit smaller pyramid, I suspect because of dynastic struggles that had led to multiple pharaohs. His son is placed in the 5th dynasty, and he was buried elsewhere, in a mastaba.
Somebody was. Khufu's tomb was robbed, but the fact of the matter is, there was a burial chamber and a sarcophagus. Khafre was, most likely buried in his pyramid, but there were lots of others buried there if not. Still a tomb. Menkaure's tomb had skeletal remains in a wooden coffin with his name on it. Since there is no next of kin, we can presume it is he.
Tombs.
Sneferu? I went to school with him! Good old Sneffie. He always smelled like asparagus, though. I think he’s a lawyer.
Thank you both for your informative responses.
I’m digesting them, and will continue to do more research.
My pleasure!
Just needs paint and curtains...
It was a pleasure conversing with you. Best to you in your endeavors. Egyptology was a brief passion of mine some while back, I even went so far as to pick up a copy of the Book of the Dead. Not an easy read.
Is that anything like the Democrat Voter Registration List ?
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