10 Pyramid Discoveries That SCARED Archaeologists

For more than 3,000 years, one of history's greatest civilizations flourished along northeast Africa's winding Nile River. Excavations of Egypt's ancient sites have continued steadily since the early 20th century. Each new discovery offered insight into a civilization's intricacies that made striking advances in nearly every area of human knowledge, art, mathematics, agriculture, engineering, and written language. But some of the discoveries left scientists to wonder, how on earth? And even scared them to death. Even today, many tombs remain to be excavated, promising more shocking finds yet to come. Number 10. The Egyptian Pyramids at Giza. Perhaps the most famous and recognizable symbol of ancient Egypt, these immense structures were built for three generations of pharaohs. Kufu, aka Cheops, Khafre, and Menkaure were ruling during the Old Kingdom in 2575 to 2130 BC. However, it's still unknown how the Egyptian pyramids were constructed. The ancient Greek historian Herodotus estimated that 100,000 men labored for 20 years to create the largest, the Great Pyramid, for Kufu. What's more impressive, it is now proven that Great Pyramids were built without the labor of slaves. Over the centuries, looters broke in and removed many of their treasures. By the first modern excavation in 1880, archaeologists could only guess at the riches that they had once contained. And we can only imagine how many of these looters died in perplexed and deadly traps. Number 9. Kufu's Mystery. The Giza Pyramid complex, located on modern Cairo's outskirts, contains other marvels, including the Sphinx, a vast statue of a lion with the pharaoh Khafre's head. Sphinx is one of the most enigmatic mythological creatures, no doubt, but the next discovery will shock you even more than the chilling sight of the Sphinx. In 1954, archaeologists stumbled onto something eerie, measuring some 140 feet long, buried in pieces at the Great Pyramid base. Can you think of what it was? You'll never think. A full ship! How the hell did a ship get under the pyramid? The answer is quite simple. Inscribed with Pharaoh Kufu's name, it was apparently buried along with other grave goods. It was later excavated and displayed at the specially constructed Solar Boat Museum, just a few meters from where it was found. Now you understand how powerful these pharaohs were if they could compel to bring a full ship into their tombs. Number 8. King Tut's Tomb. The long-lost tomb of the 18th Dynasty boy pharaoh Tutankhamun was finally rediscovered by archaeologist Howard Carter in 1922. It's located in the Valley of the Kings on the west bank of the Nile. Tut's tomb had been covered by debris for some 3,000 years, protecting it from looters. What's more, it was covered with rumors of a dreadful curse for anyone who opens the tomb of the youngest pharaoh ever. Braving words of a curse, Carter's team opened a tomb filled with treasures. The most notable thing was Tut's mummy wearing a splendid gold death mask. This discovery provided evidence of Egyptians' history's most lavish period. Number 7. Rosetta Stone. In 1798, near the Egyptian town of Rashid, or Rosetta, officers in Napoleon Bonaparte's army spotted a black granite plate with writing on one side. Dated to 196 BC, the Rosetta Stone is probably created in Memphis on behalf of the pharaoh Ptolemy V, affirming his right to rule Egypt. One of the most mysterious writings about the Egyptian story, it remained a mystery for 30 years, until it was inscribed in three languages, hieroglyphic, demotic, and Greek. Its translation in 1822 gave the key to learning Egyptian hieroglyphics for the first time, shedding new light on ancient Egypt's entire history. Since the end of the Napoleonic Wars, it has been in British possession, though Egypt has long requested its return. Egyptian authorities should ask King Tut for a curse to bring the stone back. Number 6. Tomb of the Silver Pharaoh. At the beginning of World War II, the French Egyptologist Pierre Monet was excavating near Tannus' New Kingdom capital. There, he stumbled on a treasure-filled tomb rivaling King Tut. Searching for King Tut and finding the Silver Pharaoh. Inside, the little-known 21st Dynasty pharaoh Susniz I had been buried in an exquisitely detailed coffin made of solid silver, wearing a spectacular gold burial mask. The Silver Pharaoh's tomb's splendor raised new questions for historians, as it indicated a level of wealth and power. Historians had assumed pharaohs weren't so rich at the time Susniz ruled Egypt 3,000 years ago. Well, how exactly rich these sons of gods were? Number 5. Queen Hapshasut's Mummy. The history of the first woman pharaoh is still covered in shade and mystery. After Queen Hapshasut died around 1458 BC, her stepson and successor, Thutmose III, had much evidence of her reign erased. Little was known about Egypt's first great female leader until the late 19th century when archaeologists decoded the hieroglyphics on her temple at Deir el-Bari in Luxor. When Howard Carter found Hapshasut's sarcophagus in 1903, it was empty, as most of the tombs in the Valley of the Kings. But another tomb unearthed in the temple contained two coffins, one identified as that of Hapshasut's wet nurse. Finally, only in 2007, the remains in the other coffin were identified as Hapshasut herself. That happened after scientists matched a molar found in a jar with the queen's embalmed organs to a space in the mummy's jaw. Why did her stepson try to erase any evidence of Hapshasut's reign? Is there anything worse than being totally erased from history? We can only guess, while Hapshasut's mummy is now housed in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Number 4. Valley of the Golden Mummies We've covered a couple of mummies today, but how about the whole Valley of Golden Mummies? In the mid-1990s, a team of archaeologists uncovered a vast necropolis near Bawit, south of Cairo. An original excavation yielded 105 mummies, some decorated with gilded masks and chest plates, others buried more simply in terracotta, plaster, or linen coverings. Dubbed the Valley of the Golden Mummies, the ancient cemetery has since yielded hundreds of other mummies, representing various social classes. Experts believe it may contain as many as 10,000 mummies in all. And we thought only pharaohs and their friends could become a mummy. Just imagine Imhotep from the mummy movie coming to the valley and raising up the whole army of undead. Number 3. Ramses II's Mummy Finally, one of the most famous mummies and the most powerful ruler, it's your turn. Born around 1302 BC, the 19th dynasty pharaoh, Ramses II, ruled for more than six decades. He ordered the construction of so many massive monuments, such as the temples of Abu Simbel, and he ensured his legacy as ancient Egypt's most powerful pharaoh. His tomb, initially placed in the Valley of the Kings, was later moved to avoid the threat of looting. In 1881, archaeologists discovered his mummy, among many others, stored in a secret cache in Deir al-Bahri. It was believed that the mummy was holding some sort of curse, but instead of harming everyone around, it hurt itself. Egyptian Museum in Cairo, the mummy was famously issued a passport in 1970. It began deteriorating quickly and had to be transported to Paris to examine and treat a fungal infection. The curse went wrong. Number 2. Temples at Abu Simbel Talking about Ramses II and his buildings, by far the most ambitious building project undertaken during the reign of Ramses were these two stone temples, sliced into a mountainside near what is now the Egyptian Sudanese border. circa 1244 BC. The construction of this temple is definitely intricate and sophisticated. At the entrance to the more enormous temple sat four vast statues of the pharaoh. Simultaneously, inside, a network of chambers was built so that the sunlight could illuminate another statue of Ramses inside on two days each year. Long abandoned, the temple remained buried in sand until 1817, when the Italian archaeologist Giovanni Belzoni uncovered its entrance. In the 1960s, the whole temple complex was dismantled and rebuilt on higher ground to make way for the Aswan High Dam construction. Number 1. Temple of Bastet One of the most significant discoveries of the 21st century. In 2010, Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities announced that archaeologists had discovered the remains of a 2,200-year-old temple under the streets of modern-day Alexandria. Dedicated to Bastet, the Egyptian goddess who took the shape of a cat, the temple was built by Queen Bernice II, wife of Ptolemy III, Egypt's pharaoh from 246 to 222 BC. We are all aware of the cult around cats. We're living in one. Cats were revered animals and common house pets in ancient Egypt. Some 600 cat statues were found inside the temple, suggesting their veneration continued even during the Greek-speaking Ptolemaic dynasty. It ruled Egypt from the arrival of Alexander the Great in 332 BC to the suicide of Egypt's last ruler, Cleopatra, in AD 30. Talking about these 600 cats, Bastet definitely had no useful hobbies.