Ancient Egypt has always been shrouded in mysterious stories and legends that scientists and archaeologists seek to explore. Among the many mysteries of Egyptian civilization are numerous myths and misconceptions that have been perpetuated about this ancient society.
13 Mysteries of Ancient Egypt
- 1. The Beauty of Queen Cleopatra
- 2. Obsessed with Death
- 3. Aliens
- 4. Completely Discovered
- 5. Hieroglyphs
- 6. Decoration in the Pyramids
- 7. Pharaohs Killing Servants
- 8. Slaves Built the Pyramids
- 9. The Pharaoh’s Curse
- 10. Worship of Cats
- 11. Skincare with Gold
- 12. The Spiritual World in Egyptian Culture: The Duat
- 13. The Sea People
1. The Beauty of Queen Cleopatra
Cleopatra VII, the last Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt, is a historical figure known for her captivating beauty. This notion has persisted through time, from Shakespeare to filmmaker Joseph L. Mankiewicz. However, Roman coins depict Cleopatra with more masculine features: a prominent nose, a jutting chin, and thin lips—not the archetypal beauty standards of any culture. On the other hand, some significant sources suggest Cleopatra was very intelligent, contrasting with her external beauty.
2. Obsessed with Death
When studying Ancient Egypt with its pyramids, mummies, and gods, it’s easy to conclude they were obsessed with death. However, the Egyptians’ burial practices were actually a way to honor life. For instance, the decorative motifs found inside tombs depict agricultural, hunting, and fishing rituals. Moreover, valuable jewelry buried with the Egyptians helped them access the afterlife, where they could continue their current lives without hindrance. Mummification was a method to keep the deceased lifelike, prepared for an idealization of daily life. It’s clear that the Egyptians were obsessed with life, not death.
3. Aliens
Some people believe that the Egyptians had contact with aliens. They claim that the pyramids are supernatural achievements and that some murals depict extraterrestrial locations. This notion might offend the legacy of Ancient Egyptians. While the Great Pyramid of Giza is an incredible mathematical achievement, crafted by brilliant astronomers, scholars, and architects of the time, it does not imply that the Egyptians were allied with aliens; it merely indicates that no culture could match the monumental structures of the Egyptians until the 19th century.
4. Completely Discovered
Many believe we have discovered everything about Ancient Egypt. This is far from true. Fascinating discoveries about Ancient Egypt are still being made daily, shedding light on many new aspects of their civilization. For example, a “solar boat” is currently being excavated from the pyramids. This solar boat is believed to allow the bodies of the Pharaohs to assist the sun god Ra in battles against Apep, the demon of eternal darkness. Each night, Ra would sail his solar boat to fight Apep, and at dawn, Ra would rise victorious and roam the sky.
5. Hieroglyphs
It seems everyone believes that the Ancient Egyptians invented hieroglyphs. However, primitive hieroglyphs were likely introduced to Egypt by invading Westerners. Another myth suggests that hieroglyphs were a language of curses and magical spells. In reality, most hieroglyphs were used for inscriptions or historical descriptions. Curses are rarely found in tombs and are usually limited to phrases like: “Your lifespan will be diminished” or “You will have no heirs.” Interestingly, until the Rosetta Stone was discovered in 1798 and later translated, most scholars believed that hieroglyphs were not phonetic sounds forming an alphabet.
6. Decoration in the Pyramids
Hieroglyphs cover a significant portion of the interiors of many ancient Egyptian tombs and palaces. Contrary to the legend, the pyramids were hardly decorated. Indeed, until recently, the pyramids at Giza were thought to be entirely plain inside. This assumption was debunked when hieroglyphs were discovered behind a secret door in the pyramids a few months ago. Additionally, the pyramids were not just limestone blocks from 4000 years ago: some sections, such as the interior columns, were painted red or white. This type of paint and the mysterious texts made the pyramids quite simple. The architecture mainly consisted of cement, and the pyramids are the oldest and most popular stone buildings in the world.
7. Pharaohs Killing Servants
When kings died, their servants were not killed and buried with them as most people believe, except in a few rare cases. Two kings from the first dynasty of Egypt were known to have their servants buried with them. This generalization has led to a legend. Later kings may have realized that their loyal servants were more useful alive than dead, so instead of real servants, small statues were buried with the Pharaohs to assist them in the afterlife.
8. Slaves Built the Pyramids
The notion that slaves built the pyramids in Egypt has been circulated since the Greek historian Herodotus reported it in the 5th century BC. This has been proven false when tombs containing the remains of pyramid builders were found next to the pyramids at Giza. Being buried alongside kings was the greatest honor, never granted to slaves. Furthermore, the large number of cattle bones excavated at Giza indicates that beef, a delicacy in ancient Egypt, was the main food for the builders. Clearly, the construction of the pyramids must have been done by skilled craftsmen of Egypt, not by slaves as commonly believed.
9. The Pharaoh’s Curse
10. Worship of Cats
11. Skincare with Gold
12. The Spiritual World in Egyptian Culture: The Duat
13. The Sea People
The “Curse” surrounding those who opened the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun is a triumph of advertising media and public sensitivity. This legend tells of a curse from Tutankhamun that supposedly killed patron Lord Carnarvon and other members of the expedition team. Although various theories have been proposed, such as a dangerous type of fungus and gases accumulating inside the tomb, the deaths remain largely unexplained. Only 8 out of the 58 explorers who discovered the tomb died within 12 years, while the expedition leader, Carter, lived for over 16 years. Other coincidences suggest a confirmation bias: any misfortune that befell anyone in the expedition was attributed to the Pharaohs’ curse. The curse serves as a classic example of how people are driven to believe in an intriguing story rather than in factual events.
10. Worship of Cats
The Egyptians loved all animals, but cats were considered the most sacred, playing a crucial role in the spiritual lives of the people for a long time. This reverence stemmed from the protective goddess Bastet, who was depicted as a cat.
For the Egyptians, a cat’s bright eyes at night resembled the moon’s light on a dark, cloudy night. In the event of a house fire, saving the cat was the top priority.
When a cat died, every family member would mourn by shaving their eyebrows. This act was a way to express sorrow for the passing of the sacred animal. Anyone who killed a cat, even accidentally, would face the wrath of the Egyptian populace. Such a person would be punished by being thrown into a pit filled with venomous snakes.
The ancient Egyptians even mummified and buried deceased cats in a cemetery for felines alongside the mummies of mice. In 1888, a farmer discovered 80,000 cat mummies in a large tomb. This find is one of immense value for research, helping to uncover the lives of ancient Egyptians.
11. Gold Skin Care
The Egyptians passed down a secret beauty treatment to achieve a goddess-like appearance. It wasn’t until the late 20th century that this secret was decoded in France.
During research, archaeologists discovered many remains of noble Egyptians containing pure gold components. It turned out that ancient people sewed tiny gold threads under their skin to maintain youthful, elastic skin, smooth out wrinkles, and give their complexion a slightly shimmering, radiant quality.
12. The Spiritual World in Egyptian Culture: The Duat
Ancient Egyptian reliefs refer to a realm called Duat, governed by the Dragon God Osiris, the deity of life and death. This place resembles Earth but contains many bizarre elements such as a Fire Lake and Iron Walls.
To reach Duat, the soul must pass through 7 gates, guarded by half-human, half-beast creatures with peculiar names like “The Blood Drinkers from the Butcher’s Shop” and “The Defecator from its Hind Legs.”
After passing through all the gates, the deceased’s heart is placed on a scale to be weighed against the feather of the goddess Maat. If the person is pure and honest, their heart will weigh the same as the feather. At this moment, they are allowed to enter the realm of God Osiris.
If the heart weighs more, it indicates that the individual is impure and burdened with too many ambitions, leading to their soul being devoured by the demon Ammut, while their spirit faces punishment according to the laws of that realm.
13. The Sea Peoples
According to the ancient Egyptian historical encyclopedia, the Sea Peoples were a group of pirates who ravaged the Mediterranean. One of their primary targets was Egypt. Aside from a few brief descriptions, Egyptian records do not mention these sea invaders. Documents from the time of Ramses II do mention the Sea Peoples, who were associated with the Hittites but also served as mercenaries for King Ramses.
