Tomb' of Osiris discovered
Tomb' of Osiris discovered: Blackened structure was built to represent Egyptian god of death's mythical resting place
- Burial was modelled on the mythical tomb of the god of the afterlife
- Structure was likely used in rituals to connect Osiris with the pharaohs
- Tomb is located at the Al-Gorna necropolis on Luxor’s west bank
- It contains a chapel holding a statue of the god and carvings
- Two rooms full of debris lie untouched within the dark structure
An eerie blackened ‘tomb’ belonging to Osiris – the ancient Egyptian god of gods – has been unearthed.
It is thought that the symbolic burial site was used in rituals to connect the god of the afterlife’s vast powers with the pharaohs.
The unusual structure was built during the 25th Dynasty between 760 and 525BC and was uncovered at the Al-Gorna necropolis on the west bank of the River Nile near Luxor, Egypt.
A blackened ‘tomb’ of Osiris – the ancient Egyptian god of gods – has been unearthed (pictured). It is thought that the symbolic burial site was used in rituals to connect the god of the afterlife and reincarnation’s vast powers with those of thepharaohs
Announced by Antiquities Minister Mamdouh al-DamAcaty, the ‘Tomb of Min’ is based on the mythical tomb of Osiris, complete with shafts, chapel, a large hallway, burial chamber, carvings and even a statue of the god, The Luxor Times reported.
A staircase leading down from a pillared hallway cuts through the bedrock to a chapel with a vaulted ceiling, which holds a statue of Osiris.
Osiris is traditionally depicted as a green-skinned, bearded man whose legs are mummified. He is often seeing wearing a pointed crown with ostrich feathers and holding a crook and flail.
Pharaohs and other rich ancient Egyptians were associated with Osiris in death if they paid for assimilation rituals, which meant they could rise from the dead with Osiris and inherit eternal life.
The statue is surrounded by a corridor to isolate and protect what is thought to be the most important part of the tomb.
Announced by Antiquities Minister Mamdouh al-DamAcaty, the ‘Tomb of Min’ is based on the mythical tomb of Osiris, complete with shafts, chapel, a large hallway, burial chamber, carvings (seen here) and even a statue of the god
THE MYTH AND IMPORTANCE OF OSIRIS
Osiris is traditionally depicted as a bearded man whose legs are mummified. He is often seeing wearing a pointed crown with ostrich feathers and holding a crook and flail.
The crook is thought to represent Osiris as a shepherd god, but the symbolism of the flail is more uncertain.
He is commonly depicted as a pharaoh with a complexion of either green - the color of rebirth - or black, alluding to the fertility of the Nile floodplain.
Osiris (illustrated) is traditionally depicted as a green-skinned, bearded man whose legs are mummified
Considered the oldest son of the Earth god Geb, he is ruler of the dead and granter of life in the form of sprouting crops and fertile flooding of the Nile.
Through hope of new life after death, Osiris is associated with cycles observed in nature, but he was worshiped as Lord of the Dead until the suppression of the Egyptian religion during the rise of Christianity in the Roman Empire
He has also been decribed as: 'he who is permanetly benign and youthful' and the 'lord of science'.
Pharaohs and other rich ancient Egyptians were associated with Osiris in death if they paid for assimilation rituals, which meant they could rise from the dead with Osiris and inherit eternal life.
One version of the myth of Osiris says that his brother, Set, along with the Queen of Ethiopia, conspired with 72 accomplices to plot his assassination.
Set fooled Osiris into getting into a box, which was sealed and thrown into the Nile. But Osiris' wife, Isis, searched for his remains until she found him embedded in a tamarind tree trunk, which was holding up the roof of a palace.
She managed to remove the coffin and open it, but Osiris was already dead.
She used a spell to bring him back to life so she could become pregnant, but afterwards he died again and she hid his body in the desert. Months later, she gave birth to Horus, the patron deity of Nekhen in Upper Egypt who is often depicted as a falcon, as with a falcon's head.
Later, hunting in the desert, Set came across the body of Osiris and tore it into 14 pieces, scattering them across the land.
Isis gathered up all the parts of the body - except for his phallus, which was eaten by a catfish - and bandaged them together for a proper burial.
The gods were impressed by her devotion and resurrected Osiris as god of the underworld.
On the west side of the corridor, a funerary chamber is decorated with reliefs of demons and deities holding knives, which are thought to be armed guardians standing guard over the tomb’s occupant.
Archaeologists of the Spanish and Italian-led excavation note that the symbolism of Osiris is present throughout the building, including a staircase leading to the underworld, the statue on its ‘island’ and an empty corridor symbolising a river.
A burial chamber lies below the statue, linking the dead with Osiris.
On the west side of the corridor of the Osiris statue, another room contains a shaft 22ft (seven metres) deep, leading to two empty rooms and two more debris-filled rooms that are yet to be explored.
The unusual structure was built during the 25th Dynasty between 760 and 525BC and was uncovered at the Al-Gorna necropolis on the west bank of the River Nile near the Valley of the Kings (marked on the map and the city of Luxor, Egypt
The architecture of this tomb is unusual because it represents a model of the mythical tomb of Osiris, of which the most obvious replica known so far is called the Osireion at Abydos (a plan is shown)
The two chambers may have escaped the attention of archaeologist Philippe Virey who discovered the tomb in the 1880s, the Egyptian Department of Antiquities said.
While he made some attempts to plot it on a map, the significance of the site has been ignored until now.
Deep inside the ancient structure, another staircase in front of the statue of Osiris goes down 29ft (nine metres) leading to a room with another shaft, which is thought to be the deepest part of the funerary complex.
It is not known when excavtions will continue.
TOMB OF AN UNKNOWN EGYPTIAN QUEEN DISCOVERED
The tomb of a previously unknown queen has been discovered, Egyptian officials have revealed.
Unearthed by Czech archaeologists in Abu-Sir, south-west of Cairo, the tomb is thought to belong to the wife or mother of Pharaoh Neferefre who ruled 4,500 years ago.
Abu-Sir was an Old Kingdom necropolis used by the ancient Egyptian capital of Memphis.
Forgotten queen: The discovery was made in Abu-Sir, south-west of Cairo, and is thought to be 4,500 years old. The location of the grave has made archaeologists believe she was probably the wife of the pharoah
Here pyramids dedicated to Fifth Dynasty pharaohs, including Neferefre, can also be found.
The location of the queen's grave, in Pharaoh Neferefre's funeral complex hints that she was probably the wife of the pharaoh, however.
Egyptian Antiquities Minister Mamdouh el-Damaty said that her name, Khentakawess, had been found inscribed on a wall in the necropolis.
Mr Damaty added that this would make her Khentakawess III as two previous queens by this name were already known of.
Archaeologists also found 30 utensils - with 24 made of limestone.
Mr Damaty explained that the discovery would help them shed light on unknown aspects of the Fifth Dynasty, which along with the Fourth Dynasty, saw the construction of the first pyramids.
Hidden treasures: Czech archaeologists also found about 30 utensils (pictured) - with 24 made from limestone and four of copper, an official statement added
A découvrir aussi
- lifa deir Abu sur la rive nord de la faiyum
- CRANES -5 de The Strangest Skulls jamais découvert
- Les étranges oeufs en pierre de la Chine- Une épée bien mystérieuse environ 450 kilos !"
