Secrets of Egyptian Civilization. The secret of the Egyptian pyramids. What is the real age of the Great Pyramid

The civilization of pyramids, sphinxes and mummies still poses a number of unresolved mysteries to researchers.

Where did the Egyptians come from

The very first mystery - the ancient Egyptian civilization appears as if suddenly and out of nowhere. If in Western Asia one can trace a long and continuous succession of cultures, starting from the “Neolithic revolution” (transition to agriculture and cattle breeding), then in the Nile Valley the first agricultural culture (Badarian) arises without any local roots only at the beginning of the 4th millennium BC . At this time, city-states had already formed in Mesopotamia. But already after only a thousand years, Egypt turns into a single centralized state and becomes a leader in world development.
True, the first culture in which wild-growing cereals were collected existed in the Nile Valley as early as the 13th millennium BC, but then it disappeared. Between the 12th and 4th millennia there was no Sahara desert yet, the climate of the areas surrounding the Nile Valley was quite humid. It can be assumed that the most ancient inhabitants of Egypt came to the Nile Valley as the climate dried up, and the surrounding steppes turned into a desert. It can also be assumed that the oldest traces of the agricultural cultures of Egypt are forever buried under a layer of silty sediment. But all this is just speculation.

How the pyramids were built

The next mystery comes from the pyramids themselves. The ancient Egyptian civilization immediately declares itself with these majestic buildings. An amazing thing: the largest, most perfect and best preserved pyramids to this day are the most ancient. The smallest and most destroyed are the latest. Again, in a strange way, it turns out that the construction technology of the ancient Egyptians reached its peak at the very beginning of the era of the Old Kingdom, and later it only degraded until it went on the rise already in the era of the New Kingdom, but in a different direction - the Egyptians no longer built pyramids .
“The pyramid had or has a height of approximately 481 feet,” noted the eminent Egyptologist B.A. Turaev, - and each side of its square base was about 755 feet long. The average error is less than one ten-thousandth of a side in terms of exact length, square shape, and horizontality... Lumps of several tons are stacked together so that gaps between them of considerable length are equal to one ten-thousandth of an inch and present facets and surfaces that are not inferior to the work of modern optics, but acre scale instead of feet or yards of material."
How did the Egyptians manage to fit multi-ton blocks one to another in such a way and set them to a considerable height, if of all the metals they knew only soft copper? What kind of saws, what kind of "construction cranes" did they use? But, according to legend, the pyramid of Cheops was built in just two months!

When and why were they built?

The buildings of ancient Egypt also hide the secrets of their age and purpose. It is still unknown when the great pyramids were erected. According to the chronology now accepted by Egyptologists, the reign of Cheops dates back to the 26th century BC. Radiocarbon analysis of materials inside the pyramid (it is not known whether they belong to the time of construction) dates them to the 29th-27th centuries. BC.
Next to the pyramids are the Sphinx and the Granite Temple. It is believed that they all belong to the same complex of buildings. On the walls of the pit, carved into the rock for the statue of the Sphinx, traces of abundant watercourses were found, and a drain for rainwater was made in the Granite Temple. However, according to current ideas, the last regular rains fell here in the 5th millennium BC, more than a thousand years before the generally accepted date for the construction of these structures.
Another interesting fact. Not a single ancient Egyptian inscription has been found that depicts the construction of the great pyramids. The first historical information about them was reported by Herodotus in the 5th century BC, that is, more than two thousand years later. Or maybe the pyramids were built much earlier, and only a later legend connected them with the names of famous pharaohs? After all, not a single burial was found in the pyramids!
In the ancient Egyptian history of Manetho, written in Hellenistic times, which has not come down to us, it was argued that the first pharaohs reigned more than 48 thousand years ago. Ancient historians uncritically accepted this figure. But for Christian historians, who believed in the creation of the world just a few thousand years ago, it turned out to be unacceptable. Isaac Newton, as a devout believer, made an attempt to mathematically debunk the pagan myth of the great antiquity of the Egyptian civilization and proved that it arose no earlier than 4000 years before the birth of Christ. From Newton comes the tradition of the “short chronology” of ancient Egyptian history, which in the 20th century experienced a tendency towards further (another thousand years) reduction. But what if the historically known civilization of ancient Egypt was preceded by an earlier one, and its monuments - such as the pyramids, for example - were then adapted by the Egyptians for their own purposes?

Who was the most odious pharaoh

There are mysteries in the later history of Egypt. One of the most fascinating is the personality of Pharaoh Amenhotep IV and the religious reform he undertook.
From ancient times, the Egyptians worshiped a variety of gods. But one of the gods, as it were, towered over all the others. Most often this was due to which city of the Nile Valley was at the head of the next unification of the country. Then the god, most revered in this city, became the main national god, and his priests - the most privileged spiritual class. By the beginning of the reign of Amenhotep IV (1379 or 1351 BC), such a god in Egypt was Amun.
In the second year of his reign, Amenhotep suddenly decided to make the most revered god Aten - a minor deity of the solar disk, however, sometimes identified with Ra and Horus - the main gods of the Old Kingdom. Amenhotep ordered the erection of a majestic temple to the Aten in Thebes. In the sixth year of his reign, Amenhotep adopted a new royal name - Akhenaten ("Spirit of the Aten") and ordered the construction of a new capital (Akhetaten). In the future, the cult of the Aten became not only obligatory, but also the only one permitted. Akhenaten led a decisive struggle with the worship of other gods, primarily Amun. The circumstances of Akhenaten's death are vague, according to one version he was killed. The second successor of Akhenaten - Tutankhaton ("pleasing to Aten") - changed his name to Tutankhamun, restored the cult of Amun and eradicated the memory of religious reform.
For some reason, Akhenaten was always depicted with female proportions of the body and a strongly flattened head from the sides. Whether this was a real physical defect or just a stylization brought to the grotesque is unknown. Egyptologists are constantly debating about the identification of his remains, as well as around the reform he undertook.

Ancient Egypt, mummies, pyramids, papyri - at different times and to this day they excite the minds of historians and simply interested people from all over the world. Many phenomena have long been explained by Egyptologists, but some of the mysteries still defy explanation and are the subject of controversy.

Contraception

“The medical knowledge of ancient Egypt left the rest of the world far behind,” as Homer wrote in The Odyssey. The Egyptians were experts in the field of medicine, and special experts in contraception. All methods were identified by the discovered drawings or found in the documents of Ancient Egypt. First, they used condoms (yes, in 1350 BC) made from tissue or animal intestines. Homemade birth control pills were made from ground pomegranate seeds and wax - the estrogen contained in the pomegranate reduced the likelihood of conception. Candles based on honey, dates, elephant and crocodile excrement were also used.

Personal hygiene

Makeup

Both women and men of Ancient Egypt used cosmetics. The arsenal included many means: eye makeup was made of copper and lead, black “eyeliner” was kohl (modern antimony). When applied, two colors were widely used: black and green. The Egyptians believed that makeup had healing powers.

The medicine

Again referring to Homer, "Egypt is a land rich in medicines." There were medicines for all sorts of diseases, which were prepared from a variety of ingredients. For the manufacture of the ancient Egyptians used oils, dough, dates, onions, garlic, flax seeds, dill, opium, as well as various minerals, lead, antimony and copper. Meat, blood and animal entrails were also used. All these “medicines” were mixed with milk, wine or beer, or made into decoctions. Some infectious diseases were treated with moldy bread.

Mathematics

The Egyptians were the "champions" of ancient mathematical calculations. Mathematics has been used for various areas of life. Miracles of calculations were discovered within the walls of the temple of Abu Simbel. The temple is designed in such a way that twice a year a sunbeam overcomes a 65 m long corridor and illuminates the statues of the gods: Amun, Ra-Horakhti and Ramses II. The sun never falls on the god Ptah. In addition, the two days of this phenomenon are the pharaoh's birthday and the day of his coronation (October 22 and February 22).

Calendar

The Egyptians measured time in the usual way for us: in years, months, days, hours. One of the first and most elaborate solar calendars was born in Egypt. The year was divided into 12 equal months, each containing 30 days. Most of the months of the Egyptian calendar are named after various deities. In chronology, the ancient Egyptians relied on the dates of the reign of the pharaohs.

Air conditioning

Undoubtedly, the term "air conditioner" itself did not appear until around the 19th century. However, the ancient Egyptians came up with their own version of the air conditioner, mainly to cool the palaces of the Egyptian pharaohs. The design was a superstructure above the building in the form of a tower with holes in the upper part, through which air entered a special reservoir with water, and from there - into the room.

Polarity

In ancient Egypt, polarity refers to all phenomena. The Egyptians' deep understanding of the nature of duality in the universe is reflected in many ancient texts and drawings. Between the two opposites for them there was a certain spiritual connection.

Morality

Morality among the ancient Egyptians prevailed over the law, which was partly due to the peculiarities of religious culture. They understood the nature of a sense of justice, they knew that the guilty should be punished, and good should be rewarded. A striking example - in Egyptian mythology there was a female monster (it is difficult to call her a goddess; in the figure above), Amat, who destroyed the souls of the dead who committed sins throughout their lives. Administered justice in ancient Egypt mainly Maat - the goddess of truth, law and order.

Respect for people with physical disabilities and disabilities

The ancient Egyptians treated people who were unlike others - dwarfs, giants, people with congenital physical disabilities with deep respect, shortcomings did not affect their position in society in any way, they were always given preference in matters of work. Dwarfs were given special attention: they were often high-ranking officials, and moreover, the Egyptians worshiped several dwarf gods.

Sphinx

The Sphinx, one of the most mysterious historical monuments, is a mythical creature, a lion (the incarnation of the god Ra) with the face of a man (pharaoh), whose origin is food for thought for modern archaeologists. Many scholars claim that the statue depicts the pharaoh Hevren. According to the signs found, the time of the appearance of the Sphinx dates back to the period of his reign, approximately 2500 BC. Also, the sculpture was buried under sand for a long time and reconstructed several times. Until now, no one can explain the origin of the man-made monument, this gave rise to an infinity of versions, opinions and conjectures.

pharaohs

"Pharaohs" were traditionally called the supreme rulers of ancient Egypt. The pharaohs were worshiped, they were considered half human, half god, or at least mediators between heaven and earth. The longest-reigning pharaoh is Pepi II, whose reign lasted 94 years and was the longest in world history. According to scientists, the secret of Pepi's longevity is that he always defended himself from flies and other insects that were carriers of diseases: there were always several slaves smeared with honey near him.

The Pyramid of Cheops

It is hard to imagine that the largest of the Egyptian pyramids was built from 2.3 million stone blocks, each weighing more than two tons, and simple tools were used in its construction. There are many hypotheses regarding the construction technique of the monument. The four sides of the Pyramid of Cheops look at the four cardinal points. For about 4,000 years, the pyramid was the tallest building on Earth (139 meters), but in 1310 Lincoln Cathedral of the Virgin Mary overtook it.

Location of the pyramid

The location of the Cheops pyramid is truly unique and mysterious: scientists have repeatedly mentioned that the pyramid was erected exactly in the center of the earth's landmass. Also, the meridian, on which the top of the monument is located, divides the surface of land and sea equally.

cats

Nowhere were cats worshiped as much as in ancient Egypt. These animals were sacred, their image was endowed with a symbolic and mystical meaning. During the time of the cat cult, killing a majestic animal was punishable by death. When a cat died, the owners fell into deep mourning and shaved off their eyebrows as a sign of grief. The cat's body was mummified and buried, placing milk and mouse mummies in the tomb. In 1888, an Egyptian farmer discovered a huge tomb containing about 80,000 mummified cats.

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It seems that we already know everything about the Egyptian pyramids and tombs. But science does not stand still, and thanks to modern technical capabilities, new amazing discoveries are being made, which, in turn, lead to the emergence of more and more new questions.

We are in website also wanted to touch the great secrets of the history of the Old Kingdom.

1. Secret rooms of the pyramid of Cheops

In 1993, with the help of the Upuaut II remote-controlled robot in the southern ventilation shaft of the Cheops pyramid door was found. Further research showed the presence of a small room, ending with another door.

It wasn't until 2010 that the advanced robot "Jedy" was able to get through the first door and discovered that the copper handles on the other side decorated in the form of neat loops, and icons are painted on the floor in red ocher.

Moreover, despite the fact that, according to official data, no one has entered the mine for 9 years, new longitudinal scratches and a deep cut on the ceiling.

2. What is the real age of the Great Pyramid?

It is believed that the pyramid was completed in 2540 BC. e. However, some scholars question this theory because of an inventory stele found at Giza. The text engraved on it says that Khufu ordered not to build, but only to restore the sphinx. In addition, modern research shows that the furrows on his body are traces of precipitation, and their level was in this place for the last time 8 thousand years ago.

So how old is the Great Pyramid then, if the sphinx is considered a later building than the pyramids themselves?

3. The Thermal Mystery of the Cheops Pyramid

In 2016, work was carried out to study the pyramid of Cheops using infrared thermography, and it was found that at the base of the Great Pyramid there are inexplicable voids.

It is assumed that there may be an empty space or an underground passage. Areas with different temperatures were also found in the upper part of the pyramid.

The Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities has yet to comment.

4. Technologies for building pyramids

Chemist Joseph Davidovits claims that the pyramid blocks were produced directly at the construction site. This explains why there are blocks weighing 70 tons in the construction of the pyramid and why there are no gaps between them (the upper block was made immediately above the lower one).

But geologists and paleontologists who have studied the composition and structure of the pyramid blocks claim that the blocks are processed blocks of natural sedimentary deposits, which rules out Davidowitz's theory.

At the moment, there is no single hypothesis about how and from what the pyramids were built.

Studying Ancient Egypt is one of the most interesting things to do in the world. From early childhood, we have heard tales of mummy curses, that the ancient pyramids were built by aliens, and that the ancient Egyptians knew how to conjure. Perhaps much of this remains just legends, but Ancient Egypt left behind a lot of interesting things.

10) Pregnancy test

Not everyone has heard that the first pregnancy tests appeared in ancient Egypt. There were many ways to tell if a woman was pregnant or not. All these methods were described in a document called "Berlin Medical Papyrus".

For example, a woman was given a special drink to drink, which included beer and dates. Pregnancy was somehow determined after the amount of her vomit was analyzed. Most likely, the pregnant woman simply had a greater sensitivity to smells.

Another test suggested that a woman should urinate on two bags - one with barley and wheat, the other with dates and sand. If the grains in both bags germinate, then the woman is pregnant.

Not so long ago, modern scientists decided to check how true the last test is. As it turned out, the test did in most cases indicate pregnant women, but some of them received a negative result.

The ancient Egyptians also knew how to determine the sex of an unborn child, but the researchers found that this method only works half the time, that is, it is based on chance alone.

9) Curse of the Mummies

As we all know, the Titanic was a gigantic ship built by fools who thought they had built an unsinkable ship. Their pride led to a huge tragedy that claimed hundreds of lives. Although it is believed that the sinking of the Titanic was an accident, many do not want to believe it.

There are legends about the cursed mummy of the priestess of Amon, who was brought to England. This mummy allegedly knew how to break nearby objects and cause misfortune with the help of black magic. It was this mummy that sank the Titanic, as it was taken aboard the ship.

Rumors of a mysterious Egyptian mummy are due to the Englishman William Stead, who claimed to own a mummy he took with him on his travels that had incredible magical powers. However, in reality, he made it all up.

8) Love drinks

The ancient Egyptians loved to conjure and naturally knew a lot about love, so they knew how to brew love potions. These drinks were made depending on the situation, for example, there were love potions that helped make a woman fall in love with a certain man, arouse passions in her, or vice versa, lapel drinks that help destroy a marriage.

The recipes for these love drinks have survived to this day, but we can consider them simply insane. For example, according to one recipe, a man needs to mix the dandruff of a murdered person with barley, apple seeds, blood taken from a bug that bit a black dog, his own blood and semen. This mixture was to be added to the drink of his beloved and ensured that no one else drank it.

7) Prophetic dreams

In ancient Egypt, close attention was paid to dreams. Today we know that dreams are just a jumble of images, but the Egyptians were convinced that everything they saw in a dream was important.

People paid money to priests who were good at interpreting dreams and were the owners of special books - dream books, so that they would explain the meaning of a particular dream. Some even stayed in temples to sleep in order to be closer to the gods, in order to see something very important in a dream.

The ancient Egyptians were not particularly worried about the specific things that they saw in a dream, but they paid great attention to the details that they described in their dream books. For example, to see a large cat in a dream means that the future harvest will be very generous, and to see a dwarf in a dream means that half of your life is already behind you.

6) Mentions of Christ

Not so long ago, an ancient Egyptian text was discovered in which there are new details from the life of Christ. Although researchers have accepted this text as genuine, they cannot claim that the information it contains is correct. At least the person who wrote this document believed what he described.

Many things were mentioned in the text, among other things, for example, it was said that Jesus could change his appearance. He, of course, could not turn into any animal, but he could change facial features, disguise himself as an old man or become a small child. Christ used this ability to hide from his pursuers, who intended to arrest him.

The Last Supper is known to have taken place on a Thursday, but the text says that it actually took place on a Tuesday. It has also been claimed that before Jesus was executed, Pontius Pilate interacted with Jesus, shared bread with him, and even offered to kill his son in his stead. Jesus allegedly politely declined and thanked Pilate for his kindness and showed him that he could leave at any time if he wished.

5) Revenge

The ancient Egyptians knew all kinds of witchcraft and knew how to use it in the most diverse form in order to take revenge on someone. The most famous use of witchcraft is the curse of mummies. The pharaohs knew some magic spells that were written in their tombs, so anyone who disturbed their peace paid for it with their own lives.

Naturally, the existence of any of these curses has not been scientifically proven, it is just a theory that is based on random events. Scientists nevertheless became interested in this issue and decided to find out, maybe the "curses" can be explained in some other way.

After examining the substances that were present in the tombs, scientists found dangerous molds that grew on the walls and could lead to lung problems in those who inhaled their spores.

By the way, the myth of a magical ancient Egyptian statue was recently debunked. In the British Museum, a video was filmed of how she spontaneously turns. Magic again? Not at all. After careful research, it turned out that the statue turned due to the vibrations of the floor, which were caused by the feet of museum visitors while walking.

4) Resurrection of the dead

Magic was not just popular in ancient Egypt, it was used for a variety of things, and in society it occupied a special place and was officially recognized. The high priests used sorcery for various performances, in which everyone unconditionally believed.

According to legend, one ancient Egyptian priest was once able to part the waters of the lake, just as Moses parted the Red Sea in order to take some trinket lying there from the bottom. Also, the priests allegedly knew how to resurrect dead animals and even people. Usually resurrection was used in special cases, when, for example, it was necessary to testify at a trial.

Resurrection was an important part of the life of the Egyptians. The idea of ​​death and rebirth to new life was the main tenet of their religion. The Egyptians believed that, like the sun that rose every time, they would eventually begin to live a completely new life.

That is why they carefully preserved the remains of the dead in order to prepare them for a new life. If a person died, he had to appear before the highest judge. He started a new life only if his deeds were properly evaluated.

3) Trained monkeys

Most people associate cats with ancient Egypt, but baboons also held an important place in Egyptian culture and society. In addition, primates are much easier to train than cats, and these animals have been used for practical purposes. For example, they could easily be taught to get fruits, nuts, dates from tall trees. By the way, this method of harvesting is used in some countries today.

According to historians, baboons were considered sacred animals in Egypt. They make loud unpleasant sounds at sunrise, so they were associated with the Sun God. One of the pharaohs - Amenhotep III - even ordered the installation of four huge statues of monkeys. The Egyptians also believed that baboons had a connection with the God of the Nile, Hapi, who was the offspring of the great Egyptian God Horus.

2) Amulets

The Egyptians were the first to use amulets, as they were very superstitious. They believed that if you wear certain items with special properties, you can protect yourself. Most of us think this is just stupid, but how often before an important event do we, for example, put on a “lucky” shirt, take a “lucky” pen with us, or some other object with which we think we more lucky.

Ancient Egyptian amulets were mostly jewelry made in the shape of some kind of animal or symbol. These gizmos could be made from anything, but they had great magical power. How this or that amulet "worked" depended on what it was made of, what shape it had, what it looked like and, of course, what kind of spell was put into it.

1) Healing the sick

Perhaps the most famous fact related to magic is the use of sorcery by the Egyptians to heal the sick. Perhaps they managed to do something, but most of the stories that have come down to us are nothing more than fiction.

It was believed that ancient Egyptian medicine was largely based on witchcraft, but recent research has shown that magic did not play too much of a role. Many rituals were based on the use of witchcraft, but this does not mean that the ancient Egyptians did not use traditional methods in medicine.

The Egyptians, for example, were excellent at surgery, and there is evidence that they even made prosthetic toes. The researchers found that in Egyptian society, everyone could equally receive medical care, regardless of status.

The famous ancient Greek historian Herodotus was one of the first people who indirectly shed light on the question of the appearance of the ancient Egyptians. Even more than 100 years before the conquest of Egypt by the commander Alexander the Great, Herodotus wrote that the inhabitants of Colchis (a historical region located along the eastern shores of the Black Sea, occupying the Colchis lowland and nearby areas) had Egyptian roots. Their skin was dark, and their hair was thick and curly. In addition, members of both ethnic groups practiced circumcision and made cloth in a similar way.

The laconic description of Herodotus caused endless debate. The most controversial were the words melanchroes ("dark or black skin") and andoulotriches ("curly or curly curls"). Some scholars claim that the word melanchroes meant any person whose skin was darker than that of the Greeks. In addition, Herodotus wrote that the appearance of the inhabitants of Colchis "cannot prove anything, because representatives of other peoples had similar features." What did he mean? Maybe the fact that the inhabitants of this region in appearance did not differ much from other Asians?

In the 19th century, proponents of slavery began to argue that the ancestors of modern Egyptians were so advanced only because they were of Caucasian origin. They suggested that the rulers and priests in ancient Egypt had white skin, and their slaves were dark-skinned. At the same time, Afrocentric historians assured everyone of the African origin of the ancient Egyptian civilization. In their opinion, the ancient Egyptians were representatives of the Negroid race. The truth is most likely somewhere in the middle.

This is interesting: In 1881, the mummy of Ramesses II (an ancient Egyptian pharaoh who ruled around the 13th century BC) was discovered. Almost 100 years passed before French researchers decided to study it in detail. The results of the analyzes showed that the pharaoh had red hair. Is it worth reminding that dark-skinned Africans do not have this hair color? It is believed that Ramesses II had Libyan roots. If so, then he was fair-skinned.

Modern depictions of one of the most famous ancient Egyptian pharaohs, Tutankhamen, are causing serious controversy among scholars.

This is interesting: Tutankhamun became the ruler of Egypt at the age of 9 years. It happened around 1330 BC.

Many Afrocentric scholars believe that the depiction of Pharaoh Tutankhamen as white is racist and inaccurate. But even more passions flared when modern Egyptian scientists deciphered the genetic code of Tutankhamun.

Despite the fact that the researchers who analyzed Tutankhamun's DNA did not provide any information regarding his belonging to any race, representatives of various neo-Nazi organizations began to claim that Tutankhamun had fair skin. Moreover, according to them, the pharaoh was of Scandinavian origin.

At the same time, the Egyptian government was recently accused of concealing the fact that Tutankhamun was in fact a Jew. And who to believe?

kmt

The inhabitants of Ancient Egypt called their state Kmt (pronounced "Kemet"), which means "black". But why did the Egyptians use such a name? Some scholars believe that the expression "the land of the black people" was meant. Others claim that it was related to the "black earth".

Modern linguists are inclined to the second option. According to them, the annual floods of the Nile turned the dry desert territory into a blooming oasis rich in fertile black soil. The chernozems contrasted with the sand-covered lands that the Egyptians called dsrt (translated as “red earth”).

Egyptologists believe that Cleopatra had Greek-Macedonian roots. But it is not known for certain who Cleopatra's mother was and where she came from.

Historians argue that for political reasons, the great ancient Egyptian queen ordered the death of her half-sister (probably having the same father as Cleopatra, but a different mother) Arsinoe IV.

It is known that Arsinoe was half African. Therefore, Cleopatra's mother, like the queen herself, could also be of African origin. In the nineties of the last century, archaeologists announced that they had found the tomb of Arsinoe IV. Unfortunately, DNA analysis of the skeleton found in it turned out to be useless.

The classics prefer not to discuss the race of Cleopatra at all. They believe that we should only evaluate her great deeds, ignoring such insignificant things as skin color or origin.

In the ancient Egyptian temples that have survived to our times, statues, papyri, numerous wall paintings and other artifacts are stored, allowing us to get a more or less complete picture of how their creators saw themselves.

The ancient Egyptians depicted their contemporaries with different skin colors - from light brown to red, yellow or black. Moreover, the skin of men was usually darker than that of women. This difference, most likely, was due to the fact that the representatives of the stronger sex most of the time worked on the street. Unfortunately, the works of art created by representatives of the ancient Egyptian civilization were not particularly realistic. It is quite possible that the color of the skin of the people depicted in the drawings had a symbolic character.

For example, the image of people with red faces or hair meant that they were in the power of the god Set, the lord of the desert. Some researchers suggest that the Egyptians, when creating their works, could deliberately depict themselves with reddish or copper skin in order to differ from the inhabitants of the Sudan, the Nubians, who have black skin in the drawings.

The statue of the Great Sphinx at Giza was built around 2.5 thousand years BC. Many Egyptologists believe that the face of the Sphinx belongs to the pharaoh Khafre, but there is no absolute certainty about this.

In 1780, the historian François Volney, after visiting Giza, wrote that the Sphinx "has facial features characteristic of the Negroid race." In other words, the inhabitants of Ancient Egypt were dark-skinned. But modern scholars dispute this assumption, arguing that it is almost impossible to solve the riddle of ethnicity from the face of the statue. The fact is that for several millennia, rains, wind, heat and other weather phenomena have greatly spoiled the appearance of the Sphinx.

This did not prevent forensic expert Frank Domingo from measuring the face of the Sphinx in the early nineties of the last century and, based on the data obtained, concluded that it definitely did not belong to Pharaoh Khafre. According to Domingo, the statue most likely depicts a person belonging to the Negroid race.

At the end of the 19th century, the British scientist William Matthew Flinders Petrie became seriously interested in ancient Egyptian artifacts.

This is interesting: Petrie made a significant contribution to Egyptology, because it was he who first discovered the prehistoric culture that preceded Ancient Egypt.

But many of the other ideas that William put forward were quite controversial. For example, he argued that the civilization of early Egypt appeared as a result of the invasion of the "New Race", who managed to conquer "a decadent prehistoric civilization." The scientist argued that the Egyptian artifacts of the prehistoric period have nothing to do with their later counterparts. That is, the "New Race" probably destroyed or expelled to other territories the entire population of prehistoric Egypt. Petrie suggested that the representatives of the "New Race" could be of Libyan or Persian origin.

In 2002, Egyptologist Toby Wilkinson presented to the public the results of a study of rock art discovered in the so-called Eastern Desert (the Sahara region stretching from the Red Sea to the Nile Valley). Rock paintings dating from about 4000 BC show a typical Nile River valley with boats, fishermen, crocodiles, hippos, etc. Similar images are also found in later paintings dating back to the dynastic period of Egyptian history. This similarity led Wilkinson to suggest that the ancient Egyptians came from the Eastern Desert.

The scientist is sure that their ancestors were semi-nomadic pastoralists who moved between the banks of the rivers and the arid territories of the Eastern Desert. It covered the lands of modern Egypt, eastern Sudan and Ethiopia.

This is interesting: A study of almost a thousand skeletons of ancient Egyptians, conducted in 2006, showed that their teeth were the same regardless of the age of the remains. Representatives of the modern peoples of the North African region have the same structure of the jaw. The teeth of Europeans and the inhabitants of the Middle East are fundamentally different from those studied.

The author of the research team, Joel Irish, suggested that the ancient Egyptians were of mixed origin (they had Nilotic, Levantine, Libyan and other roots). According to Irish, the mixing of peoples occurred long before the dynastic period - the "Golden Age" of Ancient Egypt.

As you can see, even reputable scientists armed with modern equipment cannot come to a common opinion about what the ancient Egyptians looked like. But is this mystery really that important? Maybe we should just be proud of the legacy left by the ancient Egyptian civilization and not ask unnecessary questions?