The ancient Egyptians sought to take all necessary measures to ensure the protection of tombs from theft
The tombs of the ancient Egyptians were not just places to bury the dead as much as they were "eternal palaces", in which the deceased enjoys a new life in the other world, after a journey he spent in the world of the living for years on earth in which he prepared himself financially and morally to win an eternal life more secure in the "fields of peace" .
In the past, the Egyptian believed that the body of the deceased was pouring his soul into it, returning to him in his tomb, to start a new journey in the other world. Therefore, the Egyptians sought to take all necessary and court measures to ensure the protection of graves from theft, while intimidating thieves with warning phrases and deterrent religious texts, in order to preserve the funerary furniture from plundering and looting, so that its owner would be immortal.
Despite the keenness of the Egyptians to provide all the security checks, the tombs of the kings were not spared from the crimes of theft, except for the tomb of the young king Tutankhamun, from which the eyes of the thieves of ancient Egypt were absent, to reveal clearly the magnificence of the graves of the kings and queens, and the extent of artistic and creative wealth. Which the modern state empire witnessed, according to the historical division of ancient Egypt.
The Egyptians competed in instilling ethical values and teachings that make the graves inviolable or tampering with them and their contents in order to avoid the gods ’revenge, as stated in a text from the teachings of King Khiti IV of his son Merikra of the tenth family, telling him:
"Do not harm the establishment of others, cut stones from the quarries, and build your tomb with the stones that your hand cut."
This principle was confirmed by another inscription in the texts of the tomb of Judge Hetep Meri Akht during the reign of King Ny Wisr Ra of the Fifth Dynasty in which he says:
"He built it from his possessions without usurping anything from others, and in a visible place where there was no other cemetery, and those who would enter and touch it badly will be tried before the Great God."
Despite the keenness of the Egyptians to provide all the security inquiries, the tombs of the
Kings were not spared from the crimes of theft
The owners of the cemeteries also used to engrave intimidating phrases threatening everyone who would like to violate their sanctity, as inscriptions appeared in the era of the fifth and sixth dynasties warning the thief that: “He will be judged for his action before the Great God.”
Another inscription on the tomb of the high priest of King Menkaure says:
"Whoever loves the king and the god Anubis, who is above his mountain, does not harm the contents of this grave."
Also read: Love and Adoration in the Time of the Pharaohs
Why did the Egyptians put furniture and worldly luggage in the graves of their dead?
The ancient Egyptian believed that a person lives one life on earth, and another life after death, after being held accountable for his deeds before the "balance of justice". He believed since the ages of the Old Kingdom specifically that he can obtain eternal reward and bliss depending on the material aspect represented in his possession of power and wealth, and that The quality of the material furniture placed next to him in the cemetery guarantees him a good reward, so he made sure to take with him all his belongings from his first life, to use them in his second life.
Also read "Message from the Underworld" in an Egyptian ancient cemetery
Prehistoric tombs attest to the presence of some food, drink and pottery next to the deceased, along with some simple jewelry. In light of the growing economic influence of the state and the rise in the standard of living in society in later ages, the cemeteries contained furniture of the finest types and statues of various sizes, as well as luxurious jewelry made of gold, precious stones, and precious metals, which became a generous covetousness of thieves at that time.
The owners of the cemeteries used to engrave intimidating phrases threatening anyone who would like to violate their sanctity
The spread of grave theft in ancient Egypt is due to the corruption of the government apparatus, and the collapse of the "truth and justice" system embodied by the goddess "Maat", the goddess of justice who preserved Egyptian thought from moral and religious corruption. Likewise, the religious conviction declined at the level of the popular class after the simple people noticed the corruption of the priests and their attempts to plunder the wealth of the temples. Rather, it came to the point where some priests participated in tomb robberies, as stated in the "Harris" papyrus preserved in the British Museum.
The economic crises that afflicted the Egyptian people following the collapse of the influence of the old state had the effect of disrupting social conditions. The second half of the Twentieth Dynasty’s rule also witnessed a decline in the value of Egyptian copper, and the state treasury became unable to fulfill the dues of some workers, so thefts spread.
Claire Lalouette, a professor of ancient Egyptian literature at the University of Paris-Sorbonne, believes that "there are times when the need for a person to confront misery and to survive becomes his main concern and is much stronger than sacred norms, to highlight a very sad scene of material and moral loss in a country that is being taken over by its kings." Weakness and waning influence. "
The most prominent thefts
The ancient history of Egypt traces the early beginnings of the theft of the tombs of the kings, when he referred to the construction of King Senefru, founder of the Fourth Dynasty, a tomb for his wife, Queen Heteb Haras, next to his pyramid, which he built in the Dahshur region. A trick other than moving his mother's tomb furniture secretly to the Giza area, and digging a well south of his pyramid to hide the furniture. And priests maintained from that time the ritual curse of tomb robbers until the end of the Old Kingdom.
Perhaps the reasons for the spread of grave theft in ancient Egypt are due to the spread of corruption of the government apparatus and the collapse of the "truth and justice" system.
The texts of ancient Egyptian papyri, such as the "Abbott", "Harris" and "Amherst" papyrus, preserved details of burglary, including a vault.
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