When the Egyptian government sent archaeologists to excavate a previously unexplored section of the desert, they were overjoyed to find ancient treasures buried beneath the sand. And boy, did they strike gold: the groundbreaking discovery has the potential to change everything we know about Ancient Egypt, not to mention leave experts scratching their heads.
New Discovery: Untouched Egyptian Tomb Was Found By Workers
Hidden In The Deserts
Since the early 1800s, archaeologists and Egyptologists have been looking for and discovering thousands of ancient relics and secrets hidden in Egypt’s deserts. However, there are many hidden gems that we have yet to unearth.
Hidden In The Deserts
They Got Lucky
Researchers aren’t always so lucky, though, as they occasionally come across rare historical gems just beneath the surface. Due to the care and craftiness of the ancient people who built these tombs, the archaeologist’s job is a delicate scavenger hunt.
They Got Lucky
Fixing The Damage
Egypt’s Ministry of Antiquities has attempted to lead new explorations across the country in recent years, ostensibly to make new discoveries, but also to help repair the damage done over time by tomb raiders and robbers.
Fixing The Damage
Unexpected Encounter
Since the Egyptian revolution in 2011, many areas, such as the Great Pyramids, have been completely unguarded. As a result, grave robbers ransack the area and steal artifacts, some of which have ties to the criminal underworld and others that are simply stolen.
Unexpected Encounter
Robbers Of Tomb
Children were used to enter the tomb shafts that were too small for adults to enter, resulting in injury and even death. As if the loss of life wasn’t bad enough, the thefts also damaged a large number of tombs beyond repair.
Robbers Of Tomb
Huge Discoveries
One of the newly excavated sites was the necropolis of Saqqara, an ancient historic site. The Ministry of Antiquities discovered ground-breaking treasures in 2018 that were well-preserved and one-of-a-kind. According to one discovery, “the most beautiful tomb discovered this year.”
Huge Discoveries
Coffin Of Saqqara
What sets this website apart from others? Many important ancient relics were destroyed or stolen, but a gold-plated silver mask was discovered hidden inside a wooden coffin. Only a few treasures of this kind exist, so excavators prepared for the other treasures waiting to be discovered within Saqqara’s depths.
Coffin Of Saqqara
Ancient Mask Was Found
Archaeologists were ecstatic when they discovered the mask. In fact, it was the first quest in the area since 1900, implying that more significant artifacts were on their way.
Ancient Mask Was Found
The Tip
Not long after the mummy was discovered, archaeologists discovered more ancient artifacts. Inside a stone ridge, a group of seven tombs were tucked away, one of which housed mummified kittens and rare scarab beetles.
The Tip
Mummified Animals
Human bodies were mummified to protect them for the afterlife, while animals were fossilized as part of religious offerings. After collecting the immaculately preserved creatures, the scientists were overjoyed to explore the doorway to an undisturbed tomb believed to contain human remains.
Mummified Animals
4,400-Year Asleep
For 4,400 years, the intricately carved burial place of a high priest — Wahtye — was left completely undamaged and hidden. In the Fifth Dynasty, he was assigned as a high-ranking member of the priesthood by King Neferirkare Kakai.
4,400 Year Asleep
The Carvings
The 33-foot-long, 9-foot-wide, and 10-foot-high tomb held many clues about the man buried within its walls. Intricate carvings, paintings, and hieroglyphics depicted Wahyte’s life. In reality, the high priest was a bit of a “mummy’s boy”…
The Carvings
His Love For His Mother
Wahyte was buried alongside his beloved mother, Merit Meen, and archaeologists struggled to find a spot in the tomb where he wasn’t paying homage to her. His mother’s drawings, paintings, and even monuments adorned the walls.
His Love For His Mother
Commerce
According to inscriptions, Wahyte had a wife named Weret Ptah, but she received little attention. New people were finally able to see the elaborate scenes depicted on the limestone walls millennia after they were first painted.
Commerce
The Saqqara site
The Saqqara site revealed a wealth of information about everyday life in Ancient Egypt. Ancient Egypt appears to be a modern-day young, educated city dweller’s modern society, with sketches of musical acts, pottery, and winemaking, as well as sailing and furniture making.
The Saqqara site
The Last Tomb
As they examined the inside of the tomb, they learned more about Wahtye. Learning about Wahtye’s life, family, and position in the fifth dynasty was fascinating, but the team was also looking for the crown jewel: Wahtye’s hidden final resting place.
The Last Tomb
They Were Lucky
The excavation team got a lucky break on December 13th, 2018. They cleared the last bit of debris from the surface, and five shafts were revealed. As a result, they started the long and arduous process of gaining entry…
They Were Lucky
What’s Inside The Tomb?
To their surprise, the first shaft had been opened. Which was understandable given that it was completely empty when they opened it. The four other shafts, on the other hand, could hold discoveries that modern society had yet to witness.
What’s Inside The Tomb?
Finally Seeing What’s Inside
Mostafa Waziri, the general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said, “I can imagine that all of the objects can be found in this area,” He said the biggest answers were in the leftover shafts. “This shaft should lead to a coffin or a sarcophagus of the owner of the tomb.”
Finally Seeing What’s Inside
Revealing More Chambers
Officials predicted that more would be discovered in the preserved chambers as the excavation progressed in the coming months. The archaeologists dug by hand, sifting through rocks and sand in the hopes of unearthing more ancient artifacts.
Revealing More Chambers
What Else Was Found?
Construction workers in Alexandria, Egypt, not far from Wahtye’s, hit something beyond bedrock during a routine excavation. They were well aware that this was a momentous occasion.
What Else Was Found?
It Was A Hot Spot
In Egypt, artifacts discovered in the pyramids of King Tut’s tomb can be spectacular discoveries. Alexandria’s old city, in particular, was a hive of activity.
It Was A Hot Spot
Place For Trading
During its ancient glory days, the city was a bustling port full of ships, traders, and merchants. The city was founded by Alexander the Great and served as a link between Greece and Egypt’s Nile Valley.
Place For Trading
There Was A Huge Change
Alexandria today is clearly not the same as it was in the past. It’s now a densely populated city with a plethora of businesses and residences.
There Was A Huge Change
It Was Quite Massive
While excavating the foundation for a new building, construction crews discovered a massive tomb 16 feet beneath the ground. The tomb was built between 305 and 30 B.C. during the Ptolemaic period, according to experts.
It Was Quite Massive
They Were Surprised
In the tomb’s corner, a massive black sarcophagus sat calmly. This one was unusually large in comparison to others found across Egypt, leaving archaeologists puzzled as to what could be inside.
They Were Surprised
There Was An Alabaster Head
The massive black sarcophagus was accompanied by a large alabaster head. The features of the head had deteriorated over time, but no one could tell if it was meant to be modeled for someone important, so they decided to investigate…
There Was An Alabaster Head
They Tried To Pry It
Almost a half-dozen men tried to pry the sarcophagus lid off, but the weight was enormous! They’d have to bring some heavy machinery in. The crew also contacted an expert on the subject…
They Tried To Pry It
They Brought The Expert
His name was Ayman Ashmawy, and he spent many years working for Egypt’s Ministry of Antiquities. Examining historical artifacts was nothing new to him. He was the only one who could explain what was going on!
They Brought The Expert
Bizarre Items
He noticed a layer of mortar between the lid and the body, indicating that the lid and body had been perfectly sealed for over 2,000 years. It was also constructed of black granite, which was a rare material at the time. This raised an important question…
Bizarre Items
Something That’ll Attract Thieves
Was it a high-ranking official or a well-known figure who was buried inside? The tomb was immediately cordoned off. It was likely to become a target for would-be vandals and thieves now that word of the discovery was spreading.
Something That’ll Attract Thieves
The Curse
The goal was to eventually remove the lid, but some were dubious about the whole thing. Many legends claimed that when certain tombs were opened, the Pharaoh’s curse was released. Was there a sinister omen inside?
The Curse
The Endless Possibilities
Most people assumed there was someone extremely important buried inside because of its size and unique black granite material. Is it possible that Alexander the Great himself was involved? They’d figure it out eventually…
The Endless Possibilities
Safely Opening The Tomb
With the help of massive cranes and thick rope, the workers were able to secure the lid. It could not only destroy whatever was inside if it fell in the middle of a lift, but it could also cause serious injury to those involved. With the crane’s force, they slowly opened the casket…
Safely Opening The Tomb
Foul Smell Greeted Them
The workers rushed to get away from the foul fumes that were rapidly escaping the now-open tomb. The majority of the scent had dissipated after a few minutes, and workers were left staring at the inside remains.
Foul Smell Greeted Them
Sewage & Skeletons
A thick red liquid was used to submerge three deformed skeletons. The skeletons were identified as soldiers, and the red liquid was discovered to be toxic waste that had leaked into the tomb and fermented over time into a foul-smelling goo.
Sewage & Skeletons
Turning It Into A Drink
Innes McKendrick started a campaign to turn the red goo into a drinkable carbonated energy drink! People would gain “powers” if they drank the liquid, he believed. Fortunately, the corpse juice will not be consumed, despite signatures.
Turning It Into A Drink
Five Long Years
The Egyptian discoveries show no signs of slowing down. Under the city of Cairo, researchers discovered a 2,000-year-old network of tombs! The excavation of this massive find, however, could take up to five years!
Five Long Years
Tomb Of Soldiers
Egypt’s discoveries are continuing apace. A 2,000-year-old network of tombs has been discovered beneath the city of Cairo, according to researchers! However, it could take up to five years to excavate this massive find!
Tomb Of Soldiers
Digging California Desert
Egypt’s discoveries are continuing apace. A 2,000-year-old network of tombs has been discovered beneath the city of Cairo, according to researchers! However, it could take up to five years to excavate this massive find!
Digging California Desert
Something Was Strange
As they brushed away dirt and sand, the explorers were greeted by a curved nose, delicate ears, and the ridges of a grand crown. The features didn’t come from a centuries-old American statue, but rather from something a little more exotic: the head of a sphinx.
Something Was Strange
It’s The California Sphinx
Naturally, the archaeologists were inundated with inquiries, the most pressing of which was: How? What did a sphinx head from ancient Egypt have to do with Santa Barbara? Fortunately, the archaeologists didn’t take long to figure out that something about the sphinx head wasn’t quite right.
It’s The California Sphinx
Or Is It A Fake One?
Bedrock would have been used to carve an authentic sphinx head from ancient Egypt. The one discovered in California, while imposing, was made of a much lighter material that left powder on the archaeologists’ hands.
Or Is It A Fake One?
Where Did It Come From?
They realized the sphinx head was not from Egypt’s deserts at this point. Robbers or aliens had not sneaked or teleported it to Santa Barbara. On the other hand, the 300-pound head came from the most unlikely of places.
Where Did It Come From?
It’s A Prop
The sphinx head was first thought to be from Charlton Heston’s role in Cecil B. DeMille’s 1956 film The Ten Commandments. The head, on the other hand, had to come from an even older film, which it did, thanks to the film’s groundbreaking visual effects.
It’s A Prop
For Special Effects
It wasn’t DeMille’s first time adapting The Ten Commandments, which he did in 1956. In 1923, he attempted to adapt the biblical story into one of the first “epic” films. He won’t be able to rely on computer-generated effects like he could in the 1956 version of the movie.
For Special Effects
Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes
The Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes in Santa Barbara were used to film DeMille’s 1923 adaptation, which he thought looked like the Egyptian desert. Set designers built Moses’ world entirely by hand, and it was massive.
Guadalupe Nipomo Dunes
Massive Props Were Used
Four 35-foot Pharaoh statues, 110-foot gates, eight lions, an Egyptian temple, and, of course, 21 sphinxes were reportedly built by over 1,600 people.
Massive Props Were Used
It Was A Strange Sphinx
The set was one of the largest and most expensive ever built at the time. It stood 12 stories tall and 800 feet wide and was constructed with 25,000 nails and 250 tons of plaster. The strangest aspect of all was the way the sphinx heads were decorated.
It Was A Strange Sphinx
After 100 Years
The sphinxes were colored in such a way that when the lighting and shadows are applied, they will also stand out without the use of Technicolor, which was necessary because much of the film was shot in black and white. In person, they appeared to be a little different than they did on film when they were found nearly a century after they were captured on film.
After 100 Years
Important Scenes Were Filmed In Technicolor
Archaeologists were taken aback by the “extremely intense” colors used to color the sphinx heads. The majority of the movie was shot in Technicolor, with the exception of one of the most crucial scenes, which was shot in B&W.
Important Scenes Were Filmed In Technicolor
Using Jell-O
In both versions, the Red Sea must be parted, but the ’23 film was forced to think outside the box to make this happen. While making waves in a slab of Jell-O, the “parted sea” effect was captured on film.
Using Jell O
What Now?
Cecil B. DeMille was pleasantly surprised to complete filming despite putting his daring ideas into action in three months. At this juncture, he was faced with the question: what to do with the set.
What Now?
Reality
DeMille used to have a love/hate relationship with his movie, that was one of the first “iconic” films made in Hollywood. He’d mainly orchestrated the growth of a city that was both prohibitively expensive to relocate and incalculably valuable to abandon. Worse yet, he was completely aware of the truth of the situation.
Reality
A Decision Was Made
Hollywood filmmakers recycled sets and props to save funds on production. However, DeMille, ever the artist, was not about to allow another filmmaker to actually make money from his work…and so he made a silly decision.
A Decision Was Made
Prophet: DeMille
DeMille stated in his autobiography, “If 1,000 years from now archaeologists happen to dig beneath the sands of Guadalupe, I hope they will not rush into print with the amazing news that Egyptian civilization…extended all the way to the Pacific Coast.”
Prophet: DeMille
They Buried The Set
Indeed, DeMille ascertained that if he was unable to use his elaborate set, no one else would. He demanded that the entire structure be demolished and that anything repairable be buried underground.
They Buried The Set
Having High Standards
“There was no such thing as over the top for Cecil B. DeMille,” author Scott Eyman said. DeMille was lauded for his powerful and authoritative directing style, as well as his knack for reprimanding everyone from extras to the main actor who fell short of his standards.
Having High Standards
The Hollywood History
The intense methods used by DeMille led to the burying of his man-made city. Archaeologists have found comparatively tiny scraps of “artifacts” from The Ten Commandments film over the years, however the biggest breakthrough came when archaeologists found that nearly-intact sphinx head in the sand.
The Hollywood History
Saving It Will Be A Hard Work
“Given that these objects have lasted 94 years, even though they were only built to last for two months during filming, it really speaks to the craftsmanship,” said Doug Jenzen of the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center. Nonetheless, recovering these artifacts will be incredibly hard.
Saving It Will Be A Hard Work
Saving The Prop
Since it was made of Plaster of Paris, the first sphinx head crumbled into powder when it was reached. The second time around, the archaeologists had to use a foam spray to strengthen the interior of the head, allowing them to recover it from the sand without causing damage to it.
Saving The Prop
Treasures Deep Down The Ground
The head may not even have come from the massive deserts of ancient Egypt, but it is still part of the history — Hollywood history. “Movie sets from that Golden Age of Hollywood simply do not exist anymore,” Jenzen said. Unknown scraps hiding beneath the sand dunes now do…along with a piece of one.
Treasures Deep Down The Ground
Golden Era
To generate profits, Hollywood’s business model has indeed been based on breaking the law. Early film producers set up shop in Los Angeles to avoid paying dues to Thomas Edison, who lived on the East Coast and owned patent rights to almost all of the filmmaking tools available.
Golden Era
The Rise Of Studios
Similarly, studios found it difficult to find their footing during the silent film era, but eight studios gained the upper hand after the 1920s. MGM, Warner Bros., 20th Century Fox, RKO, and Paramount managed the major part of the town, with United Artists, Universal, and Columbia having shared their territory.
The Rise Of Studios
The Development
Hollywood made a lot of money off the European wars. Because other nations were preoccupied with fighting during WWI, the American cinemascape advanced in the entertainment race. Americans craved lighthearted, escapism-inducing amusement and splurged in cinemas.
The Development
They Need Charisma
To meet customer expectations, studios require a large number of stars. Shark-like talent scouts combed the area’s theaters, restaurants, and even the streets for new faces. The majority of celebrities were pounced on for their sex appeal, such as Lana Turner, who was dubbed “Sweater Girl” because of her form-fitting dresses.
They Need Charisma
Grooming The Celebrities
New concepts were brought in for a screen test, and if they looked so good on film, the studios would handle the rest. Actors were pressured to go to charm schools, follow strict exercise as well as health regimens, and even have plastic surgery.
Grooming The Celebrities
Being Categorized
Those were the days when an actor could get away with playing a variety of roles. Actors were recruited as leads, supporting characters, or extras, and everyone was typecast. You got to play the parts that your contract demanded, and once the studio found an iconic character type for you, that one was your forever area.
Being Categorized
No Privacy
In addition, celebrities did not finish their project at the end of the day. To make sure that they stayed marketable, studios focused, particularly on their personal lives. Nobody was allowed to be gay, and problems like pregnancies and substance abuse were prohibited.
No Privacy
Consequences
If celebrities are found to be breaking rules too frequently, their contracting studios may be forced to loan them out to other production companies as a form of punishment. It doesn’t sound like a bad idea until you consider that stars were not paid for films they made outside of their home studio.
Consequences
Banned Movies
Then came the infamous legend, known as the Hays Code, which added to an already manipulative industry. When the government threatened to remove films with content it deemed objectionable, studios implemented their own self-censorship system.
Banned Movies
The Rules
Onscreen sexuality, feminism, nudity, biracial relationships, non-hetero characters, or even pregnancy were all prohibited under this code, which was named after MPPDA president Will H. Hays. By the end of the film, villains had to be punished, and husband and wife characters had to sleep in different beds.
The Rules
It Ain’t Real
Furthermore, the “happy ending” has become the standard way to end a film. The silent film era’s European ways, in which characters attired and acted as they pleased, faced real stakes, as well as pondered life’s dark truths, were long gone.
It Ain’t Real
Pregnancy
Because it was not permitted for American movie characters to be pregnant, it was also not permitted for the actors who played them to be pregnant. Beyond the Hays Code issue, studios believed that pregnancy made a star less sellable, and they exerted pressure on pregnant women to end their pregnancy.
Pregnancy