The secret grave Herhor - Gazeta Wyborcza

It was about the year 1080 BC, when Thebes, bleeding from fresh wounds in the Civil War by the rebellious troops Kushite mercenaries arrived Herhor general at the head of an army of faithful Pharaoh Ramses XI. In the Valley of the Kings saw previously surrounded the mummies rulers reverence not only stripped of bandages and stripped of all valuable items, but some chopped up with axes and covered in feces barbarians who thus manifested their relationship to the sacred Egyptian relic.

Probably just then that dignitary, who was soon to assume the position of High Priest of Amun and appoint a king, made the decision on the collateral’s own tomb, that even the rebellious army had no chance to get into his mummy. Perhaps the development of details of the project commissioned by the royal necropolis Butehamonowi writer, because it “signatures” that a senior officer is repeated on the walls surrounding the cliff ledge located about 100 meters above the famous temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari. It was there for 14 years working Polish Mission Rock Institute of Archaeology, University of Warsaw.

Masters of camouflage

When you started work on the “inviolable” grave for Herhor (and probably also for his son, who 35 years later also became King), on this shelf, lying there under a big rock ruin forming quasi-roof protruding over the edge, from a few hundred years was the tomb of another pharaoh – the great Amenhotep I, the patron saint of the whole Theban necropolis, on whose posthumous cult of the family took care Butehamona. The tomb also has plunder during the Civil War. The location of the grave, in the heart of the royal cemetery and in front of the remote a few kilometers away the most revered shrine of Amun (Karnak today), was exceptional. The ancient engineers decided that it will also be the most convenient place, which can make the reach, yet easy to supervise the entrance to the tomb of Amenhotep was perfectly visible.

These plans were implemented after the untimely death of his son Herhor, circa 1040 BC It was a mammoth undertaking engineering, which was attended by thousands of workers. On the steep slope, a few meters below the entrance to the tomb was cut platform, then covered with a kind of stone floor, and piled it with a soft “pillow” – a few meters layer of fine gravel and limestone dust that had to be for the purpose to bring in bags on the shelf, beating hard road and hundred-meter tall level difference.

That’s right there created artificial hill. With rock “roof” over the entrance weir was precipitated by several large fragments and supplemented the mass of small stones and debris, ensuring that the whole gave the impression of one large rock. The ancient engineers turned out to be masters of camouflage, using abundant limestone powder with the addition of a binder and water, which can safely be called the invention of artificial rocks, very difficult to distinguish from natural.

The whole work was absolutely exceptional and well fulfilled its task: ancient robbers who tried to later get into the tomb (discovered several tunnels made by them), should not be made, although their attempts to prove themselves that this goal exists. Nobody dared to later remove the accumulated artificial boulders and protected them tomb survived until today. He has a chance to reveal it until Mission Rock.

Pole can

When you set about the first studies on the shelf in 1999, even we did not consider the possibility of removing all the stones – it seemed simply impossible. Mission Rock in addition to study traces of human activity in this area was primarily the task of determining whether the rock material collected on the shelf does not threaten located below the temples.

It turned out that the danger is real, especially in situations of violent rainstorm or earthquake ground. We started to remove the imminent fall of rocks, breaking them into small pieces. By the way, after the removal of each successive stone penetrated the surface on which it rests, naively thinking that just under him may be the tomb (we did not know yet that we are dealing with an exceptional work of ancient Egyptian engineers who secured entrance with thousands of tons of stones).

Up to 2009 could not locate it, but our research brought other important results. We found, inter alia, a unique system of protection of the tomb of Amenhotep I from rainwater, the first zadokumentowali?my mentioned above tunnels thieving, artificial rock and positions of ancient guards.

Shares breaking stones accompanied by a growing logistical problem: where to put the chips from them? Therefore, we created more storage, filling them all the shelves and around the area. Finally, it’s time for the biggest rock. Still well to a height of ten meters a huge rock ruin standing right over the precipice, and threatened to fall on the temple grounds. Nobody believed that it can be removed without causing a catastrophic avalanche. However failed, but the amount of fine debris originating from it was so large that the entire shelf is covered with them, making it impossible to secure the study. Already in 2009, fell the idea that all the stones removed, using modern technical solution, and only then return to archeology, that is, examine the last part of the surface and in the event of discovery of the tomb proceed with the exploration.

When you said the device was finally produced (this is also a unique achievement of three Polish engineers from the company Roteko from Skawina), and our results and findings provide a unique perspective to collect the necessary funds (from the Foundation for Polish Science and the Ministry of Science), in Egypt there were political changes, which for two years stopped all activities in the field. Fortunately, the new Egyptian antiquities authorities have been very interested in resuming our work and in January 2013 years we could proceed with the installation of our system.

Once again doubted whether weighing a total of seven tons of equipment (kind of big chute construction combined with the system steel gutters) did manage to hang on brittle rocks at Deir el-Bahri, but this “mission impossible” was successfully carried out. The unit works perfectly and the original surface of the shelf is slowly emerging from the stone heaps. The only place where we expect the discovery, is located relatively low and you need to delete all landfills located above to reach it. Separate us from that moment probably two, maybe three months of work from the place where we stayed, ending last season, between us no more than 30 meters.

In 2014 we operate from January to mid-March and then to fall, in the summer the temperature at this point, exceeds 50 degrees in the shade. The discovery of the tomb may, however, take place already during the next – “winter” – season.

What could be inside?

There are a few clues. For example, the excellent “match” our shelves information “topographic” so-called. Abbott’s report, or a papyrus, who claimed, where is the entrance to the tomb of Amenhotep I. Also discovered by us in 2000, the dagger hilt, which probably was broken from the neck of the mummy of Amenhotep,’re told to expect that we will find many items belonging to the Pharaoh. Herhor will not delete them, treating them as a kind of amulets.

It is possible that among them will be a great sarcophagus of Amenhotep probably measured about three and a half meters in length. But do not expect the precious things of his burial, because they were certainly plunder. Another situation concerns while the expected intact burials Herhor and his son, they should bring even gold objects, although it is difficult to speculate about their quantity. On the mummy Herhor expect at least a golden mask and valuable jewelry. It must be said clearly: every thing found in the intact tomb of the king will have its weight in gold, and the Polish science deserves a gold medal. It will be a great success at the University of Warsaw, Polish archeology, as well as a day of great satisfaction of all who come to this success is contributed.

Success, which dreamed of for many years, is close to and separates us from him only determined number of stones. At the start of work next season, we need about 60 thousand. z?, for two seasons – twice as much. I therefore wish to appeal to all who would like to participate in something special, with a heartfelt appeal: support by our work – we can all be explorers

—– —–

More about Mission Stone and how to support the work of archaeologists: www.facebook.com / misjaskalna

———-

* prof. Andrew Niwi?ski works in the Department of Archaeology at the Institute of Archaeology of Egypt UW. Since 1999, directs the work of the Mission Stone of the temple of Hatshepsut. He is also the founder and president of the Association of Lovers of Egypt Herhor