The Discovery of an Intact Tomb at Saqqara (ft. Dr. Hawass)

Description

Dr Zahi Hawass takes us inside a tomb in Saqqara, Egypt as his team prepare to open us a limestone sarcophagus for the first time, with its contents unknown. On opening the sarcophagus, the contents reveal there to be a mummy inside which will then be taken away for tests and examinations to check for gold and amulets.

Dr Hawass emphasises the personal importance this discovery has to him, and how it reinforces his passion for archaeology!

You can read more about this video in the accompanying blogpost from Malcolm here.

Related Heritage ExpertsZahi Hawass
CreditsDr Zahi Hawass, Nico Piazza
Transcription

I came here about three days ago and I opened one coffin and I saw the sealed limestone sarcophagus. I could not sleep, I was thinking about it all the time! Thinking about the moment that I would come down about 11 meters and begin to open a sealed sarcophagus that no one ever touched since 2600 years ago.

If a mummy was inside a limestone sarcophagus, it mean this person is rich, because how can you afford to cut a limestone sarcophagus from Tora, which is located to the East of the Nile? This is very expensive.

- Ok, ready?

When you open something like that, it's so exciting that you have to do it by yourself to feel that. The mummy is saved beautifully, in a good preservation. And really what I believe, we are going to take this mummy and put it under an X-ray and CAT scan machine, because inside most of the mummies of this period, were hidden amulets, and sometimes there could be 100 pieces of gold. The amulets were put them inside and this can help the deceased to go safely to the afterlife.

Coming to this room, looking at 30 mummies, looking at 4 mummies in the corner and seeing one of them buried his dog beside him, and also a coffin of a child. Opening this wooden anthropoid coffin for the first time and looking at the mummy. And finally you come to the sealed large, big, 10 ton limestone sarcophagus... And we opened it and we looked inside to discover a mummy. It is a beautiful moment in my life.

When the workmen were moving the lid, I was putting my eyes inside looking at the unknown. And when I saw a mummy in that beautiful condition, I was so happy. And this why it is something with a passion. The passion that I have for archaeology.

Related Publications
Chasing Mummies
History Channel (2010)
by Zahi Hawass, Leslie Greif
The Complete Tutankhamun: The King, the Tomb, the Royal Treasure
Purchase this product from Amazon.comPurchase this product from Amazon.co.uk
Thames & Hudson (2007)
by Nicholas Reeves, The Seventh Earl of Carnarvon
King Tutankhamun: The Treasures of the Tomb by Zahi Hawass & Sandro Vannini
Purchase this product from Amazon.comPurchase this product from Amazon.co.uk
Thames & Hudson (2008)
by Zahi Hawass, Sandro Vannini

Comments

<p>&nbsp;Wow, the condition that&nbsp;sarcophagus is in, is just amazing. After thousands of year's it was still able to keep it's general shape. I wonde how modern coffens would fair.&nbsp;</p>

I can't imagine Dr. Hawass excitement when he set his eyes first upon the content of the sarcophagus. Its pretty amazing to unearth ancient artifacts that could help bridge the gap between ancient times and the modern world. So that our children's children can still see our interesting history.
 
Chimezirim Odimba
http://www.quality-insurance-4-less.com/
 

 

 

 

 

  

 

The subterranean chamber measuring four by five meters was uncovered near the prehistoric Heuneburg hill fort near the town of Herbertingen in south-western Germany. Its contents including the oak floor of the room are unusually well preserved. The find is a "milestone for the reconstruction of the social history of the Celts," archeologist Dirk Krausse, the director of the dig, said on Tuesday. astrological compatibility

 

The subterranean chamber measuring four by five meters was uncovered near the prehistoric Heuneburg hill fort near the town of Herbertingen in south-western Germany. Its contents including the oak floor of the room are unusually well preserved. The find is a "milestone for the reconstruction of the social history of the Celts," archeologist Dirk Krausse, the director of the dig, said on Tuesday.

<a href="http://www.astrological-compatibility.org/">astrological compatibility</a>
 

The experience to open a sarcophagus first hand must be very surreal. If archeologists are able to determine information behind this person, the better.

 Well, these tombs are just simple  proof that  people before have a rich culture. It is very significant to our lives today because  we area able to know to have them intact despite of what had happened for a lot of years. symptoms of anxiety

 

find Heritage Key on Flickr, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter or Subscribe to RSS for the Latest News

LOG OUT - MY ACCOUNT - SITE NEWS - ABOUT - FAQ - CONTACT - TERMS OF USE - PRIVACY - EDITORIAL POLICY

Teacher? Check out our 3D Interactive Fieldtrips at QuestHistory.com

Virtual Experience - Articles & Blogs - Video - Directory - Calendar - Publications & Reviews - Quizzes - Discuss - Downloads - Subscribe - Find us on the web - Search
King Tut - Stonehenge - Terracotta Warriors - Pyramids - Archaeology - Britain - China - Egypt - Greece - Rome
© 2009-2011 Heritage Key

Subscribe to Heritage Key Updates
Email: