Latest news with #AncientEgypt
Saudi Gazette
5 hours ago
- General
- Saudi Gazette
4,000-year-old handprint found on ancient Egyptian tomb
CAMBRIDGE — A 4,000-year-old handprint has been discovered on a clay model used for offerings in an Ancient Egyptian tomb. Researchers from Cambridge University's Fitzwilliam Museum, in the United Kingdom, stumbled upon the imprint while preparing for an exhibition, which is set to open this fall. It was found on the base of a 'soul house,' a building-shaped clay model typically found in burials and said to have provided a place for the soul to live, according to a press release from the museum. The model has an open space at the front where food offerings, like bread, lettuce or an ox's head, could be placed. The handprint is likely to have been from the potter who made the soul house. It showed that the unnamed potter would have first created a framework of wooden sticks for the two-story building, which was then coated with clay. The firing process would have burnt the wood away. The handprint was found underneath the soul house and was most likely formed when the potter moved the model while the clay was still damp and before it was fired in a kiln. 'We've spotted traces of fingerprints left in wet varnish or on a coffin in the decoration, but it is rare and exciting to find a complete handprint underneath this soul house,' said Helen Strudwick, senior Egyptologist at the museum and curator of the exhibition. 'This was left by the maker who touched it before the clay dried,' she said in the release. 'I have never seen such a complete handprint on an Egyptian object before. You can just imagine the person who made this, picking it up to move it out of the workshop to dry before firing.' 'Things like this take you directly to the moment when the object was made and to the person who made it, which is the focus of our exhibition,' Strudwick added. Vast amounts of pottery have survived from the ancient Egyptian period as ceramics were widely used for functional objects and decorative pieces. It was common for pottery containing food and drink to feature in burials. While much is known about ancient Egyptian rulers like Tutankhamun, the stories of those who made some of the many artifacts discovered in their tombs is often overlooked. The ready availability of clay and low value of pottery is likely to have affected social status of potters, according to the museum. The soul house will be on display at the Cambridge museum as part of the 'Made in Ancient Egypt' exhibition, which aims to highlight the stories of artisans like the one who left this handprint behind. It opens on October 3. — CNN
CNN
a day ago
- Science
- CNN
4,000-year-old handprint found on ancient Egyptian tomb
A 4,000-year-old handprint has been discovered on a clay model used for offerings in an Ancient Egyptian tomb. Researchers from Cambridge University's Fitzwilliam Museum, in the United Kingdom, stumbled upon the imprint while preparing for an exhibition, which is set to open this fall. It was found on the base of a 'soul house,' a building-shaped clay model typically found in burials and said to have provided a place for the soul to live, according to a press release from the museum. The model has an open space at the front where food offerings, like bread, lettuce or an ox's head, could be placed. Dating back to about 2055–1650 BCE, the soul house underwent extensive examinations that revealed how it was made four millennia ago. It showed that the unnamed potter would have first created a framework of wooden sticks for the two-story building, which was then coated with clay. The firing process would have burnt the wood away. The handprint was found underneath the soul house and was most likely formed when the potter moved the model while the clay was still damp and before it was fired in a kiln. 'We've spotted traces of fingerprints left in wet varnish or on a coffin in the decoration, but it is rare and exciting to find a complete handprint underneath this soul house,' said Helen Strudwick, senior Egyptologist at the museum and curator of the exhibition. 'This was left by the maker who touched it before the clay dried,' she said in the release. 'I have never seen such a complete handprint on an Egyptian object before. You can just imagine the person who made this, picking it up to move it out of the workshop to dry before firing.' 'Things like this take you directly to the moment when the object was made and to the person who made it, which is the focus of our exhibition,' Strudwick added. Vast amounts of pottery have survived from the ancient Egyptian period as ceramics were widely used for functional objects and decorative pieces. It was common for pottery containing food and drink to feature in burials. While much is known about ancient Egyptian rulers like Tutankhamun, the stories of those who made some of the many artifacts discovered in their tombs is often overlooked. The ready availability of clay and low value of pottery is likely to have affected social status of potters, according to the museum. The soul house will be on display at the Cambridge museum as part of the 'Made in Ancient Egypt' exhibition, which aims to highlight the stories of artisans like the one who left this handprint behind. It opens on October 3. Discover your world Go beyond the headlines and explore the latest scientific achievements and fascinating discoveries. Sign up for CNN's Wonder Theory science newsletter.
CNN
a day ago
- Science
- CNN
4,000-year-old handprint found on ancient Egyptian tomb
FacebookTweetLink A 4,000-year-old handprint has been discovered on a clay model used for offerings in an Ancient Egyptian tomb. Researchers from Cambridge University's Fitzwilliam Museum, in the United Kingdom, stumbled upon the imprint while preparing for an exhibition, which is set to open this fall. It was found on the base of a 'soul house,' a building-shaped clay model typically found in burials and said to have provided a place for the soul to live, according to a press release from the museum. The model has an open space at the front where food offerings, like bread, lettuce or an ox's head, could be placed. Dating back to about 2055–1650 BCE, the soul house underwent extensive examinations that revealed how it was made four millennia ago. It showed that the unnamed potter would have first created a framework of wooden sticks for the two-story building, which was then coated with clay. The firing process would have burnt the wood away. The handprint was found underneath the soul house and was most likely formed when the potter moved the model while the clay was still damp and before it was fired in a kiln. 'We've spotted traces of fingerprints left in wet varnish or on a coffin in the decoration, but it is rare and exciting to find a complete handprint underneath this soul house,' said Helen Strudwick, senior Egyptologist at the museum and curator of the exhibition. 'This was left by the maker who touched it before the clay dried,' she said in the release. 'I have never seen such a complete handprint on an Egyptian object before. You can just imagine the person who made this, picking it up to move it out of the workshop to dry before firing.' 'Things like this take you directly to the moment when the object was made and to the person who made it, which is the focus of our exhibition,' Strudwick added. Vast amounts of pottery have survived from the ancient Egyptian period as ceramics were widely used for functional objects and decorative pieces. It was common for pottery containing food and drink to feature in burials. While much is known about ancient Egyptian rulers like Tutankhamun, the stories of those who made some of the many artifacts discovered in their tombs is often overlooked. The ready availability of clay and low value of pottery is likely to have affected social status of potters, according to the museum. The soul house will be on display at the Cambridge museum as part of the 'Made in Ancient Egypt' exhibition, which aims to highlight the stories of artisans like the one who left this handprint behind. It opens on October 3. Discover your world Go beyond the headlines and explore the latest scientific achievements and fascinating discoveries. Sign up for CNN's Wonder Theory science newsletter.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Archaeologists amazed to discover an ancient 'door to the afterlife' in the tomb of an Egyptian prince
Archaeologists examining a 4,400–year–old ancient Egyptian tomb have made a groundbreaking discovery. The catacomb, which belonged to a previously unknown prince called Userefre, features a large pink granite 'false door' – the largest ever discovered in Egypt. The door, which measures 4.5 metres high and 1.15 metres wide (15ft by 4ft) resembles a functional door but does not actually open. Instead, experts believe it held profound spiritual significance – serving as a symbolic portal through which the soul of the dead could travel to the afterlife. This 'gateway' demonstrates how considerable time and resources were dedicated to achieving eternal rest. The discovery, in Egypt's Saqqara necropolis, was made during an excavation mission led by Dr Zahi Hawass, former Minister of Antiquities. The door is decorated with hieroglyphic inscriptions detailing Prince Userefre's impressive titles, including 'Hereditary Prince, Governor of the Buto and Nekhbet Regions, Royal Scribe, Minister, Judge, and Chanting Priest.' The royal, who also goes by Prince Waser–If–Re, according to the inscriptions, was the son of King Userkaf, who was the founder of Egypt's Fifth dynasty. Despite his many titles, the prince and his tomb were previously unknown to scholars. 'Before this discovery, we didn't even know he existed,' Ronald Leprohon, professor emeritus of Egyptology at the University of Toronto, told The Archaeologist. Dr Melanie Pitkin, from Cambridge University, has previously explained how false doors were intended to serve as portals that allowed the life force – or 'ka' – of the deceased to move back and forth between the tomb and the afterlife. 'Family members and priests would come to the tomb where the false door was standing and they would recite the name of the deceased and his or her achievements and leave offerings,' she said. 'The ka of the deceased would then magically travel between the burial chamber and the netherworld. 'It would come and collect the food, drink, and offerings from the tomb to help sustain it in the afterlife.' Alongside the false door, archaeologists also found 13 high–backed chairs, each of which featured statues carved out of pink granite too. Most false doors discovered in Egyptian tombs are made of limestone, which was abundant at the time. Pink and red granite was a rarity and had to be quarried and transported from Aswan – around 650km away. As a result, it was reserved for royalty. The imposing size of this particular false door reflects Prince Userefre's elevated status within the royal hierarchy. The archaeologists also found a red granite offering table measuring 92.5cm in diameter, featuring carved texts describing ritual sacrifice. The tomb also had a massive black granite statue of a standing man, measuring 1.17 metres tall. The owner of this statue – whose name was inscribed on its chest – appears to date to a more recent time period, indicating the tomb may have been reused. Scientists working at the site are still looking to locate the prince's actual burial chamber. Tutankhamun was an Egyptian pharaoh of the 18th dynasty, and ruled between 1332 BC and 1323 BC. He was the son of Akhenaten and took to the throne at the age of nine or ten. When he became king, he married his half-sister, Ankhesenpaaten. He died at around the age of 18 and his cause of death is unknown. In 1907, Lord Carnarvon George Herbert asked English archaeologist and Egyptologist Howard Carter to supervise excavations in the Valley of the Kings. On 4 November 1922, Carter's group found steps that led to Tutankhamun's tomb. He spent several months cataloguing the antechamber before opening the burial chamber and discovering the sarcophagus in February 1923. When the tomb was discovered in 1922 by archaeologist Howard Carter, under the patronage of Lord Carnarvon, the media frenzy that followed was unprecedented. Carter and his team took 10 years to clear the tomb of its treasure because of the multitude of objects found within it. For many, Tut embodies ancient Egypt's glory because his tomb was packed with the glittering wealth of the rich 18th Dynasty from 1569 to 1315 BC.
News.com.au
2 days ago
- Science
- News.com.au
New technology uncovers hidden details of Egypt's 2,300-year-old 'untouchable' mummy
Modern technology has helped shed further light on an Ancient Egyptian mystery after spending millennia under wraps. The Bashiri Mummy, also known as the 'untouchable one', has long remained unravelled – as researchers have feared causing damage to the intricately wrapped fabric. It is believed by some sources that Egyptologist Howard Carter discovered this mummy in the Valley of the Kings, The Sun reports. This is the same area he would famously go on to uncover King Tutankhamun's tomb. But according to Discover magazine, the most that is known for sure is that the 'untouchable one' was found, but that no researchers have dared attempt to unfurl its cloth. Prior to the invention of X-ray and CT scanners, people would unwrap these ancient mummies to study them – causing severe damage. New technology has lessened the need for such methods of study, allowing researchers to learn more about ancient artefacts while inflicting less harm on them. It brings them one step closer to understanding the mysteries of the Bashiri Mummy. The untouchable one's face wrappings are said to be unique, featuring a pattern resembling the base of a pyramid. According to the American Museum of Natural History, 'In the past, the only way to learn about a mummy was to unwrap it. 'But this widespread practice destroyed the mummy, often detaching body parts." Scans have now revealed fresh details about the mummy. Researchers have established that the Bashiri Mummy would have been an adult man who stood about 5.5 feet (1.7 metres) tall. He would have lived in the Ptolemaic Era – which spanned from 305BC to 30BC. This makes the mummy around a staggering 2,300 years old. The X-ray scan also showed an inscription of the man's name, according to the Egypt Museum. However, it is not fully clear if Pacheri or Nenu are written, leaving some mysteries around the mummy still unresolved. The museum added that the mummy's encasement was decorated with 'various scenes arranged in registers, notably the mummy lying on a bed, surrounded by the goddesses Isis and Nephtys, and the four sons of Horus.' 'Finally, the casing around the feet has two images of the funerary god Anubis,' it adds. It is not the only incredible discovery of the Ancient World unveiled in recent weeks. A network of dimly lit tunnels under Rome's Capitoline Hill could soon become the city's latest tourist hot spot. The secret underground city covers some 42,000 square feet (3,902 square metres) under the Ancient Roman Forum – and reaches depths of 985 feet (300 metres) below the surface. It is expected to be open for visitors from late 2026 or early 2027, CNN has reported.
