Howard Carter and My Husband's Tomb (Teresa)

Coffinette of King Tut

The newspaper read : "After working for five years in the Valley of the Kings and finding almost nothing, Howard Carter was progressing on his final season when he made the discovery. On November 4, 1922, while clearing away some ancient huts, one of Howard Carter's workmen found a hidden step near the base of the tomb of Rameses VI. Though he hoped it led to an ancient, royal tomb, it could just as easily have been a royal cache or, much worse, empty - pilfered in antiquity. But that was not to be. Carter had discovered not just an unknown ancient Egyptian tomb, but one that had lain nearly undisturbed for over 3,000 years. PharaohTutankhamun, the boy king, was found within his nearly intact tomb."

Howard Carter, an English archaeologist and Egyptologist, found the tomb of the King who was both my brother and my husband.  I have mixed feelings over the discovery of his tomb and subsequent removal of my King's grave goods.  I was 13 and Tutankhamun was 8 when he became pharaoh and we were married.  It was 10 short years later that my King died.  When someone dies, their heart is weighed in the heart test with the gods Anubis, Ammut the devourer and Thoth.  The heart is weighed against the feather of truth.  If you were good, your heart was lighter than a feather and if you were bad your heart was heavy.  If your heart was found to be heavy, Ammut the devourer would suddenly appear and gobble you up!  Since we record everything in Ancient Egypt, the god Thoth was there to record the findings.

Anubis, Ammut and Thoth - Weighing of the Heart Ceremony

When a pharaoh dies, it is a priority to make sure they get to the afterlife successfully.  He has to have everything needed for the afterlife with him.  That is why all these things are put in a tomb.  Included in the grave goods are Shabtis, small figures carved from stone or wood.  They are shaped like people and in the afterlife they become the pharaoh's servants.  My king, along with all other pharaoh's, have about 50 to 60 Shabtis with them in their tomb.  Mountains of gold get piled into the tomb so pharaoh can enjoy himself in the afterlife.  The walls and roof of the tomb are covered in pictures of the pharaoh doing things in the afterlife, such as meeting the gods, having a successful weighing of the heart and servants worshiping him.  We also include spells of good luck for the pharaoh.

Howard Carter, 1922

 If someone was caught robbing a tomb, they faced a horrible death.  I believe had Howard Carter entered and removed grave goods from my pharaoh's tomb while I was alive, he would have been killed.  It is fortunate that Mr. Carter found my King's tomb almost 3,100 years after he was buried.  Carter spent almost ten years cataloging all the grave goods he found.  I know King Tut found his way to his afterlife.  Since there were grave goods remaining in his tomb, my King did not need all that we packed for him.  I also know that if Howard Carter had not spent all that time cataloging and examining my King's tomb, there is much you would not know about me and my people.  Today, you know what King Tut looked like because Howard Carter found a solid gold mask inside the tomb designed like the pharaoh's face.  It was because of Mr. Carter's discovery that so many people over the years have become so interested and fascinated in my history and the history of my people.

Howard Carter was honored on May 9, 2012 with a Google Doodle in celebration of his 138th birthday.

Google Doodle, May 9, 2012

 

"the beautiful one has come" (Cortina)

In honor of mother's day, the blog today will be about my mother, Nefetiti. My mother was a very powerful and important Queen. She was born around 1390 B.C.E. Her name means, the beautiful one has come. When she was around 15 years old she married my father who was just one year older than her. My mother was very influential regarding political matters during my father's rein which was very unusual for a woman at that time. She is shown alongside my father in many carved scenes and other artworks participating with him in ceremonial acts. Some say my mother was the most beautiful woman of the world, and I would say that I agree. A beautiful portrait bust found at the sculptor Thutmose's workshop in Tell el-Armana was created of my mother. Happy Mother's Day!     

The letter I wrote....or did I?

There was a document that some say I wrote. This document created some controversy. This document was found in the ancient Hittite capital of Hattusa, which dates back to the Amarna period.  It was written to the Hittite king.  The letter had read:

“My husband had died and I have no son. They say you have many sons; you might give me one of your sons to become my husband. I would not wish to take one of my subjects as a husband….I am afraid.”

This letter is not good, considering Egyptians thought that outsiders or foreigners to be substandard. Because the king of Hittites whose name was Suppiluliuma was understandably worried about this letter, he missed his chance to bring Egypt into his empire.  He instead was trying to figure out who wrote this letter.  There was much debate on who wrote this letter. They had it narrowed down to me or Nefertiti.  No one will ever know for sure. I am good at keeping secrets. 

Marriage (Teresa)

Egyptian Family

I am often surprised by people's response when they learn that I was once married to my father, my brother and my grandfather.  Up until recently, your scholars thought it was the royal women who carry the bloodlines in ancient Egypt.  Regardless, it is my responsibility as princess to marry the pharaoh or the pharaoh's successor.  By marring within my family, pharaoh's bloodline will remain pure and add strength to the line of succession.  You see, pharaohs rule by divine decree.  They are living gods, the personification of the king of gods AMUN-RA.  When they die, they became true gods.  Pharaohs have multiple wives and concubines in addition to the Great Royal Wife, or chief wife.  This actually allows pharaoh to enter into diplomatic marriages with the daughters of allies.  Marriage is handled very differently for those not of noble birth.  You see, men and women are free to marry whom ever they choose plus they are free to leave their spouse as well.

In general, everyone - men and women - of all social classes view marriage as normal and desirable.  Most men marry by the age of twenty-one and girls get married by the age of fifteen.  Usually, however, if there is an age difference, it is not more than two or three years.  The couple enter into a marriage contract that usually contains clauses like:
1) You are the sharer with my children already born and still to be born in all that I possess and that I shall acquire.
2) The children which you will bear to me are the sharers with my children in all that I posses and that I shall acquire.
3) One third of all that I possess and shall acquire belongs to you for the children you bear me.
4) The children which you will bear to me are the masters of all and everything that I possess and that I shall acquire.

In my time, marriages for anyone not of noble birth are monogamous.  People marry within their social class and they marry someone unrelated or no more closely related than cousin.  Men and women retain separate ownership of any property they brought into the marriage.  Either party can initiate a divorce and no reason has to be given.  Wives are generally entitled to a third of her husband's property when he dies.  Beyond that, men and women generally divide their estate among their children.

My Egyptian Home.. (Cortina)

When most people think of a home, they think of it being constructed out of wood or stone brick. Wood was very scare in ancient Egypt, so most homes were made of mud brick. This type of construction only lasted a few years, mainly due to corrosion and crumbling. Mud brick homes were constructed for people who were of low social status.
My home was an extravagant home on an estate in the countryside. Our home was made from stone, taken from stone quarries. Stone is much more sturdier and lasts a lot longer than mud brick. Our home had high ceilings with pillars. The walls were lavishly decorated with painted scenery, and we had beautifully tiled floors. Outdoors we had secluded gardens and courtyards with palm trees to protect us from the hot sun and provide us with some privacy. Our pool was stocked with exotic fish from the Nile river. We also had servant quarters, a stable, and a shrine room for worship.
Almost all homes constructed in Egypt during my time had a stairway that led to a flat roof. This is where many Egyptians spent a lot of their time, and it helped with the sweltering Egyptian heat. Nearly all Egyptian homes had hearths, but they were not primarily for warmth, they were used for cooking. The majority of Egyptian homes did not have much furniture, due to the lack of wood.  When we had mealtimes, the servants would bring us our food and we would sit on cushions and eat from a low table. During the evening times the servants would light lamps stands made from papyrus plants.  

A Day in My Life (Teresa)

It was expected that I be married at a young age.  I, like most other princesses of my day, got married in my early teens.  It was expected that we would marry the next Pharaoh in line for the throne.  Most of the time, it was our own brother we were married to.  In my case, I was married to my father before my brother.  In all, I had four husbands, including my grandfather.

Pharaohs were expected to marry a number of wives.  I, being my husband’s sister, was the chief wife.  I was known as my kings 'Great Royal Wife.’  Some princesses of my time would be married to Egyptian noblemen.  Pharaohs never allowed their daughters to marry foreign royalty.  After my third husband's death - and going against this tradition - I reached out to a neighboring king to marry one of his sons.  Unfortunately, subjects in my kingdom murdered my husband-to-be because they did not want a foreigner to be king.

I actually received a good education and I knew how to write.  Usually, Egyptian girls were not given an education and instead were taught things like spinning and weaving.  These domestic skills were things I did not need to learn.

I loved music and dancing.  I played games with my sisters and brothers and even with my ladies in waiting.  My favorite game was a dancing game called the 'Hathor Dance' where we danced in a ring while holding mirrors and sistrums - this was a rattle sacred to Hathor.  'Pressing the Grapes' was my favorite game along with playing with balls.  Another pastime I enjoyed was swimming.  We actually had our own swimming pool in our palace.

I had servants for everything and was pampered with the finest fruits, foods, and wines.  I had the finest clothes.

Imhotep and Ankhesenamun (Teresa)

Me & Imhotep in Movie Poster

In the movie series "The Mummy" I was very impressed the makers of these films chose to use actual historical figures.  Unfortunately, I was disappointed at how they portrayed Imhotep.  In the movie, Imhotep was high priest in 1290 BCE under the rule of Pharaoh Seti I.  He began an affair with Pharaoh Seti's mistress, Ankhesenamun, and they murder the Pharaoh when he discovers it.  After doing so, they are discovered and Ankhesenamun commits suicide with the intention of having Imhotep resurrect her.  He attempts to do so but is captured at Hamunaptra, and is punished by enduring the Curse of Hom Dai, a ritual that involved cutting out his tongue and mummifying Imhotep alive with his sarcophagus filled with carnivorous scarab beetles.  As a result of the curse, Imhotep was made an undead fiend with control over sand and other elements. 

The real Imhotep

OK - now to set the record straight.  To begin with, I never met Imhotep.  He was born approximately 1,000 years before me and lived during the reign of King Djoser, of the Third Dynasty.  He is most famous for having designed Djoser's Step Pyramid which is the first known true pyramid in Ancient Egypt.  His responsibilities included being the High Priest and Chief Architect of Heliopolis.  He was also a physician.  Imhotep diagnosed and treated over 200 diseases, 15 diseases of the abdomen, 11 of the bladder, 10 of the rectum, 29 of the eyes, and 18 of the skin, hair, nails and tongue.  Imhotep treated tuberculosis, gallstones, appendicitis, gout and arthritis.  He also performed surgery and practiced some dentistry.  Far from being cursed, Imhotep was actually revered.  He was deified as a god of wisdom and learning and we all believed he was son of the god Ptah.  There is a temple dedicated to him at Philae.  I do not know where he is buried, but he did live to be an old man.

In addition to the facts about Imhotep, I have to tell you I have never heard of the place called  Hamunaptra.  Plus, we have never had any pyramids at Thebes and there are no such thing as flesh-eating scarabs.  Scarabs eat dung and do not move very fast.  I am very grateful this part of the movie is not historically accurate!

Some History... (Cortina)

I was born in Waset (now known as Thebes) but I grew up in the city named after my father, Akehenaten (now known as Amarna). Life for an Egyptian Princess was not always easy. Around the time I was born, there was much controversy surrounding my father, Akehenaten, who was King at the time. His ideas of monotheism created much of the controversy. He decided that all of Egypt should  worship one God, being the most important God above all others, rather than worshiping many Gods, as had been the tradition for a very long time. My father made Aten (god of the sun disk) the most supreme of all of the Gods. He even built a huge palace between the political capital at Memphis and the religious center at Thebes. He named this new palace, Akehenaten, meaning, Place of the Sun Disk's Power.  In the palace he commissioned a stone carving of myself, my sister's, our mother, Queen Nefertiti, and himself. Our life during the time of my early childhood, despite the religious controversy, can be described for the most part as tranquil, and not as formal as the families of the pharaohs that had preceded us. We enjoyed a lavish lifestyle, while the peasants ate a very limited diet, we benefited from a large variety of vegetables, fruits, meats, grains, nuts and wine.   

Initial Post (Teresa & Cortina)

My name is Ankhesenamun although I was born as Ankhesenpaaten.  I was the third of six known daughters of the Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten and his Great Royal Wife Nefertiti.  During the Armana period, I grew to become the Great Royal Wife of my half-brother Tutankhamun.  I was 13 years old when I married Tutankhamun, and he was around 8 years old.  Throughout our rule during the span of ten years, we had two daughters. Both girls were born prematurely and unfortunately, passed away immediately.  My Grandfather, Ay, was my husband's official advisor.  My Grandfather was very influential during our reign due to our young age at the time.

Please enjoy reading my blog!