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.