Scientists crack open ancient Egyptian tomb after 3,600 years and you’ll never believe what’s inside
THE chilling secrets of an ancient Egyptian tomb that lay hidden for thousands of years have been revealed.
Three ancient Egyptian crypts containing babies and entire families were discovered next to remains of crocodiles and goats.
Archaeologists at Lund University made the discovery in Gebel el Silsila, a site 65km north of Aswan, Egypt.
They believe the families were buried in rock cut tombs during the reigns of Pharaohs Thutmose III and Amenhotep II – around 3,600 years ago.
The stretched bones and muscle would suggest those entombed were subjected to hard labour during their lifetime.
Egypt's Antiquities Authority said: "Fossils of sheep and goats as well as a couple of Nile perch and an almost complete crocodile were found along with sandstone sarcophagi."
What is a mummy?
Ancient Egypt has left us lots of mummies, but what exactly are they?
Mummies are dead humans or animals whose skin and organs have been preserved either by intentional or accidental exposure to chemicals, extreme cold, very low humidity or lack of air.
This means the body doesn’t decay, so long as it’s kept in cool and dry conditions.
Mummies have been found on every continent, with more than a million animal mummies – mainly cats – being found in Egypt.
In Ancient Egypt, when a king (known as a pharaoh) died, it was believed he would ascend to the afterlife and become one of the many gods the people worshipped.
They used the process of mummification to preserve the bodies and prevent them from decomposing.
Deliberate mummification began as early as the 2nd dynasty (about 3400 BCE) and became an integral part of Egyptian rituals for the dead. It could take up to 70 days to embalm a body. The mummies of Asia are usually considered to be accidental.
The dead were buried in just the right place where the environment could act as an agent for preservation.
This is especially common in the desert areas of the Tarim Basin and Iran.
Mummies have been discovered in more humid Asian climates, but recovering them proves very challenging as the bodies are subject to rapid decay after being removed from the grave due to the warm, moist climate.
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Two of the dozen tombs are believed to have been used for offerings and the others contained babies and animals.
A skeleton of a crocodile missing a head was found just outside.
It's unclear whether it had been left there as an offering to the gods or had ended up there after flooding.
The corpses were hidden in sandstone blocks and were found with various amulets and necklaces including one with a picture of Egyptian god Bes.
The find reveals what life would have been like for people living in Gebel el Silsila.
"Many of the injuries appear to be in an advanced stage of healing, suggesting effective medical care," Lund University wrote in a press release.
It added: "The new finds add exciting new components to the necropolis, changing yet again the perceived function and apparent appearance to the site of Gebel el Silsila, and with further fieldwork the team look forward to increasing their understanding of the overall function and role of the area during the New Kingdom."
It's the latest fascinating spooky Egpytian find.
It follows the discovery of a mummified fetus in an Egyptian tomb.
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