Egypt Tombs , the burial place of ancient Egyptians, are famous all over the world for their antiquity, architectural designs, and historical significance. Egypt tombs were built for kings and queens, noblemen, and common people but the best built and spectacular were the royal tombs.
Royal Tombs
Tombs for the royal kings and queens of ancient Egypt were built as early as the first dynasties. The mastaba was the earliest and simplest tomb structure. It consisted of a single elevated structure and was not very elaborate or decorated. The Step Pyramid built by Imhotep for the 3 rd century pharaoh Zoser , was the first pyramid ever built.
The most famous royal tombs of ancient Egypt are as follows:
The Tomb of Tutankhamen : It was discovered in 1922 by Howard Carter. Very little was known about Tutankhamen until his tomb was discovered. It is one of the most intact tombs to have been excavated.
The Tomb of Nefertiti : Nefertiti is believed to have been the most beautiful of all Egyptian queens. She was the favorite queen of King Ramses II. Much about the life and characteristics of Nefertiti can be deciphered by the inscriptions on the walls of her tomb.
The Tomb of Khufu : The Great Pyramid at Giza, the biggest of all the Egyptian pyramids houses the body of Pharaoh Khufu. It is built with more than 2 million stones. It weighs approximately 2.5 tons and is almost 480 feet tall.
Egyptians worshipped their Pharaohs as gods. So when a pharaoh died his tomb was richly decorated and laden with precious belongings of the Pharaoh.
Tombs of Noblemen
The noblemen, the ranking government officials and high priests had more modest tombs. The noblemen's tombs served more as a place where offering for the deceased can be made. Tombs of the noblemen depict their daily activities.
Tombs of the Workers
The workers who deftly built the tombs of royal Egyptians were often allowed to have their house of rest. The tombs of the workers were notably more modest than those of the kings or noblemen. Their tombs were about one-fifth the size of the noblemen's tombs which themselves were one-fifth the size of the pharaoh's tombs.
The royal tombs of Egypt contained many treasures. Ancient Egyptians believed in afterlife. So when they buried their kings and queens, loads of precious belongings were also buried with them to make their passage into afterlife easy and convenient. These rich treasures later became the targets of tomb raiders. Many of the Egyptian tombs were plundered and destroyed by fortune hunters.
The Egypt tombs helped archeologists and historians to delve deep into the past history of Egypt. These relicts stand as witnesses to the glorious past of Egypt. Today, they are the sources of revenue generation. Egypt's tourist industry thrives on the Egypt tombs.
