Ancient Egyptian kings were determined not to arrive in the afterlife empty-handed. But a pyramid is a fairly conspicuous place to bury treasure, and, in some cases, tombs were looted more or less as soon as they were completed. By the time modern archaeologists get on the scene, pyramid chambers are usually almost empty. Luckily, some ancient looters did record descriptions of the riches they nabbed in written confessions. Here’s what you could have won, Lara Croft!
9. Their reputation for elaborate security is misplaced
Ancient Egyptians could learn a thing or two from Hollywood about boobytraps. Archaeologists haven’t come up against any swinging axes, snake pits, or even basic trap doors. Tomb-raider-proofing measures, such as concealing entrances, or blocking ageways with (stationary) boulders (Indiana Jones breathes a sigh of relief), were as far as it went, and they were often ineffective.
As for the infamous Egyptian tomb curses, in reality these are very rare and tend to be more along the lines of a sign saying, ‘No Tresing’, or even just, ‘I wouldn’t do that if I were you’.
10. They keep archaeologists guessing
There’s lots that archaeologists still don’t know about the pyramids and the people who built them. For example, there are chambers and shafts inside these mega-tombs that have archaeologists scratching their heads, and there is still debate over exactly how they were built.
