The main news of this year for all history lovers was the discovery in Egyptian Alexandria of a large black sarcophagus, which could have stored the remains of Alexander the Great.
Whose tomb is this?
The news that Egyptian archaeologists may have found the tomb of Alexander the Great instantly spread throughout the world. The size of the sarcophagus also added a certain amount of excitement. According to the estimates of the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities, it turned out to be one of the largest: the length was 2.7 m; width - 1.5 m; height - 1.8 m. In the world media, there were many versions of who could be buried in the tomb. The most fantastic assumptions were made: from Alexander the Great to the great priests of Ancient Egypt. Many have expressed the idea that the black color of the sarcophagus is associated with some ancient curse imposed on the remains.
However, most of the ideas for the sensational versions were thrown up by the Egyptian excavation services. After all, the more attention the whole world is attracted to research, the easier it is to get subsidies from the state or private foundations.
The experts were not interested in the size or color of the sarcophagus, but in the fact that it was sealed and not disturbed by the treasure hunters. In addition, in Alexandria itself, many interesting burials have not yet been discovered, the existence of which is known for certain. So, for example, the tombs of representatives of the Ptolemaic clan, the dynasty that ruled Egypt in the IV-I centuries BC, have not yet been found. e. Therefore, scientists quite reasonably expected to find something unusual inside the found sarcophagus.
However, experts immediately rushed to dispel many myths created by journalists. According to the Egyptologists, the sarcophagus was not at all so unique. On the contrary, its appearance is quite typical for the 4th century BC. e. As a rule, wealthy nobles were buried in such sarcophagi. One of them is kept in the American Metropolitan Museum, the other - in the Parisian Louvre. They were ordered during the life of the nobleman, and after the customer bought the sarcophagus, his name and title were put on the lid.
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War burial
However, there were no inscriptions on the sarcophagus from Sidi Gaber, and when it was opened, three mummies were found inside in very poor condition. In fact, these were skeletons, without decorations or any objects for the afterlife, by which it would be possible to determine which class these people belonged to.
The scientists explained the absence of inscriptions on the lid by the fact that the sarcophagus, after its manufacture, was not purchased by the customer, therefore, not those for whom it was originally created were buried in it. And the tomb itself was too modest for a nobleman.
Experts are inclined to believe that the people buried in the sarcophagus belonged to the military class. They all died at about the same time, and one was killed by an arrow in the head. Apparently, these were warriors who fought with dignity on the battlefield and gained great glory for themselves. To pay their last respects, the bodies were buried in a sarcophagus, which stood unclaimed in one of the workshops.
The lack of items in the tomb that should have helped the dead in the afterlife, Egyptologists explain by the haste in which the burial took place. IV century BC e. - this is a difficult time for Ancient Egypt. Old customs are leaving, they are being replaced by new trends from Ancient Greece. It is possible that Greek soldiers were buried in the Egyptian sarcophagus, who did not need material objects in their afterlife.
The inhabitants of modern Egypt have long been accustomed to such finds. After all, their own history is literally under their feet. The fact is that the Nile delta is rather narrow. Modern Egyptians live in the same place as their ancestors. Unique monuments of antiquity are located under the current streets. Every year in Egypt, during the construction of the next highway, an ancient temple or tomb is discovered.
The mystery of the tomb of Alexander the great
Although scientists immediately and categorically stated that this black sarcophagus could not belong to Alexander the Great, many continued to hope that the remains of the greatest military leader of antiquity would still be found inside. After all, Alexander the Great indeed found his last refuge in the land of Egypt. No wonder the Egyptians once proclaimed him the son of the god Amun. Alexander claimed absolute power in Egypt, which did not fit into local traditions. However, he was so idolized that the commander could demand anything from the local nobility.
Alexander the Great was born in 365 BC. e. in the family of the Macedonian king Philip II, who by that time had united all of Greece under his rule. After the death of his father, Alexander continued his campaigns of conquest, defeating the Thracians and the revolted Greeks, and then conquering Asia Minor, the Levant, Egypt, Persia, Central Asia and part of India.
Alexander the Great planned to capture Arabia and the entire Mediterranean, but these plans were prevented by the early death of the commander, who died in 323 BC. e. at the age of 32. After his death, Alexander's heirs began a war not only for his empire, but also for his body.
Alexander the Great himself bequeathed to bury him in Egypt, but his companion, Perdiccas, took the body to Macedonia. But another associate of Macedon, Ptolemy, who was the governor in Egypt, intercepted the chariot with the body of the king in Damascus and took him to Alexandria. The tomb of Alexander the Great became a cult place; Caesar, Octavian Augustus, Caligula, Kara-kalla and many other famous historical figures visited the tomb of the king.
However, the Roman emperor Septimius Sever ordered to brick the entrance to it. And since then, information about the place of the last refuge of Alexander the Great has been lost. Therefore, every time a new tomb is discovered in Alexandria, many are waiting with bated breath - maybe this time it will turn out to be the tomb of Alexander the Great himself?