22 royal mummies, kings and queens who died more than 3,000 years ago, get a parade to move to their new home (2024)

World

By Ahmed Shawkat

/ CBS News

Cairo— Egypt put on a parade for its royalty on Saturday. But the guests of honor in this procession had all been dead for more than 3,000 years.

On Saturday, 22 royal mummies were paraded through the streets of downtown Cairo. As the sun set, the ancient monarchs departed the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square in a grandiose parade, each of them on their own decorated vehicle surrounded by a festival-like motorcade, complete with music, lights, costumes and horses.

22 royal mummies, kings and queens who died more than 3,000 years ago, get a parade to move to their new home (1)

The "Pharaohs' Golden Parade" moved along the River Nile to Egypt's first Islamic capital, Al-Fustat, in old Cairo, until it reached the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC).

The group included 18 kings and four queens from the 17th to the 20th dynasties of ancient Egypt — approximately 3,500 to 3,100 years ago. Most of the 22 kings and queens were discovered in two archaeological "caches" in Luxor in the late 1800s.

Grave robbers and a family feud

Years after these monarchs died, Egypt had become divided and weak, and grave robbery was rampant. Priests had to hide the royal mummies, moving them to hidden tombs to protect them from grave robbers.

Their efforts remained successful until the first cache in Luxor was discovered in the 19th century when, the story goes, a young man's goat went astray.

"In 1871 a member of the family of Abd al Rasul [who were tomb robbers] was leading goats. One of them ran away, up to the mountain south of the temple of Queen Hatshepsut," archaeologist Zahi Hawass told CBS News. "When the man ran after the goat, he found a shaft. When he entered, he found himself in front of mummies, coffins and gold."

The family kept the secret for 10 years, robbing the tomb, until royal artifacts started to surface for sale around the world. Officials arrested one of the family members and interrogated him for a month. The man said nothing. When he was released, he asked his family for a bigger share as compensation.

"They refused and began to fight. Another member of the family went to the police and told them about the cache," Hawass said.

From unwelcome, to presidential welcome

Ancient Egyptians had a very sophisticated set of religious beliefs, including a detailed explanation for what comes after someone's Earthly life, but they likely never saw this coming.

The mummies were loaded onto boats and transferred down the Nile from the dig site to Cairo. But when the long-dead kings and queens arrived in their country's new capital, they were denied entry.

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Merenkahre

Cairo's customs inspectors of the late 19th century found that the word "mummy" did not appear within any category of goods permitted for entry.

22 royal mummies, kings and queens who died more than 3,000 years ago, get a parade to move to their new home (2)

But, as Hawass explained, they found a solution: The mummies were labeled "salted fish," and welcomed to Cairo. They were first taken to the Bulaq Museum, but later moved to the Egyptian Museum in 1902. They first went on public display in 1958.

This time around, the royal mummies will be welcomed to their new home in the capital by their contemporary counterpart — or the closest figure in present day Egypt, President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.

But why move 22 royal mummies anyway, and what's the parade all about?

Why the move?

The once-thriving tourism industry is one of Egypt's primary sources of income, but it has suffered badly since the arrival of an uninvited guest last year. Thanks to COVID-19, the United Nations has described 2020 as the worst year in global tourism history.

Clearly the parade was seen as a way to reinvigorate interest in Egypt as a destination as the global travel industry eyes a rebound. Many Egyptians, including in the government, wanted this event to look good.

The countdown starts now! Only 3 days left until the Pharaohs’ Golden Parade. Watch exclusive content of the mummies and the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization. Watch the magnificent once in a lifetime parade live on youtube:#ThePharaohsGoldenParade https://t.co/NdCWCGHjnz pic.twitter.com/tVdma2cn9f

— ExperienceEgypt (@ExperienceEgypt) March 30, 2021

One talk show host went so far as to ask residents along the parade route hide junk on the roofs of their buildings, just for a day, for the sake of Egypt's public image, knowing their would be aerial footage of the royal procession.

The event also included the unveiling of an obelisk and the unboxing of four sphinxes in the center of Cairo's famous Tahrir Square. The artifacts had been installed and waiting for their debut for several months now.

The entire parade was livestreamed by Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

Controversial attractions

Despite the obvious draw Egypt's ancient history offers its tourism industry, mummies are, after all, deceased human beings, and there has always been a simmering debate over whether they should simply be left buried, or at least reburied, rather than put on display for gawping visitors.

Digging up graves is forbidden in Islam, and Dr. Ahmad Karima, a professor of Islamic law at Cairo's Al-Azhar University, recently raised the issue again, arguing: "These are our accentors, we shouldn't have them displayed for some dollars and euros."

22 royal mummies, kings and queens who died more than 3,000 years ago, get a parade to move to their new home (3)

He said bodies should only be exhumed for scientific research, after which they should be promptly reburied.

Former President Anwar Sadat, during a visit to the Egyptian Museum in the 1980s, ordered the closure of the Royal Mummies Hall, and it remained closed for seven years.

Archaeologists who oppose the hiding of mummies insist they aren't tomb robbers, noting that they preserve the ancient remains and protect them from being looted or destroyed — and they need to do their work to learn about the past. DNA tests and CT scans continue to change what we know about how ancient Egyptians lived, and died.

Who were these royals?

Of the 22 royal mummies taking up residence at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, 20 were put on display and two, Queen Meritamun and Queen T, were put into storage.

The 20 on display, from oldest to youngest, are: Seqenenre TaaII, Ahmose Nefertari, Amenhotep I, Thutmose I, Thutmose II, Hatshepsut, Thutmose III, Amenhotep II, Thutmose IV, Amenhotep III, Seti I, Ramses II, Merenptah, Seti II, Siptah, Ramses III, Ramses IV, Ramses V, Ramses VI and Ramses IX.

22 royal mummies, kings and queens who died more than 3,000 years ago, get a parade to move to their new home (4)

"Every mummy has a story, every mummy is magic," Hawass told CBS News. He told some of those stories at the event on Saturday — a day, he said, "that will be remembered."

"The new showroom is more like a one-way circle maze. All the walls are black, with spotlights on the mummies," Sayed Abu-El Fadal, a spokesman for the NMEC, told CBS News. "It is designed like the tombs in the Valley of the Kings."

The new display hall will include x-rays and scans of the mummies, and some of their belongings.

Over more than 3,000 years these kings and queens will have moved from one tomb to another, from one capital to another and from one museum to another. Now, hopefully, they'll finally be allowed to rest in peace.

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22 royal mummies, kings and queens who died more than 3,000 years ago, get a parade to move to their new home (2024)

FAQs

22 royal mummies, kings and queens who died more than 3,000 years ago, get a parade to move to their new home? ›

The 'Pharaohs' Golden Parade': Egyptian royal mummies moved to new home in Cairo. A grand parade of 22 ancient Egyptian royal mummies made its way across Cairo on April 3, 2021, to a new museum home where they will be displayed in greater splendour.

Who were the mummies in the parade? ›

Mummies moved
  • King Seqenenre Tao.
  • Queen Ahmose-Nefertari.
  • King Amenhotep I.
  • Queen Meritamun.
  • King Thutmose I.
  • King Thutmose II.
  • Queen Hatshepsut.
  • King Thutmose III.

How many Egyptian royal mummies have been found? ›

Forty-five mummies were discovered, amongst them many of the famous kings of the 17th to 20th Dynasties and the High Priest of Amun, Pinedjem II. These included Ramesses I, II, III, and IX, Thutmose I, II, and III, and Amenhotep I.

Did Egypt put on a show as it moves royal mummies to new home? ›

22 Mummies Create Spectacle Moving Through Downtown Cairo

CAIRO — Downtown Cairo came to a near standstill Saturday night as 22 mummies were moved from a museum where they had resided for more than a century to a new home, transported atop custom-made vehicles in a glittering, meticulously planned procession.

Where did the Pharaohs Parade take place? ›

The Pharaohs' Golden Parade in Cairo

The procession was led, for chronological and honorary reasons, by the vehicle carrying the body of Seqenrere Tao II, a pharaoh of the 17th Dynasty who was killed during the war for the liberation of Egypt from its ancient conquerors, the Hyksos.

Which pharaohs were in the Golden Parade? ›

For instance, among them were King Ramses II, the most famous pharaoh of the New Kingdom, and Queen Hatshepsut. The other mummies transported were Pharaoh Ramses IX, Pharaoh Ramses VI, Pharaoh Ramses V, Pharaoh Seti I, Pharaoh Seqenenre, Pharaoh Thutmose III, Queen Meritamen, and Queen Ahmose Nefertari.

Has DNA been taken from Egyptian mummies? ›

After trying repeatedly to extract it, many scientists were convinced that the hot desert climate and, perhaps, the chemicals used in mummification destroyed any genetic material long ago. Now, a team of ancient DNA specialists has successfully sequenced genomes from 90 ancient Egyptian mummies.

Has Cleopatra's tomb been found? ›

It's been years since the land of Egypt was explored by Egyptologists and archeologists but still, no one can find the tomb of Queen Cleopatra. Even after extensive searching, no one was able to locate the tomb, but today some believe they are close to doing so.

Why were mummies buried facing east? ›

Up until Islamic times, the dead in Egypt were buried facing the rising sun in the East with the head pointing to the north. Cemeteries were always on the western side of the Nile because the sun set in the west.

What happened after a king's mummy was placed in a coffin? ›

Following the mummification of his human remains, his body was placed in a gold coffin and transported across the Nile to the Valley of the Kings. In the funeral procession were Tutankhamun's wife and close relatives, priests and the highest officials of the land.

When did Egypt stop making mummies? ›

Egyptians stopped making mummies between the fourth and seventh century AD, when many Egyptians became Christians. But it's estimated that, over a 3000-year period, more than 70 million mummies were made in Egypt.

Where did the pharaohs go when they died? ›

And with the rising of the sun, a new day was not only thought to have begun, but a new life as well. Boat passages to the underworld were strictly reserved for pharaohs who had died. The Egyptian sun god, Ra, was believed to travel to the underworld by boat as the sun set.

Did Egyptians bury wives with pharaohs? ›

The queens and wives of pharaohs were buried in ancient Egypt with their husbands in the same tomb, something that changed at some point explaining the construction of both valleys such as the Valley of the Queens and the Valley of the kings.

Why did the golden parade happen? ›

1. The Golden parade is a celebration for transferring the mummies of ancient Egyptian kings and queens from the Egyptian Museum of Cairo in Tahrir square to the Egyptian Civilisation (NMEC) in old Cairo's Fustat .

Where was the place where pharaoh drowned? ›

The Pharaoh, Haman, and their army in chariots pursuing the fleeing children of Israel drowned in the Red Sea as the parted water closed up on them. The Pharaoh's submission to God at the moment of death and total destruction was rejected but his dead body was saved as a lesson for posterity.

How many pharaohs were in the Golden Parade? ›

Dubbed the Pharaohs' Golden Parade, the livestreamed procession featured the relocation of 18 ancient kings and 4 queens from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square to the newly opened National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC).

Where did most pharaohs live? ›

Palaces were the residences of the pharaohs and their entourage. They consisted of a complex of buildings designed to house the headquarters of power and the temples for worshipping the gods.

Who was the 4 queens of Egypt? ›

Four Queens from the Native Egyptian dynasties are known for certain to have ruled as Female Pharaohs:
  • Sobekneferu (c. 1806-1802 BC) (Possibly wife of Amenemhat IV)
  • Hatshepsut (c. 1479-1458 BC) (Wife of Thutmose II)
  • Neferneferuaten (c. ...
  • Twosret (c.

Who was the most mysterious pharaoh? ›

Akhet-Aten was built during the reign of one of Egypt's most enigmatic pharaohs, Akhenaten (ruled ca. 1364-1347 BCE), and modern archaeological studies have shown it was hastily built and almost as quickly abandoned.

Who was the first white pharaoh of Egypt? ›

Ptolemy I Soter
Ptolemy I
Bust of Ptolemy I Soter, located at the Louvre.
Pharaoh
King of the Ptolemaic Kingdom
Reign305/304 – 282 BC
10 more rows

What is Cleopatra's DNA? ›

Ancestry. Scholars generally identify Cleopatra as essentially of Macedonian Greek ancestry with some Persian and Sogdian Iranian ancestry. This is based on the fact that her Macedonian Greek family – the Ptolemaic dynasty – had intermarried with the Seleucid dynasty that ruled over much of West Asia.

Was there inbreeding in ancient Egypt? ›

Ancient Egypt—the inbreeding of Pharaohs

The pharaohs of ancient Egypt were considered sons of gods and were not expected to marry ordinary people. Therefore, the pharaohs passed on their lineage through inbreeding from generation to generation.

Have mummies been found in America? ›

In North America, mummies are recovered from four main regions: the south- ern and southwestern United States, the Aleutian Islands, and the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas.

Who was the unknown queen of Egypt? ›

The researchers, including Egyptologist and former Egyptian Minister of Antiquities Zahi Hawass, discovered that the queen's name was Neith. "She had never before been known from the historical record," Hawass said. "It is amazing to literally rewrite what we know of history, adding a new queen to our records."

How do we know Cleopatra existed? ›

Scholars have searched for the visage behind the legend, but it's often impossible to verify a historical figure's image. Cleopatra's body has never been discovered. Most surviving paintings and sculptures of her are anachronistic inventions, more telling of their own times than of the subject herself.

Why is Cleopatra's tomb underwater? ›

The earthquake and tsunami that sank the island of Antirhodos occurred a few centuries after Cleopatra's death, destroying and scattering the palace under about 10 meters of murky water in a small bay.

Who was the most famous mummy found? ›

The two most famous human mummies are Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun (nicknamed King Tut) and a man – nicknamed Ötzi the Iceman – discovered by two German hikers in 1991, two miles high in the Ötztal Alps, between Austria and Italy.

Which pharaohs are still not found? ›

Yet many questions remain. Although the efforts of Belzoni, Loret, Davis, Carter and others helped reveal the tombs of most of the New Kingdom pharaohs, several remain unaccounted for – including those of Ahmose I, Amenhotep I, Tuthmose II and Ramesses VIII.

Where was the oldest human mummy found? ›

The 4,300-year-old mummy was a rich, important 35-year-old man called Djed Sepsh, archaeologist Zahi Hawass, Egypt's former antiquities minister, told CNN Friday. “It is the oldest mummy, complete and covered in gold, ever found in Egypt,” he said, adding that it was “the most amazing discovery.”

Why are graves 6 feet deep? ›

Snatching dead bodies was common in many parts of England and Scotland in the early 1800s. Therefore, graves were always dug six feet deep to prevent body snatchers from gaining access to the buried remains. Another issue that people were worried about was animals digging up graves.

Why did the Egyptians remove the stomach? ›

It is important to remove these because they are the first part of the body to decompose. The liver, lungs, stomach and intestines are washed and packed in natron which will dry them out.

Are headstones placed at the head or feet? ›

Headstones will be placed at the head of the grave and centered. Headstones will be placed in a straight line with the headstones to the left and right of the grave. The cemetery caretaker will place 3 stakes on each grave where a headstone is to be set.

Which Egyptian god had black skin? ›

Ahmose-Nefertari is an example. In most depictions of Ahmose-Nefertari, she is pictured with black skin, while in some instances her skin is blue or red.

Will the Queen's body be preserved in the coffin? ›

Following royal tradition, which dates back as far as the 1600s, the queen's coffin was lined with lead, which ensures that her remains stay intact for up to a year. This is because the lead makes the coffin airtight, stopping moisture from getting in and therefore slowing down the decomposition of the body.

How long did it take to mummify a body? ›

Mummification Process. The mummification process took seventy days. Special priests worked as embalmers, treating and wrapping the body. Beyond knowing the correct rituals and prayers to be performed at various stages, the priests also needed a detailed knowledge of human anatomy.

What do most mummies still have? ›

A mummy, to put it bluntly, is an old dead body. But unlike a skeleton or a fossil, a mummy still retains some of the soft tissue it had when it was alive—most often skin, but sometimes organs and muscles, as well.

Why are female mummies more decomposed? ›

89 has been proven accurate by archaeologists. Female mummies from ancient Egypt are regularly found in a more advanced stage of decomposition than males and this is because, as Herodotus says, women's corpses were kept at home for three or four days after death to make the body less attractive to unprincipled ...

Where was pharaoh buried in the Bible? ›

The Pharaohs buried in the Valley of the Kings in Luxor, Egypt, are more than history. The New Testament uses these kings to illustrate truths to strengthen our walk with Jesus Christ.

Were Egyptian slaves buried alive? ›

Q: Were slaves and servants really buried alive in the pyramids alongside their deceased pharaoh, as Hollywood would often have us believe? A: No. Certainly, a lot of people were involved in building the pyramids, but it was a type of national service; they were summoned from villages and towns all over Egypt.

What happens if your heart is lighter than the feather? ›

When an ancient Egyptian died, it was thought that their heart would be weighed against a feather by the funerary jackal god Anubis before a panel of forty-two judging deities at the threshold of the netherworld. If the heart was lighter than the feather, the deceased would pass to the next life successfully.

Did Egyptians marry their own daughters? ›

In ancient Egypt, it was common for the kings to marry in their own families. The Egyptian pharaohs would marry their own daughters and have children.

Why did ancient Egyptians marry their daughters? ›

To keep the royal bloodline pure, kings often married within their family, a sister or half sister, for example. In a few cases, they married their daughters, although it is not clear whether or not these marriages were true conjugal unions.

Why did Egyptians marry their sisters? ›

The reasons for marrying between siblings were fundamentally two: Maintain the purity of the lineage and the social class. This was very important especially for the pharaohs of the Ptolemaic dynasty who were of Greek and not Egyptian origin. Marrying his sisters they kept this origin pure.

How many royal mummies have been found? ›

Forty-five mummies were discovered, amongst them many of the famous kings of the 17th to 20th Dynasties and the High Priest of Amun, Pinedjem II. These included Ramesses I, II, III, and IX, Thutmose I, II, and III, and Amenhotep I.

Can you see mummies in Egypt? ›

Considered the crown jewel of the museum, the Royal Mummies' Hall is specially designed to display the mummies of the ancient Kings and Queens of Egypt. The design aims to give the visitor the feeling of strolling down the Valley of The Kings, where most of these mummies were originally resting.

Who were the royal mummies in Egypt? ›

The most famous mummies are Hatshepsut (Maatkare), Thutmose III (Menkheperre), Seqenenre Taa II. The discovery of the Royal Mummies of the New Kingdom was one of the greatest and most unexpected discoveries in the history of archaeology.

What are the mummies at the Natural history Museum? ›

Visitors could examine animal mummies given as gifts to the ancient Egyptian gods and see how modern technology allows Museum scientists to study them. Scans and X-rays revealed the untold stories of these revered creatures and the way ancient Egyptians lived with these animals and preserved them after their death.

Who is the most famous mummy in Egyptian history? ›

Tutankhamun Mummy

The Mummy and tomb of Tutankhamun were discovered in 1922 by Howard Carter in the Valley of the Kings which remains the last preserved tomb in all of Egypt. This discovery is by far the most recognizable which started a new wave of interest in Egyptology.

Who is the famous mummy in Egypt? ›

Tutankhamun was the 13th pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty of the New Kingdom of Egypt, making his mummy over 3,300 years old. Tutankhamun's mummy is the only royal mummy to have been found entirely undisturbed.

Is there still an Egyptian royal family? ›

The monarchy was abolished on 18 June 1953 following the Egyptian Revolution of 1952 and the establishment of a republic.

Who was the last Egyptian royal family? ›

Fuad II (Arabic: فؤاد الثاني, full name: Ahmed Fuad bin Farouk bin Ismail bin Ibrahim bin Muhammad Ali; born 16 January 1952), or alternatively Ahmed Fuad II, is a member of the Egyptian Muhammad Ali dynasty. He formally reigned as the last King of Egypt and the Sudan from July 1952 to June 1953, when he was deposed.

What is the most beautiful mummy ever found? ›

A superbly preserved, 2,300-year-old mummy bearing a golden mask and brightly coloured images of gods and goddesses was unveiled yesterday at Egypt's Saqqara pyramids complex south of Cairo.

What is the most beautiful mummy found? ›

Rosalia Lombardo
Born13 December 1918 Palermo, Sicily, Kingdom of Italy
Died6 December 1920 (1 year, 359 days) Palermo, Sicily, Kingdom of Italy
Other namesSleeping Beauty of the Capuchin Catacombs
Known forBeing in an especially well preserved state in her tomb, in the Capuchin catacombs of Palermo
1 more row

Who is the most famous mummy ever? ›

Without records from that time period detailing exactly what happened, we may never know the whole truth about Tut's death. But regardless of how he died, the treasures of Tut's tomb make him the most famous mummy in the world.

What are the most mysterious mummies? ›

The Tarim Basin mummies have been a mystery ever since European explorers discovered them in northwestern China in the early 20th century. They were tall, wore wool felt hats and leather booties, and some had fair hair—all suggesting they were strangers from a strange land.

Which pharaoh body was found in Red Sea? ›

RED SEA PHARAOH'S MUMMY UNVEILED; Body Discovered Some Years Ago Proved to be That of Menephtah. - The New York Times. RED SEA PHARAOH'S MUMMY UNVEILED; Body Discovered Some Years Ago Proved to be That of Menephtah.

Who is the god of mummies? ›

Anubis was also seen as the deity of embalming, as well as a god of the dead. To the Egyptians, Anubis was the protector of embalming and guardian of both the mummy and the necropolis.

What pharaohs have not been found? ›

Although the efforts of Belzoni, Loret, Davis, Carter and others helped reveal the tombs of most of the New Kingdom pharaohs, several remain unaccounted for – including those of Ahmose I, Amenhotep I, Tuthmose II and Ramesses VIII.

Which Egyptian god was cut into pieces? ›

In the mythology, before becoming master of the Afterlife, Osiris ruled Egypt and taught agriculture and gave laws and civilization to humans. However, Osiris's brother, Seth, was extremely jealous of him, so Seth killed Osiris and cut his body into pieces, which he distributed around Egypt.

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