On the day of Tut’s burial, a long line of people followed his coffin in boats across the Nile. Once on land, the coffin (actually, there were three, like nesting dolls) was pulled on a sled. It was going to a royal graveyard. This dusty, lonely area west of the Nile was called the Valley of the Kings. In some photographs the area looks like a natural pyramid made of rock. Many other pharaohs were buried there, so priests stood guard, day and night. Nearby was a separate cemetery for queens and members of the court. It was called the Valley of the Queens.
At the head of the parade to the Valley of the Kings were the priests. Along the way they sang songs and chanted prayers. One of the priests wore a mask with a dog face on it. He was supposed to represent Anubis, the god of mummies.
Tut’s young queen walked nearby. Following behind her were a group of women. They would have all been wailing and crying and tearing at their clothes. These mourners were there to express sadness over Tut’s death.
After the mourners came servants, hundreds of them. They were carrying all the furniture, food, and other items to go in the tomb. They also brought along many little statues that looked like servants. Once these were placed in the tomb, it was believed that the statues would come to life. Then the dead king would have all the servants he needed to take care of him.
Some of Tut’s servant statues
At the entrance to the tomb, Tut’s mummy was propped upright. The time had come for a very important ceremony. It was called “The Opening of the Mouth.” While the prayer was said, a priest touched the eyes, mouth, and ears of the mummy. The magic was believed to bring the pharaoh back to life again. He would be able to speak and see and hear.
After that, the only thing left to do was to bury the pharaoh inside his tomb. Once Tut’s mummy was back in its coffins, it was placed inside a great stone box and hidden deep inside the tomb. A pile of rocks sealed up the entrance.
Afterward, all the mourners took part in a great feast. Everyone was joyful now for the dead king. Tut was about to enter the Land of the Dead. He would live and be happy forever. They were sure that his mummy was safe, hidden away for all eternity.
But they were wrong. |