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Tombs are one of the best sources of information about ancient history and archeology.
They are not only a window into the life (or lives) of the buried and what they might have
deemed most important in their lifetime, but they are a window into the time and place
that they lived.
We have learned so much from tombs, and that has a lot to do with the fact that tombs,
by virtue of the fact that they are often underground, are more likely to have survived
until now than ancient cities.
So today I want to share with you what I think are the best tombs we have discovered so far.
And please not that by “best,” I do not mean the tomb of the best people.
I mean the tomb itself is the best, and for me that would be the tombs that have left
the most behind for us to learn.
Yeah, treasures are spectacular, but to a historian like me, information is the real
treasure.
#10 Anak Tomb No. 3
Discovered in 1949, and located in South Hwanghae, North Korea, Anak Tomb 3 is the final resting
place of Dong Shou, a general from Liaodong, China.
The tomb is part of the Complex of Koguryo Tombs.
Dong Shou’s tomb is in the shape of a square pyramid, measured at 108 ft by 98 ft, with
a 20ft high ceiling.
His tomb was built above ground, and then covered in soil.
The tomb was discovered only after looters had stolen many items from its interior.
The holes they dug likely alerted the archeologists about the site.
The tomb contains an epitaph that leaves the date 357 CE, the name of Dong Shou, and his
age at death.
According to the inscription, Dong Shou fled from Liaodong to Goryeo, the Northernmost
kingdom of Korea to escape the Xianbei invasions of 336 CE.
There were three kingdoms in Korea at this time, the other two being Baekje and Silla.
The Goryeo kingdom, which is where we get the name Korea from, was highly influential
in Chinese affairs, and in the affairs of the other two kingdoms of Korea.
The Dong Shou Tomb is important for a few reasons, the first being that it is the earliest
known Goryeo mural tomb discovered.
The second is that its use of various decorative lotus patterns may be the earliest supplemental
evidence of Buddhism’s spread to Korea!
Inside the tomb are depictions of Guimyeon, or demon masks, as well as cataphract horsemen.
Despite the name Dong Shou written inside, archaeologists still argue over the rightful
owner of the tomb.
#9 The Tomb of Seuthes III
Located in Bulgaria, the mound of King Seuthes III (also known as the Golyama Kosmatka mound)
was discovered in what is known as the Kazanlak hollow during the 1890’s (along with over
300 mounds containing various Thracian archaeological monuments).
Archeological research in the area increased dramatically in the 1940’s and 50’s, but
formal excavation and the discovery of King Seuthes’ tomb only happened in 2004!
The tomb is a three room chamber rich in grave goods, with the third chamber resembling a
sarcophagus and carved into a single granite block with a funeral bed in the center.
King Seuthes’ tomb was fully preserved, and contained a gold-wreath crown, a gold
kylikes (cup), golden horse halters, an iron sword, and bronze greaves.
The reason we know the tomb belonged to Seuthes is because a bronze helmet, a silver jug,
a silver cup, and four coins found at the entrance to the tomb carry the name “of
Seuthes”.
The tomb was originally a temple (possibly used for orphic rites) in the 5th century
BCE.
In the 4th century BCE, the temple was renovated, adding a new façade and converting the third
room from a bedchamber to a tomb.
Around 300 BCE, King Seuthes died and was laid to rest in the temple complex.
Amphoras filled with wine were left for his use in the afterlife, and a horse was sacrificed
in the first of the three chambers.
After his funeral, the entrance to the chambers was walled off, and a wooden roof was set
on fire.
This fire filled the first corridor with stones and soil and locked King Seuthes III in, and
everyone else out.
King Seuthes III’s tomb, and all the Thracian sites on the “King’s necropolis” in
Bulgaria provide deep insight into the lives of Thracian royalty during the time when individuals
like Alexander the Great and Cassander (a contemporary of King Seuthes) were in their
prime.
#8 Tomb of Emperor Nintoku, or the Mozu Tombs
Located in Sakai, Osaka prefecture are a group of megalithic tombs, known as the Mozu Tombs.
They are said to be the final resting place of the 16th emperor of Japan, known as the
saint emperor Nintoku.
Emperor Nintoku apparently was born in 290 CE and died in 399, living to be 109 years
old they say!
However, much of what we know about emperor Nintoku today comes from pseudo historical
sources, like the Kiki (Japanese chronicles) which are full of legends and myths, with
some historical facts mixed in.
In fact, we don’t know for certain if he was buried at the site of the Mozu tombs,
as there are over 100 different gravesites!
In Japan, there are over 20,000 tombs in this style, known as Kofun, which are mounds of
earth that are erected over the graves of ruling Japanese figures.
What makes Kofun so interesting are their shape.
They come in many forms, with the smaller Kofuns being round or square, and the larger
ones in the distinct form of a keyhole.
The larger Kofun often include a moat and fortifications and can measure up to 2,760
feet in total length.
Grave goods found here include arrowheads, swords, and the tips of spades and hoes.
The Daisenryō Kofun, or Nintoku tomb, has been designated as a UNESCO world heritage
site in 2019, and is an important cultural symbol for the people of Japan.
#7 Tombs of Naqsh-e Rostam
Located in Iran, about 7.5 miles northwest of the ancient city Persepolis, (famously
burned by Alexander the Great) are the tombs at Naqsh-e Rostam, also known as Nupistaš.
These tombs likely housed 4 great Achaemenid kings: Darius the Great, Xerxes, Artaxerxes,
and Darius the second.
The greatest Achaemenid king, Cyrus the Great is buried at Pasargadae, which was the Achaemenid
capital before Darius the great moved it to Persepolis.
These tombs are carved high up on the face of a mountain known as the Huseyn Kuh, and
were closed after burial, likely to deter graverobbers.
This didn’t stop Alexander the Great though, who smashed the doors and looted the tombs.
These tombs are massive, and could have interred between 3 and 9 individuals, all with sarcophagi.
Because the tombs are so large and prominent on the Huseyn Kuh, it is unclear when they
were discovered, however in 1923 we know that a German Archaeologist named Ernst Herzfeld
made casts of Darius’ Autobiography, and formal excavations were undertaken between
1936 and 1939 by the Oriental institute of the University of Chicago, which was led by
Erich Schmidt.
Why I have it on the list is because the tomb of Darius the great has an autobiography on
it exterior, which details the kings accomplishments, and the breadth of his empire during his reign.
These tombs give real gravitas to the power of the Achaemenid empire and help supplement
our understanding of their demise.
#6 The Tomb of Pakal the Great
In 1949, Mexican archaeologist Alberto Ruz Lhuillier began investigating the ruined Maya
city of Palenque.
He found a stairway leading deep into a temple, the Temple of Inscriptions, and by removing
rocks and debris, he was able to follow the passage downward.
In 1952, he reached the end and found a magnificent tomb, the tomb of Pakal the Great.
Pakal had died in 683 CE, after ruling for 70 years.
Many treasures and important works of art were discovered in the tomb, but it was the
sarcophagus that was the real eye-opener.
The lid is a fabulous work of art, probably one of the most important archaeological finds
of all time.
It depicts Pakal being reborn as a god and has been instrumental in our understanding
how the ancient Maya viewed death and rebirth.
The glyphs on the lid have helped scholars to pinpoint dates and events, and to understand
family relationships in Pakal’s dynasty.
#5 The Tombs of Aigai
Aigai, the first capital of the kingdom of Macedon, is home to over 500 tumuli, with
the oldest dating back to the 11th century BCE, and the most notable tombs being attributed
to King Philip II, the father of Alexander the Great, and conqueror of Greece, and his
mother Queen Eurydice I.
The site of Aigai itself includes a monumental palace, an urban center, a theatre, the sanctuaries
of Eukleia, city walls, and of course, the royal necropolis.
The main way that archaeologists and researcher were able to attribute Tomb I of III to Philip
II was because of his body, and the penetrating wound in his leg by a lance, which left him
crippled for three years before his assassination.
Both Tomb I and Tomb III use a large porous ashlar block façade, with wall painting inside
both.
Tomb II depicts the rape of Persephone and contains two golden larnakes which held cremated
human remains, along with a cuirass, a helmet, and a shield.
It is most likely that Tomb II contains the remains of King Philip III Arrhidaeus, the
mentally challenged son of Phillip II, and his bride Adea, although the evidence is inconclusive,
and historians are still working to figure out their true identities.
Even the seemingly settled bones of Phillip II have been attributed to a Scythian woman.
It is known that Phillip II did ally with a Danube-region Scythian king, but no mention
of a bride exists.
The tombs at Vergina still leave much to be discovered, and even more to be proven!
#4 The Tomb of Xin Zhui (also known as Lady Dai or Marquise of Dai)
The tomb of Xin Zhui was discovered in 1968, in Mawangdui, Changsha, Hunan China.
Construction workers who were digging an air raid shelter for a hospital discovered the
tomb, along with the tombs of her husband, Li Cang, who was the chancellor of the Changsha
kingdom during the era of the western Han Dynasty (206 BCE to 9 CE), and another tomb
that may have been for her son.
There is some mystery surrounding the discovery, as workers claim that when they stopped to
take a smoke break, a blast of cool air which came from inside the hill they were digging
lit up one of their matches, alerting them to the site.
Employing the help of over 1,500 local high school students, excavation of the site began
in January of 1972.
The body of Lady Dai was wrapped in twenty layers of clothing, all bound with silk ribbons,
and placed between four rectangular pine boxes, each encasing the other.
Lady Dai’s body is considered the best-preserved mummy we know of.
Her tomb was filled with an unknown acidic liquid, which kept her skin from deteriorating,
and preserved her muscles which were still flexible upon her discovery.
Also, unlike many Egyptian mummies, all her organs and blood vessels were intact, so much
so that researchers were able to figure out her blood type, which happened to be type
A. She had hair, as well as a wig, and her eyelashes and nose hairs were intact as well.
Burial goods found at the site included over 100 silk clothes, 182 different lacquerware
pieces, 28 books on medicine, astronomy and spirituality, makeup, toiletries, and 162
wooden figurines which represented servants.
#3 The Royal Tombs of Ur
Between 1922 and 1934, archaeologist Leonard Woolley excavated the site of the ancient
Mesopotamian city of Ur.
He made many great discoveries, including a huge cemetery.
Among the 1800 graves he found, there were 16 tombs that were very special.
These were not just simple pits but stone tombs, often with several rooms.
He called them the 'Royal tombs'.
There were many bodies buried in the graves, surrounded by fabulous artifacts.
Extravagant jewelry of gold, lapis lazuli, and carnelian, cups of gold and silver, bowls
of alabaster, and objects of art and culture like pictures, cylinder seals and musical
instruments.
One tomb possibly belonged to the queen Pu-abi.
Her title and name are written in cuneiform on a cylinder seal found close to her body.
What was found here shed considerable light on the society of the ancient Sumerians.
#2 The Tomb of the Qin Shi Huang Di
Located in the Lintong District of Xi’an, Shaanxi province of China is the tomb of Emperor
Qin, the largest Chinese tomb to date.
This tomb took 38 years to construct, starting in 246 BCE and concluding in 208 BCE, and
is buried under a 250-foot-tall mound of earth in the shape of a pyramid.
The tomb was discovered in 1974 by Yang Zhifa and his brothers, who were digging a well.
Thousands of life size terracotta warriors were found here, as I am sure you have seen
or heard before.
Work here is ongoing, and there is much yet to be discovered.
According to ancient Chinese historical writings, Emperor Qin attempted to recreate the urban
plan of his capital, Xianyang.
There were walls within walls, funerary carts made of bronze pulled by terracotta horses,
palaces, and towers for over 100 other officials, crossbows prepared to protect the tomb, and
rivers of mercury meant to simulate the Yangtze, Yellow River, and the Great Sea.
As the story goes, the builders of this great tomb were not trusted to keeps its location
or contents a secret and were entombed with the emperor upon its completion.
The tomb is considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site, because it is the largest preserved
site in China, is associated with an event that had universal significance, i.e., the
first time China was fully unified under an emperor, and because of its exceptional technical
and artistic qualities, which make it a strong symbol of Chinese culture even today.
And #1.
You probably know what I'm going to say.
The Tomb of Tutankhamun.
Arguably the most famous tomb of all time, the tomb of Tutankhamun is located in the
valley of the kings (along the west bank of the Nile, opposite Thebes), a site with many
ancient Egyptian burials.
Tutankhamun’s tomb
was discovered on the 4th of November in 1922, when a step at the top of the entrance was
uncovered.
Howard Carter and George Herbert found the antechamber on the 26th of November 1922,
with tons of artifacts in various states of preservation.
Partially because of water damage, and because of looters, some of the items had been displaced
and damaged.
The process of removing all the artifacts took ten digging seasons, which each season
being a few months at most.
Tutankhamun died young, and his tomb is not as large as some of the others in the valley
of kings, but the artifacts found inside, and the state of preservation of his tomb
make it one of the most important tombs of all time.
Its discovery changed the way we see ancient Egypt, and people are more likely to have
seen something from his tomb than from any other.
Only one Egyptian tomb in this video?
I realize I could have covered more Egyptian tombs, because there are many that are important,
but I wanted to give you tastes of discoveries from different parts of the world.
Before you go, I just want to address the ethics of archaeologists digging up tombs.
Some people will certainly protest that these are desecrations and show disrespect towards
the dead.
I have seen and heard them say it before.
So I thought I should at least explain my seeming disregard for this issue.
On the contrary, I have given it much consideration.
I am very much against the idea of digging up tombs or graves of people whose loved ones
are still around.
Or tombs or graves that are considered sacred to people still alive.
But if the people who made these tombs, and the families of the buried, are long gone,
then there is no one to disrespect.
I don’t believe in ghosts.
I don’t believe the dead are still alive somewhere else and are upset about their tombs
being entered.
If there is no one existing to dishonor, then I do not see any difference between excavating
an ancient tomb and excavating an ancient palace or temple.
Do you think I left anything off the list that should be on here?
If so, let me know in the comments below.
Thank you for watching.
You might like my little e-booklet, "Why Ancient History Matters."
It's designed to persuade people that the subject is important, even in the modern world.
You might also wish to use it to help spread the word.
So feel free to share it with someone you know.
It's free for anyone who wants it.
I've left the link in the description box below the video for you to grab a copy.
Catch you later.