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King Tut's Burial Mask

King Tutankhamun's tomb was discovered on November 4, 1922, by Howard Carter, a British archaeologist, in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt. The tomb belonged to King Tutankhamun, an Egyptian pharaoh who ruled during the 18th dynasty, more than 3,000 years ago (around 1332–1323 BCE). It was filled with many objects like furniture, jewelry, and even a famous gold mask that was placed over the pharaoh’s face after he died. These items were meant to help King Tut in the afterlife, according to ancient Egyptian beliefs. In the past, Egyptians believed that these objects would provide the pharaoh with protection and comfort as he made his journey to the afterlife.

Photo from Wikipedia shankar s. from Dubai, United Arab Emirates

The Terracotta Army

The Terracotta Army was discovered in 1974 by a group of farmers near the city of Xi'an, in China. The artifact consists of thousands of life-sized terracotta soldiers, horses, and chariots. These figures were buried with the emperor to protect him and serve him in the afterlife, according to ancient Chinese beliefs. The soldiers were placed in underground pits surrounding the emperor’s tomb, which still remains unexcavated. The Terracotta Army was used in the past as part of Emperor Qin Shi Huang's massive tomb complex. The soldiers were arranged in battle formations and were meant to accompany the emperor into the afterlife, ensuring he had protection and an army ready to defend him in his next life. Each soldier is unique, with different facial features, armor, and positions, showing the importance of the emperor's afterlife plans.

The Dead Sea Scrolls

The Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered between 1946 and 1956 in a series of caves near Khirbet Qumran, on the northwest shore of the Dead Sea in present-day Israel. The scrolls were likely written by a Jewish sect called the Essenes, who lived in the Qumran area around the 3rd century BCE to the 1st century CE. These texts were hidden in the caves around 68 CE, possibly to protect them during the Roman invasion of the region. The first scrolls were discovered by a group of Bedouin shepherds in 1946. Over the next several years, archaeologists and locals found more scrolls in nearby caves.

The Dead Sea Scrolls include a wide variety of texts, such as parts of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), apocryphal works, and writings about the rules and beliefs of the Essene community. The scrolls were important religious documents, used by the Essenes to study scripture and guide their way of life.