6 Common Myths About Ancient Egypt

Despite our extensive knowledge of Ancient Egyptian life, numerous misconceptions persist. These include misunderstandings about the pyramid builders, the story behind the Sphinx’s damaged nose, and the true cause of King Tut’s death. Here, we debunk some of the most widespread myths, inspired by an episode of Misconceptions on YouTube.

1. Myth: The pyramids were constructed using slave labor.

This misconception has been fueled by popular media portrayals of Egyptian slaves. It traces back to the Greek historian Herodotus, often regarded as the father of history, but may stem from a misinterpretation of his writings. Herodotus mentions 100,000 Egyptians being forced to work, but he specifically refers to road construction, not the pyramids. Even if his account implied pyramid labor, modern scholars dispute this. In 2003, Egyptologist Mark Lehner discussed his extensive research in Giza, revealing that evidence suggests a dedicated workforce of Egyptians built the pyramids, similar to a modern construction team supervised by a foreman. These workers lived in their own quarters and enjoyed a nutritious diet. Lehner discovered numerous cattle bones from young animals, indicating they consumed high-quality meat, akin to what we consider prime beef today.

A sense of unity seemed to exist among the workers. In the early 1900s, George Reisner, a Harvard researcher, discovered Egyptian graffiti naming groups such as Friends of Khufu or Drunkards of Menkaure, who likely knew how to relax after a hard day's work. When these laborers passed away, they were laid to rest with their possessions near the pyramids of the pharaohs—a sacred area unlikely accessible to enslaved individuals.

Despite the backbreaking labor, tens of thousands of workers toiled on the pyramids. If it wasn’t slavery, what drove them? Dr. Lehner proposes that ancient Egyptians were motivated by a strong sense of civic responsibility, akin to the Amish community today. Just as the Amish come together to build a barn for communal benefit, Egyptians may have volunteered for pyramid construction, believing it served the greater good. Some may have also been repaying debts, known as bak, to higher-ranking individuals. This wasn’t slavery, as even nobles owed bak to others.

As for how they achieved it, historians remain uncertain. Stones were likely quarried nearby and moved over dampened sand for smoother transport. One theory suggests ramps and a rope-and-pulley system were used to position the stones once they reached the site.

2. Myth: Napoleon destroyed the Sphinx’s nose.

The Sphinx, another iconic symbol of Egypt, stands in Giza. Measuring 240 feet long and 66 feet high, it showcases Egyptian innovation and honors Pharaoh Khafre, believed to have commissioned it near his father Khufu’s Great Pyramid. Unlike the pyramids, the Sphinx is carved from a single massive limestone block. It’s renowned not only for its grandeur but also for its missing nose.

According to popular lore, Napoleon Bonaparte is said to have destroyed the Sphinx’s nose during his Egyptian campaign in 1798. The story claims he commanded his troops to fire a cannon at the Sphinx, obliterating its nose. While this tale is compelling, it’s entirely false.

A 1737 painting by Danish explorer Frederic Louis Norden depicts the Sphinx without its nose—more than six decades before Napoleon arrived. Historians believe a Sufi Muslim named Muhammad Sa’im al-Dahr damaged the nose in the 14th century. He was outraged by Egyptian peasants offering sacrifices to the Sphinx to prevent floods, viewing it as idolatry. While some accounts suggest he was executed for this act, the historical evidence remains unclear.

Another common myth is that the Sphinx’s body has always been exposed. In reality, it was buried under sand for thousands of years until the 19th century. Despite earlier efforts, it wasn’t fully uncovered until archeologist Selim Hassan excavated it in the 1930s.

Unfortunately, the original appearance of the Sphinx before it lost its nose remains a mystery. The Egyptians left no records detailing its intact form.

3. Myth: King Tut was assassinated.

King Tut ascended to power in the 14th century BCE following the death of his father, King Akhenaten, when Tutankhamun was only 9. A child ruler, he relied heavily on his advisors to govern effectively.

At just 19, he passed away, was mummified, and entombed in a sarcophagus. British archaeologist Howard Carter uncovered Tut’s tomb in 1922, sparking years of research (and tales of a mysterious curse). In 1968, X-rays revealed bone fragments in his skull, suggesting a head injury. Speculations ranged from a chariot accident to assassination by a political rival unhappy with his rule. Some even suspected his advisor, Aye, who may have feared losing power as Tut matured.

The prevailing theory suggests that after King Tut’s death, his widow, Queen Ankhesenamun, pleaded with the Hittites to send a prince to take his place. She wrote:

“My husband has died, and I have no son…If you would send me one of your sons, he could become my husband. I will never choose a servant to marry!...I am afraid!”

The Hittites dispatched a prince, but he was killed before reaching Egypt. While this might suggest foul play, scientific evidence has debunked such theories.

A 2005 scan of King Tut’s body revealed that the damage to his skull occurred postmortem. It was likely caused either by Carter’s mishandling of the mummy or by the Egyptians drilling a hole to remove his brain during mummification. Further studies showed Tut suffered from multiple health issues, including malaria and a broken femur from a fall. The leg injury led to an infection that turned gangrenous, likely causing his death. While some scholars debate this conclusion, the evidence points to natural causes rather than assassination. However, access to the 2005 scan images remains restricted by Egyptian authorities.

4. Myth: Only wealthy Egyptians were mummified.

Mummification remains one of ancient Egypt’s most fascinating practices. Wealthy Pharaohs were often buried in ornate gold coffins, their bodies meticulously preserved using treated linens. Their brains were carefully extracted through the nose or a drilled hole, ensuring their dried remains could endure for the afterlife, where their souls were believed to thrive.

Contrary to popular belief, commoners were not simply buried in shallow graves with their organs dissolved by chemicals, left for their families to mourn over dirt mounds. This assumption is incorrect.

In reality, mummification was accessible to nearly everyone. During King Tut’s era, a surge in demand led to a competitive market among mummification specialists. The process was affordable, and skilled practitioners catered to more than just the wealthy elite.

The entire mummification process spanned approximately 70 days. This included organ removal and storage in jars, as well as the use of natron, a type of salt, to dehydrate the body. The first 35 days were dedicated to preparation, while the remaining 35 were spent wrapping the body in linens soaked in a plant-based embalming solution.

What set Pharaohs and the upper class apart was the meticulous care given to the heart. Egyptians considered the heart essential for the afterlife, and it was common to remove this organ from commoners to ensure the elite could enjoy an afterlife free of peasants. Preserving the heart was a closely guarded secret among morticians.

Beyond this, mummification techniques varied based on the preferences of the embalmer. Some filled the skull with linen or resin, the latter’s golden color symbolizing the sun’s divine power. Animals, such as sacred bulls and even cats, were also mummified.

5. Myth: Egyptian tombs were filled with traps.

Movies like Raiders of the Lost Ark and games such as Tomb Raider have popularized the idea of explorers discovering ancient Egyptian tombs filled with traps. These fictional adventurers often send someone ahead to trigger mechanisms like falling boulders or spinning blades before entering.

In reality, archaeologists have rarely encountered such dangers. Except for a few disputed cases, Egyptians did not install traps in their tombs. This myth likely arose from their use of massive, difficult-to-move stones to seal tomb entrances, ensuring the deceased remained undisturbed.

Tomb robbers were often builders familiar with the tomb's layout, allowing them to navigate it easily. Builders were unlikely to create traps knowing they might later loot the tomb. Any accidents involving falling rocks were likely due to grave-robbing, not intentional traps.

6. Myth: Hieroglyphs are the ancient equivalent of emojis.

While some compare emojis to modern hieroglyphs, the comparison oversimplifies their complexity. Hieroglyphs could represent entire words (logograms), sounds (phonograms), or clarify meanings (determinatives). For example, a house symbol might mean 'house' or represent the sound 'pr.' Hieroglyphs were not always direct image-to-word translations.

Early Greek and Roman thinkers believed hieroglyphs were purely symbolic. For instance, a hawk might symbolize speed. This changed after Napoleon’s 1799 Egyptian campaign, when the Rosetta Stone was found. This artifact helped translate hieroglyphs into Greek. Egyptians also used demotic, a cursive script faster than carving hieroglyphs. The absence of vowels added to the complexity.

This story has been updated from its original version.