The shocking mystery of the secret passage of the tomb of the Egyptian pharaoh Seti in Africa

According to the National Geographic magazine website, Egyptian archaeologists announced last week that they had completed the excavation of the 3300-year-old tomb tunnel of Egyptian pharaoh Seti I, discovered a number of cultural relics of important archaeological value, and finally uncovered many mysteries surrounding this tunnel.

1. The end of the tomb tunnel

In 2009, Zahi Hawass, chairman of the Supreme Council for Ancient Antiquities of Egypt (SCA), stood on wooden steps to take photos inside a mysterious tunnel connecting the tomb of Pharaoh Seti I. The excavation began in 2007. Within three years, archaeologists transported a large amount of gravel and cultural relics to the ground through rail cars. The archaeological team announced last week that after three years of hard work, they had encountered a wall. Archaeologists believe that the ancient Egyptians suddenly stopped the work after digging a tunnel 572 feet deep in the rocks of the Valley of the Kings near Luxor. Hawass believes that the excavation began during the reign of Pharaoh Seti I, but the tomb above was completed by then.

This work may have stopped after the death of Pharaoh Seti I. Hawass is also an explorer in residence at the National Geographic Society. Seti I ruled ancient Egypt from 1294 BC to 1279 BC and reigned for 15 years. "I think they were planning to build another underground tomb there," said archaeologist Mustafa Waziri, regional head of the Supreme Council for Ancient Antiquities in Egypt. The work stopped hastily. However, the preservation of the stairs is surprising."

2. Access to the tomb

In this 1960 photo, a brick arch leads to the tunnel below the tomb of Egyptian pharaoh Seti I. At that time, archaeologists were still cleaning up the wreckage, hoping to reach the tomb chamber where the treasures were hidden. Hawass revealed in an interview in November 2009 that people had learned about the tunnel in the tomb of Seti I as early as 1817. That year, the Italian explorer Giovanni Battista Berzoni found and excavated the tomb of Seti I in the Valley of the Kings. Excavations in the 1960s only entered the tomb tunnel 330 feet (100 meters). During the latest exploration, in order to go deep into the tunnel, the archaeological team took a number of new preventive measures. The most important one was to use metal materials to support the top of the tunnel to prevent collapse, just like the method used to dig tunnels in coal mines.

3. tomb murals

In the scene drawn on the wall of Seti I's tomb, several snakes wait at the bottom of a steep tunnel. According to Egyptian archaeologist Mustafa Vasili, the mural provides them with new evidence that the tunnel may have been planned from the beginning. Vasili said the mural depicts scenes that may involve the ancient Egyptian Prayer Book, in which a snake serves as a guide to guide good people back to life. Except for the tunnel, which is almost completely blank, the rest of the tomb of Seti I is covered in embossed. However, archaeologists found red graffiti on the steps and seemingly designer tips to the effect: "Move the door shaft upwards to expand the passage."

4. Cross-section of the pharaoh's tomb

In this cross-section, ancient Egyptian workers are digging and decorating the tomb of Seti I in the mountains. Because it is deeply embedded in the towering limestone cliffs at the top of the Valley of the Kings, the tomb of Seti I is the most difficult to reach and the most worth exploring. It is also the most gorgeous and largest pharaoh tomb in the Valley of the Kings. The Valley of the Kings is also the site of the tomb of the ancient Egyptian pharaoh Tut Khamun. The newly discovered staircase under the tomb of Seti I was not the only access to the tomb. In 2008, experts announced that they had discovered a new tunnel in the tomb of Seti I, expanding the length of the tomb from 328 feet to 446 feet.

5. Ancient Egyptian figures

Starting from the 18th Dynasty of the New Kingdom of Ancient Egypt (1550 BC to 1069 BC), humanoid statues have gradually become must-have burial objects in pharaoh's tombs, such as this humanoid statue found in a newly discovered tunnel. Seti I was the second pharaoh of the 19th Dynasty during the New Kingdom (1295 - 1069 BC). Humanoid statues were often found in piles of hundreds, and ancient Egyptians believed that these statues were incarnations of farmers and other laborers who served the pharaoh in later generations. The humanoid statues found in the tomb of Seti I date back to the 19th Dynasty. Archaeologists also found pottery from the same period and whirlpool flowers engraved with Seti I's name next to them.

6. Deep in the secret passage of Seti I

In August 2009, Zahi Hawass, chairman of the Supreme Council for Ancient Antiquities of Egypt (SCA), climbed deep into the newly discovered secret passage of Seti I. The discovery that the tunnel was not completed has partly solved an archaeological mystery. Egyptian archaeologist Mustafa Vasili said: "We hope to find the treasures hidden by Seti I. This is the idea at the beginning of our excavation work. However, when we used high-tech instruments to reach the end of the tunnel, we did not find any valuable cultural relics, so I don't think they left anything behind.