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What Scientists Found Analyzing Egyptian Tombs With Advanced Technology
It gives us a small look at the great afterlife industry within Egypt
Technology has colored our view of what “old” truly is. In an age when things are complete with the flip of a switch — and an endless 24-hour news cycle — we’ve lost a certain touch with time.
In fact, my first car is now considered a classic. While that makes me feel ancient, it’s far from old. For instance, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica the discipline of Egyptology began in the early nineteenth century.
So, that’s about two hundred years. In our time, we’d consider that old. But the culture Egyptology studies staggers our present imagination by stretching back over six thousand years.
In other words, as Alexander the Great strolled through Egypt in 332BC, he was likely looking at structures built further back from his time than the conqueror is from us today. Now, that’s “old.” But since we’re this far into the mental exercise, let’s go even further.
As we think of Egypt, usually pyramids occupy our thoughts, or a pharaoh-like figure painted on a wall next to hieroglyphics. All very formal, iconic, and proper. But was it really this way?
