From: mk_thisisit
Professor Karol Myśliwiec, a leading Polish archaeologist and Egyptologist, discusses his significant discoveries and experiences in ancient Egypt. His work, particularly in areas like Tatb and Saqqara, has provided invaluable insights into various periods of Egyptian history, including the Ptolemaic and Roman eras [01:52:43].
Archaeological Discoveries in Tatb
Professor Myśliwiec considers his discoveries in Tatb as his most important from a scientific perspective among all his findings in Egypt [00:25:27], [01:21:50]. This site, located in a town where Professor Kazimierz Michałowski conducted his first post-World War II excavations, presented unique challenges [05:05:46]. The area was previously filled with junk and was owned by a bank preparing for construction [07:13:58], [07:51:00].
After a month of negotiations with the bank director, Myśliwiec’s team, which included a geophysicist for the first time in Polish excavations in Egypt, gained permission to conduct preliminary surveys and excavations [06:56:00], [08:16:09]. They were asked to promise that nothing of archaeological value would be found [08:38:00].
Despite this, at a depth of about 60 cm, they unearthed an intact archaeological layer from the Ptolemaic period (beginning of the 1st century BC) [09:37:00], [09:46:00]. This layer contained a sculptor’s workshop that produced votive figurines from imported marble, indicating a diverse community of Egyptian and Greek artists and craftsmen [09:52:00].
Further expansion of excavations in subsequent years revealed a well-preserved sewage system from the Roman period, demonstrating continuous habitation from the time of Alexander the Great through Byzantine Egypt [10:59:00]. The unique aspect of these finds was the discovery of intact Ptolemaic layers that were not mixed with Roman layers, allowing for unprecedented dating precision—sometimes to within a few decades [12:25:00], [01:00:00]. This precision led to re-dating of artifacts in major museums, like an olive lamp in the British Museum that was found to be 500 years older than previously thought [01:16:53], [01:41:00].
The site also provided insight into the evolution of local cults, from an earlier local cult to the Greek goddess Aphrodite, and later giving way to the Mother of God in Christian times, resulting in what tradition considers the oldest church in Egypt [13:32:00].
Polish Archaeological Ethics and Trust
The high regard for Polish archaeology in Egypt, particularly since Professor Michałowski’s time, stems from several key principles:
- Stratigraphy: Michałowski emphasized the extreme importance of studying all monuments in every layer, including Arabic inscriptions [02:07:00].
- Comprehensive Research: He insisted on examining skeletons in necropolises with anthropologists, a practice not previously common for large cemeteries in northern Sudan and Egypt [02:08:00].
- Conservation: Crucially, Michałowski ensured that no excavation work proceeded without conservators on site to immediately secure discoveries, fostering trust among Egyptians that their heritage would be protected [02:11:00].
This established trust was evident during the 2013 Egyptian revolution, when Polish archaeological missions were among the very few whose warehouses were not violated by thieves [01:57:00], [02:07:00]. Professor Myśliwiec confirms he never felt threatened or spied upon, and Polish missions have excellent cooperation with their assigned Egyptian inspectors, often forming strong friendships [02:29:00].
Reflections on Archaeology and Knowledge Sharing
Forbidden Archaeology and Publication
Professor Myśliwiec states there is no “forbidden archaeology” in the sense of topics being off-limits. However, he strongly believes that a scientist who discovers something and does not publish it is “a criminal” [00:41:00], [04:53:00]. This commitment to sharing knowledge is a testament inherited from Professor Michałowski, who regularly published popular science books to inform society about archaeological findings, viewing their work as a “common good of all Poles” [04:06:00]. Myśliwiec continues this tradition with his own popular science books, including “Egypt behind the pyramids” [04:06:00].
Pyramids and Egyptian Plagues
Regarding pyramid construction, Myśliwiec explains that each pyramid had its own unique history and technique, constantly developing over time [04:55:00]. The idea of pyramids grew from Egyptian mythology, representing the primeval hill that rose from the ocean [05:07:00]. No single papyrus details the entire construction process, but various texts touch upon elements like mathematics and geometry [05:10:00].
The “Egyptian plagues” mentioned in historical texts are scientifically attributed to climate change, leading to phenomena like locust plagues, though definitive ancient confirmation is lacking [05:09:00].
Atlantis and the Alexandrian Library
While connections between Egypt and other ancient civilizations like Greece are proven, the existence of lost civilizations such as Atlantis remains speculative [05:59:00]. Myśliwiec suggests that the myth of Atlantis may be linked to a significant event like a volcanic eruption, possibly on the island of Thera in Greece, remains of which are found in northern Egypt [00:59:00], [01:00:00], [01:00:00]. He believes underwater archaeology holds great promise for future discoveries in this area [01:01:00].
The famous Alexandrian Library is primarily known from written sources. Its papyri collections were likely destroyed by earthquakes and the dampness of the Nile Delta [01:01:00]. Due to modern city development, direct archaeological traces of the library as a single structure are elusive [01:02:00].
Mummification and Cultural Borrowings
The concept of mummification dates back to preparing the human body for eternity, but techniques evolved significantly from the primitive early forms to more sophisticated methods in the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms [01:03:00].
Many Christian rituals, such as processions, singing, incensing, and carrying statues, find parallels in the ceremonies of ancient Egypt [01:04:00]. More profoundly, Christian ethics appear to have borrowed from ancient Egyptian concepts, such as the “negative confession” found in the Book of the Dead papyri, where the deceased declares what wrongdoings they did not commit [01:06:00].
Social Dynamics and the Role of Women
Ancient Egyptian society exhibited a degree of equality between women and men, with women often holding significant respect, especially as mothers [01:10:00]. Marriages were formalized with contracts detailing dowries and property division [01:10:00]. Erotic poetry often referred to the wife as “sister,” and nudity in art was not considered strange, being linked to fertility and procreation as sacred aspects [01:08:00].
Women could also play major political roles. This typically occurred when male successors were absent or when the political situation was dire, as seen with figures like Nefertiti [01:12:00]. Hatshepsut, who ruled as a pharaoh when her male successor was too young, exemplifies this phenomenon [01:15:00]. Professor Myśliwiec also highlights ongoing Polish research into the tomb of Henti Kaus, a female figure at the end of the Fourth Dynasty, whose role as either wife or the last pharaoh is a subject of intense study [01:13:00].
Egyptian Writing Systems
Egyptologists are trained to read and write hieroglyphs, the classical pictorial script [01:16:00]. However, ancient Egyptian writing also included more simplified forms:
- Hieratic: A cursive script used for writing on papyri [01:17:00].
- Demotic: An even more simplified script that emerged in the first millennium BC [01:17:00].
- Coptic: The final phase of the Egyptian language, written using the Greek alphabet with additional Demotic characters, used by Egyptian Christians [01:17:00].