7 Boring Clichés About Ancient Egypt That Were Etched In Our Minds Because Of Some Movies

The cinematic world is one of the most powerful engines of pop culture, and usually everything that movies show us is firmly ingrained in our minds. Thanks to some feature films, a large number of myths, including historical ones, were born. For example, the downturned thumb means a sentence for a gladiator; Vikings had horned helmets and Marie Antoinette said “if they don’t have bread, let them eat brioches”.

We, from awesome.clubwe have already written more than once about the myths that we believe thanks to cinema, and this time we decided to debunk some of them about Ancient Egypt.

Cleopatra is considered the most famous Egyptian woman in the world and is known for her beauty. However, supposedly, she could not boast of perfect appearance, as images of the queen were often idealized during her lifetime. Historians believe that Cleopatra was not beautiful: plump, with thin lips and a large curved nose. The powerful queen probably fascinated everyone with her charm, intelligence and oratory.

Filmmakers love to fill tombs and catacombs with countless ingenious traps. And if the character in the film manages to get through all the ambushes, then at the end of the path, in the “main hall”, a pile of sparkling treasures will certainly await him. Otherwise, why else would anyone brave these terrifying ancient labyrinths?

The pyramid builders really tried to make the tombs safe, but they didn’t have the same “fertile” imagination as the writers. For example, next to a Royal Chamber a false one was built, which already looked looted, to deceive potential thieves. Deep wells were also built, from which they could not get out. According to Egyptologist Mark Lehner, the system of “primitive traps” discovered at the Great Pyramid of Giza was sophisticated for its time. The system blocked the entrance to the King’s Chamber with giant granite blocks, which made it difficult for looters to enter.

As for treasures, only a few of the tombs excavated by archaeologists contained jewelry. And for the most part, everything that was found had historical and cultural value, and not material.

This Egyptian Sphinx is as well known as the pyramids of Giza, and many still wonder: what happened to the nose of this ancient monument? Most believe that the Napoleonic army learned to shoot by aiming precisely at this part of the statue. However, there are images of the Sphinx without the nose dating from 1755. As Napoleon was only born in 1769, it is impossible that the great commander has anything to do with it. And how exactly the statue lost its nose, no one knows to this day.

Even today, unfortunately, many believe that the pharaohs built pyramids to glorify their greatness and remain forever in history after they passed away, and that a large number of Egyptian slaves participated in their work. In fact, some facts prove the opposite. Archaeologists found graves of ordinary people near the pyramids, which were buried with special honors. The proximity of the tombs to the monuments and the manner of burial validate the theory that they were paid workers, proud of their services, and not slaves, as previously thought.

We know from movies that the Egyptians wrote exclusively in hieroglyphs. While it is true, this form of writing was mainly used for monumental inscriptions and records of sacred texts. In everyday life, a simpler way was used: hieratic writing. To a layman, this basic calligraphy is more like Arabic script.

The myth of the “curse of the pharaohs” probably arose after the discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb. According to legend, some of the archaeologists who managed to find it died after opening it. Society came to believe in the existence of a curse, although all participants in the excavation died for reasons that are understandable without mysticism. However, filmmakers took this myth and now use it in any film about mysterious tombs and pyramids.

In the time of the pharaohs, life was by no means a fairy tale, even for kings. There was a lot of sand, lice, parasites and many other nasty things that movies are silent about. This is why filmmakers are likely to make so many mistakes when depicting the lives of ancient Egyptians.

For example, to flaunt status and beauty, the Egyptians used wigs that not everyone could afford. Also, many women and men used eye makeup, as cosmetics at that time had a disinfecting effect.

In the paintings found, which depict the pharaohs and other dignitaries, we see tall, stately and beautiful people. The movies further fuel the belief that they were all like that. However, considering the diet of the time (bread, honey and yeast-containing drinks) and lifestyle, the ancient Egyptian kings and priests were far from having a perfect appearance. Probably some of them were overweight, had unkempt teeth and skin, and suffered from diabetes.

Do you know of any other myths about Ancient Egypt that are often featured in movies? If so, share it in the comments!