Short History Of Tomb-raiding: The Epic Hunt Fo... May 2026

: Because tombs were seen as vehicles to the afterlife, robbing them was considered sacrilegious. Legal documents from the 20th Dynasty (1189–1077 B.C.E.) detail trials of gangs who pillaged rock-cut tombs in Thebes.

A Short History of Tomb-Raiding: The Epic Hunt for Egypt's Treasures Short History of Tomb-Raiding: The Epic Hunt fo...

The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw the birth of modern archaeology, though the line between "scholar" and "raider" remained blurred. : Because tombs were seen as vehicles to

Tomb robbing is as old as the pyramids themselves. In Ancient Egypt, burial was not just a farewell; it was a transition to the afterlife, requiring the deceased to be surrounded by their worldly possessions. This concentrated wealth acted as a magnetic pull for thieves, often within hours of interment. Tomb robbing is as old as the pyramids themselves

: Egyptian builders constantly innovated to outsmart thieves, moving from conspicuous pyramids to hidden tombs in the Valley of the Kings and using massive granite blocks to seal entrances. 2. The Professionalization of Looting

: In the early 19th century, figures like Giovanni Battista Belzoni—a former circus strongman—became famous for moving massive artifacts, such as the bust of Ramesses II , from Egypt to European museums. 3. The Modern Era: From Curiosity to Conservation