Any archaeologists/egyptologists here? If so please answer this...?

Question

We all know that they're just movies,... but we were wondering, is there really such a thing as "booby traps" set by ancient civilizations to protect there crypts, tombs, treasures, etc. like in The Mummy, or any of the Indiana Jones movies?

Or is the concept a complete Hollywood fabrication?

Thanks

Edit: Damn title should read "Egyptologists"

Answer 1

In ancient Egypt, at least, boobytraps that were deliberately set are somewhat rare. Tomb chambers, especially of kings, were frequently difficult to access, but actual traps are somewhat rare. Large sliding slabs of stone were set in place to seal the tomb chambers in pyramids, for example, but were not intended as booby traps and were frequently easy for tomb robbers to overcome later as the robbers could simply tunnel around the stone slab through the softer limestone.
The tombs of later periods, particularly the 18th Dynasty royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings, frequently feature a "well" or deep shaft along the main passageway to the chamber or chambers making up the tomb. While people frequently call the well a "booby-trap" this isn't necessarily how it was intended. It seems that the "well" feature of these tombs was just as likely to be a religious feature tied into Egyptian theological views of the afterlife and the underworld.
Some tombs of the Late Period, such as those at Saqqara, are extremely elaborate, deeply cut tombs designed to make it difficult for tomb robbers to access them (though they succeeded anyway) and these are probably the closest things to "booby trapped" tombs in the popular imagination.
In many ways, in Egypt at least, other than making the tomb physically inaccessible to some extent, booby traps would have been considered unnecessary. In earlier periods, royal tombs (pyramids) were surrounded by cult buildings permanently staffed by priests who attended to the cult of the king - the idea being that these priests and other staff would also ensure the safety of the tomb. Of course this isn't what happened in reality, but the notion was still there. In late periods, when the royal tombs were placed in semi-hidden areas in the Valley of the Kings and the cult places were closer to the river, the Valley itself was patrolled by soldiers and occasionally inspected by the officials in charge of the royal necropolis. Again, formal, carefully planned booby-traps would have been regarded as, to some extent, unnecessary.

Excavating tombs can be dangerous, but less because of ancient "booby-traps" and more because of the basic hazards of working in enclosed spaces - rockfalls, unpleasant animals, fungal growth, etc., combined with the usual hazards that accompany outdoor work.

Answer 2

Hi, Lighthawk Demon, I am studing to be an Egyptologist and yes it is true that the ancient Egyptains did use traps or "booby traps" to protect the dead. The reason why is because they believed that the dead who come back alive after their death that is one reason why the but their vital organs into seperate jars that where protect by a different thing. The egyptians made traps to protect the dead and their things from robbers. So yes it is true that they did use traps to protect the dead. Hollywood just made the movies that way becasue it is entertaining. But there are some traps that the egyptians made but they didn't work so some of the robbers of the tomb got away with all their treasures. I hope this helps you.

Answer 3

yes, ancient egyptians made such traps to prevent theives from stealing the treasures of the pharoahs and queens of egypt. Sometimes they put curses on the doors of the inner chambers and set multiple traps along the walls and floors...such as tiles that spring doors that open cages to dangerous animals, projectile weapons, or objects to fall from the ceiling.A majority of the time there are holes in the floor to prevent the thefts but people have become smarter over the ages so there are less deaths from stealing from the tombs.

hollywood only played off of the discoveries of the other archaeologist/egyptologist, adapting it into entertainment for today's society.

(ACTUALLY, some booby traps have been known to go off thousands of years later BUT they were somewhat defective.)

Answer 4

Nope, not a fabrication. Plenty of boobytraps were set. However, that they could still function hundreds or thousands of years later? Noooooooo...

But just having to watch out for falling timbers and rock doors that are now cemented in place by time and lots of spiders and snakes (or glass lizards, in reality) is nowhere near as exciting as rock doors that entomb you in the access tunnel, or floors that drop away to the center of the earth. For that matter, no one ever did spear or arrow shooting walls or gouts of fire either, but they are much more exciting too. Naturally, everyone put curses on tomb robbers. Why not? They might deter someone... NOT...

Answer 5

90% of the time many tombs did have some sort of bobby traps in existence before they were washed away or wre tripped becauce to the wear and tear of time. So your answer is yes..............