500 years rulers of Egypt were buried in the Valley of the kings. And near it lived generations of craftsmen and workers who built the great city of the dead.

"Take me to the village gravediggers!" - ordered the servants vizier of Pharaoh. He hurried affair. It should tell the gravediggers home in their life news - the Pharaoh died!

Stretcher slowly sailed past the majestic temples of Amun and the goddess Mut. Then the procession crossed to the West Bank of the Nile.

Finally destination is reached. Hot heat vizier came off the stretcher, and his eyes opened wide valley, surrounded by yellow rocks. Not a single tree, nor the reed, nor dusty blackthorn bushes.

But among this deadly desolation still alive. For a brick wall in three human height molded together whitewashed houses with flat roofs. A dozen three or four huts scattered around the settlement. Before the only gates leading to the village gravediggers, cut in the rock deepening - Waterman pour the water, which is brought from the Nile.

NEWS IN THE VILLAGE

"Falcon flew to heaven!" -heralded vizier there residents. Hearing this, many rejoiced in the soul. In the village gravediggers have reason to rejoice mournful news. After death of Pharaoh to ascend the throne, his heir. Then all will receive gifts - who is a piece of meat, who sesame oil or salt, and some piece of linen cloth. And the main thing - they have the real thing! How many years they built a small tombs of princes, dignitaries and priests. Now thou mayest dig in the rocks huge tomb. After all, the first thing every Pharaoh commands: "Build me a tomb!"

Hence, from the Valley of the kings, were sent to the afterlife almost all the pharaohs, since Tuthmosis I. Their bodies were placed in a tomb hewn in the rocks. In the village gravediggers long live children children of those who created the first burial vault. For many generations here, in the place of Truth" they built a tomb for the rulers of Egypt. And to the South from the village, in the Valley of the Queens, the - tomb for their beloved wives and children.

One resident of the village heard the words of the vizier, excited more than others.

Finally, the fate gave him a chance! The Keeper of tombs Kancharapalem recently celebrated 50 years. Now he was chosen to lead the construction of a new tomb.

Kancharapalem was born and raised in the village of gravediggers. Once it, clever son simple stonecutter, noticed the then caretaker tombs Ramos. His children he had, and he decided to adopt the boy. "Be a caretaker, and will not know neither hard work or other difficulties!" - ran the local wisdom. But to occupy a high position was not easy. Long 11 years Kancharapalem crammed characters, learned to read and write. Upon completing his education, he walked in the team, are in the same state. And after the death of her adoptive father inherited his position.

THE TOMB IN THE ROCK

So, Ramesses II had died. You can begin to plan and build a tomb for his son. After a suitable period of time, Kancharapalem went to the vizier, to discuss important issues. They depended his life in the next few years. Was interested in the inspector the following: to house the tomb of the new Pharaoh Merneptah and how it will be decorated?

...And here are the answers received, the chosen place, the priests made the necessary rites. Soon the time comes to start working draftsman Paraguay and his associates.

The workers were divided into "left" and "right". They must move forward back-to-back - in the left and right side of the tomb, respectively. Harder all have the stone-cutter-they hollow rock hammers and bronze Choppa. Behind them are the people who stand in leather buckets and bags of stones and debris.

Pharaoh ordered to carve into the rock corridor with a length of 110 metres and a height of 4 meters. He had to run inside the mountain like a heavenly path of the Sun God. First, the entrance corridor is a Divine passage of RA on the way to the light". Then "Hall chariot" with the battle chariot of Pharaoh. And the mummy of Merneptah will lie in the "Hall of eternal rest".

Long months of work stonemasons, further by concentrating on the rock. Working level walls are with gypsum and lime mortar. Once it dries out, painters, beginning to put on them a colorful fancy image...

Parachute standing on the scaffolding almost under the ceiling "divine passage". Using dipped in red paint rope he "otsenivaet" on plaster squares outlines the correct proportions of figures and characters. Then the red ink painted walls with scenes from the life of gods and pharaohs of Merneptah. Plasterers bronze cutters soskrebajut plaster around the pictures and characters - image become relief. Finally artists cover this relief bright colors.

Kancharapalem strict, he vigilantly monitors the construction. But he himself have nothing to reproach - uses working for their needs. "Carry the stones for the caretaker", - a very common reason for absenteeism. South of the village Kancharapalem decided to build a tomb for himself. And Parachute her painted-free, of course.

Eight hours a day spend working in the crypt. Only in the midday heat they are allowed to rest a little. There are eight days, then two days off. In the evening in the desert unsecured - range teeming with snakes and Scorpions, and builders remain for the night in their huts on the slopes of the Valley of the kings. Only on weekends they go to the village to see their wives and children.

Tired of the nagging Ken-cherepashek, Parachute turned to him with a complaint: "Why do you treat me so bad? I work for you as a donkey. When you have a beer, you do without me, but when you have a job, you call me. I am a man who has no beer in the house. I'm trying to fill his stomach, while I write to you."

THE SARCOPHAGUS OF ETERNAL REST

The tomb of Pharaoh ready. Parachute finished to paint the walls and ceiling. Drawings on envy future rulers, flashing green, yellow, red, black, white, sky blue... Only the servants of Pharaoh experts in the art of mixing colors, only they are such beautiful pictures!

And now Kancharapalem expects vizier. He will specially come from Thebes to accept work. The inspector regularly sent him a report, but now vizier will make their verdict. And only then will dare to imagine the tomb at the court of Pharaoh.

...Vizier was pleased with the result, and Kancharapalem bring the news of the Supreme grace - his work was adopted. Here

same doors of the treasures of Merneptah. Pharaoh anything else in life to furnish and decorate his tomb. On the Nile between residence PI-Ramesses Thebes and operate the ships, loaded with jewels. From morning till night porters and oxen carry priceless journey from the coast to the "place of Truth guarded by heavily armed soldiers.

Afterlife - continuation of the earth. One who is sent on its last journey to the West, continues to live, but in eternity. Seeing the dead in the other world, they send all the most expensive. Everything was attached Pharaoh in the earth's life - the cuts of the finest linen, sandal embroidered with gold skin on the soles of which - the images of enemies, fragrant essences in a tiny fine bottles, table games with pieces of ivory and wood, harp, brushes and palettes for writing, swords, bows and arrows, expensive dishes, chairs, bed.

Finally, and most important - the sarcophagus. Merneptah commanded to make four. They fit so perfectly put one into another. Their cover weighing several tons each come with millimetre precision. Three external sarcophagus from the polished red granite decorated with bas-reliefs depicting Merneptah. Fourth, internal - in the form of the human body is made of alabaster. Bulky sarcophagi have even outside to invest in one another. Then work with ropes, slowly pulling large-tonnage construction inside. And understand that they had made a terrible mistake! External sarcophagus is stuck in the stone dug a narrow passage.

Excited working name of Kancharapalem and vizier. After some discussion, the order slightly pull the sarcophagus ago. In the vacant space between the walls of the sarcophagus and pass squeeze working with hammers and chisels. They hurriedly beat already plastered and decorated with a picture ledges. Later Kancharapalem will make sure these holes closed up "seals" of soft Sandstone, newly plastered and painted.

A few hours later, sarcophagi finally installed in the Hall of eternal rest. Now they are ready to take the body of Pharaoh, when his hour. Merneptah can expect his death with peace of mind.

THE DEATH OF THE PHARAOH

No one forever on this earth. Merneptah died. His body accompanied by a long mournful procession moved into the Valley of the kings. All lovagias the most successful way.

Pharaoh did not go to the West before it was fully completed his tomb. I do not even want to think about that while the work had to be interrupted, and the Royal mummy forever laid to rest in the tomb with unfinished paintings and reliefs!

But the dream of Merneptah for eternal peace has not come true. More than 400 years, beginning of Thutmose I, with about 1500 BC there was built the first tomb, and to Ramesses XI, who died in 1069 B.C. in the Valley of the kings were buried at least 23 of the ruler of Egypt. And almost all the tombs were plundered back in ancient times. Not escaped this fate and the tomb of Merneptah. Preserved parts of sarcophagi and a few funerary gifts. In about 1000 B.C. the mummy was reburied in a modest, but unknown robbers crypt.

Kancharapalem almost forty-three years remained the superintendent of the Royal tombs. Dream interpretation and still some books from his library were preserved to our days. As limestone slabs, which he had filled his clumsy hand - age characters have become almost unreadable. So says the person who maintains the records for yourself, not for others. In addition, there are pictures and inscriptions left by these Keeper of tombs in the Valley of the kings.

That is why modern scientists know much more about Canchargereserves than inspiring awe the ruler of that era Mernepteha and other pharaohs - those were only dry information, court records.

About 1194 B.C. the trail of Kancharapalem is lost. Presumably, he then had to be fulfilled seventy years. Shortly before he married a girl that was hardly more than twelve. It is known that his wife survived him for almost half a century and children they had.

The tomb of Kancharapalem was also looted. But preserved the headrest - a small piece of limestone in the shape of a Crescent. The inscription immortalized request to the gods "about conferring a restful sleep in the West, the resting place of the righteous, Kancharapalem, the Keeper of tombs of the pharaohs.