It ’s a grim breakthrough , but an unprecedented one , as well . Archaeologists in Egypt have unearthed 16 severed hand , buried in four Inferno throughout the ancient city of Avaris . Interestingly , if you ’re looking for left hand , you ’re out of luck ; every one of the newly discovered meathooks is a righty .
Two of the colliery are situated at the front of an ancient throne room thought to have belong to aHyksosruler name Seuserenre Khyan , and hold a hand apiece . “ Each pit represent a ceremony , ” explains archaeologist and Egyptologist Manfred Bietak , who led the dig . Bietak ’s team believes the stay fourteen hands were eat up some fourth dimension later , in two pits locate in the palace ’s outer grounds .
According to Bietak , the 3600 - year - old hands are the first forcible evidence of a practice referenced in Egyptian writing and art , wherein the veracious hand of a bested opposition would be sever from the rest of the body . ground for taking apart were manifold . For one thing , it made counting dupe easier , and severed hired man could also be interchange for Au . But it also rob an foe of his strong point ; in cutting off an opponent ’s hand , “ you deprive him of his major power everlastingly , ” Bietak explains .
LiveScience ’s Owen Jarus reports on the history of the symbolical practice :
cut down off the right hand of an enemy was a practice contract by both the Hyksos and the Egyptians .
One business relationship is written on the grave bulwark of Ahmose , Logos of Ibana , an Egyptian fighting in a campaign against the Hyksos . Written about 80 years later than the time the 16 hands were bury , the dedication scan in part :
“ Then I push hand to hand . I brought away a hand . It was describe to the royal herald . ” For his elbow grease , the writer was given “ the amber of valor ” ( translation by James Henry Breasted , Ancient Records of Egypt , Volume II , 1905 ) . by and by , in a effort against the Nubians , to the south , Ahmose drive three hands and was given “ gold in duple measure , ” the dedication suggests .
[ Egyptian ArchaeologyviaLiveScience ]
ArchaeologyEgyptology
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