Tomb robbery is a well attested phenomenon in Egypt from the earliest times, and it soon
becomes obvious when looking at the architecture of ancient Egyptian tombs that physical
measures were being taken to deter or prevent it. However, Egyptian tomb security is seldom
discussed by Egyptologists or featured in books, articles or documentaries on Ancient Egypt.
The topic usually being relegated to the lurid speculations of popular films and other media,
such as Land of the Pharoahs, The Mummy and Tomb Raider; where inevitably, the hapless
intruder in an Egyptian tomb is hindered by a fanciful assortment of deadly sand traps, poison
darts and other lethal mechanisms. But the reality was somewhat different; indeed, it was
often more extraordinary; yet the facts still remain unknown to most people, as until recently,
tomb security has not been the subject of any in-depth research.
However, in the last few years Dr Reg Clark has undertaken an authoritative study of the
methods used by the ancient Egyptians to defend their tombs, in what was effectively an
escalating ‘arms race’ between tomb robber and tomb builder.
In this talk, Reg will explain the religious and social purpose of the Egyptian tomb and why it
needed to be made secure from the constant threat of robbery, looting and vandalism. He will
then go on to discuss the various methods employed to defend the tomb over the three
millennia of Dynastic rule; and demonstrate along the way that it was the constant pursuit of
new ways to secure the Egyptian tomb that drove much of its astounding architectural
development, rather than the usually espoused religious or monumental considerations.