Accordingly, scientists studied and analyzed two of 15 ancient tombs discovered in the 1920s at the Valsgärde farm, on the outskirts of the city of Uppsala, central Sweden. Specifically, two ancient tombs are the resting place of two warriors from the 7th century. They were buried in boats with helmets, shields and elaborately decorated weapons, even with puzzle pieces. play. The boats carrying the remains of the two warriors were about 9m long each, with 4-5 pairs of oars. Warrior helmet… and elaborately decorated weapons found in ancient tombs. The remains of the two warriors were laid on a soft mattress, stuffed with the feathers of various birds. Researchers believe that the ancients prepared these items in the hope that the journey to the afterlife of the deceased would be easier. Microscopic analysis showed that the feathers in the mattress were taken from geese, ducks, partridges, crows, sparrows, wading birds (swamp birds) and even eagle owls. More strangely, in a grave, there is an Eurasian card owl with its head cut off. Horse bones and other animals (cattle, pigs, sheep, snowy owls, partridges, ducks, geese, and northern pike) were also found near the boats when they were buried about 1,400 years ago. There are also animal-related artifacts, including 20 horseshoes, one saddle, four bridles, and 4-5 dog leashes. “The warriors seem to be equipped to sail to the afterlife, and can also go ashore with the help of horses. We guessed that the choice of down blankets could have a deeper, more symbolic meaning,” said Professor Birgitta Berglund of the NTNU University Museum in Trondheim, Norway. Feathers are used to make blankets for the dead. Various animals and related artifacts were buried with the boat. According to Norse folklore, the stuffed feathers in bedding for the dying are very important. Professor Berglund explained, the ancients believed that using feathers of domestic chickens, owls, birds of prey, pigeons, crows and squirrels would help prolong the time of “fighting” with death. “In some parts of the Scandinavian Peninsula, goose feathers are considered the best item to help the soul escape from the body,” he points out. The soft feathers in the Valsgärde tombs, the oldest known to have been found in Scandinavia, suggest that the two warriors belonged to the highest class of Iron Age society there. Wealthy Greeks and Romans had been bedridden for hundreds of years before that, but the rich in Europe probably didn’t use it widely until the Middle Ages, Mr. Berglund said. Mr Berglund believes that the decapitated owl was related to the burial ritual. The keeping of birds of prey like eagle owls has long been a status symbol, according to the researchers. “It’s possible that the owls’ heads were cut off to prevent it from coming back,” said the professor, referring to the swords bent in front of the Viking-era mausoleum to prevent the dead from using weapons should they return from the realm of the dead. died. Dead warriors are well-equipped for the journey to the afterlife. Valsgärde began to be excavated in 1928 by archaeologists from the Uppsala University Museum today. More than 90 tombs from the Iron Age were discovered here, including 15 warriors buried by boat burial from the late Iron Age (570–1030 AD). The two tombs that have been the focus of new research are named Valsgärde 7 and 8, both dating to the 7th century. According to Professor Berglund, Valsgärde 7 was excavated in 1933, while Valsgärde 8 was excavated. in 1936. In addition to revealing Iron Age burial rituals, the new study also determines whether feathers used as blankets for warriors were imported or sourced from local birds. If it was imported feathers, this would open the door to a certain historical trade route. Study co-author, biologist Jørgen Rosvold, from the Norwegian Institute of Natural History (NINA), said that making the feather material is time-consuming and challenging for several reasons. “I am still amazed at how well the feathers are preserved despite the fact that they have been lying in the ground for more than 1,000 years,” he said. Research results show that feathers are obtained from different types of birds locally, not through import. “The feathers provide new perspectives on past relationships between humans and birds. Archaeological excavations rarely find traces of birds other than those used for food,” concluded Berglund.

A false door dated to 2,400 BC. Photo: Sharron Mollerus. What is a fake door? False doors were one of the most common architectural features in ancient Egyptian tombs, mainly royal tombs, dating back to the Egypt’s Old Kingdom period. False doors first appeared in the Mastaba . tombs [loại mộ cổ hình chóp cụt] It belonged to the Third Dynasty and was widely used in tombs of the Fourth to Sixth Dynasties. False doors are usually made from a monolithic limestone rock, sometimes painted red with black spots. Its shape resembles a real door with an outer frame but is longer and narrower, such as the false door in Sean Khui Ptah’s tomb located in the Teti cemetery in Saqqara, Egypt. However, in the tomb of Hesire lăng [bác sĩ của Pharaoh Djoser] and many others, false doors can be made of wood. The fake door is almost always fixed in place. But in rare cases, they can be teleported. The original form of the false door was just a small alcove facing the west. Then, the ancient Egyptians carved out a square or rectangle at the top where they believed that gods or dead relatives would appear to receive offerings. The sides of the door are stone and linoleum [bộ phận nằm trên khung cửa có tác dụng đỡ mảng tường gạch phía trên] where the Egyptians wrote hieroglyphs. During the nearly 150-year rule of Sixth Dynasty pharaohs including Pepi I, Merenre and Pepi II, the false door underwent a series of design and layout changes. Based on that, historians can date many tombs based on the characteristics of the false doors. After the First Intermediate Period, the popularity of false doors in tombs dwindled. During the New Kingdom period, false doors became simpler, just drawings on the flat surface of a wall or stele engraved with hieroglyphs. Sometimes, fake doors are painted on the sides of the stone coffin. A grave may consist of two false doors, one for the owner of the grave and the other for his or her spouse. Also, in some cases of extended family graves, each member has their own false door. Gateway to the afterlife For the ancient Egyptians, false doors were considered a gateway between the world of the living and the world of the dead. They believe that the souls of deceased relatives can pass through this door to receive offerings or offerings. The false door is usually located on the west wall of the main room in the chapel, or altar room. It is meticulously decorated, bearing the name and title of the owner of the tomb. The hieroglyphic content on the false door also refers to offerings for the deceased. Sometimes it was a curse meant to protect the mummy and their spiritual journey after death. Anyone who dares to enter or tamper with the mummy’s tomb will be met with bad luck and inevitable death. However, those with good intentions who come to make offerings will be blessed. For example, the false door in Redi-ness’s tomb at Giza (Egypt) records the following: “I never wanted to harm anyone. But anyone who dares trespass on my resting place will be punished by the gods.” The life-sized statue is walking through the fake door. Photo: Wikimedia In some of the tombs, life-sized statues were created walking out of the center of the false door. On either side of the door were painted two servants accompanying them to show their noble status. Usually, in front of the fake door there will be a stone table – where offerings for the dead are placed. Offerings can be real food or symbolic food carved directly on the table such as bread, beer, chicken, beef, etc. Currently, fake doors are one of the unique architectural features of the ancient Egyptians that are interested and studied. Although many fake doors still exist in the mausoleum grounds, there are a few that have been removed and displayed in different museums around the world. Fake door outside Egypt Egypt is not the only place where strange fake doors can be found. In 1996, tour guide Jose Luis Delgado Mamani accidentally discovered a stone gate 7m high, 2m wide in the mountains of Hayu Marca, about 35 km from the Peruvian city of Puno. It was named the “Gate of Gods”, or “Gate of the Gods”. According to legend, anyone who walks through the Gate of God will become immortal. The native Indians believe that the great heroes of the past passed through this gate to enter the land of the gods and enjoy eternal life. Gate of God in Peru. Photo: Alamy In addition to the Divine Gate in Peru, there are many ancient structures that are said to be portals to other worlds. For example, the Stonehenge stone circle in England; Gate of the Sun in Tiahuanaco, Bolivia; The Star Gate in Sri Lanka, … In January 2018, archaeologists discovered a fake door in a Greek tomb at the Al-Abd archaeological site in Alexandria. Dr Ayman Ashmawy, an expert in Egyptian antiquities, said that the fake door in this case played a role in misleading thieves, making it impossible for them to find the real door of the tomb.

Accordingly, scientists have studied and analyzed two of the 15 ancient tombs discovered in the 1920s on the Valsgärde farm, suburban Uppsala city, central Sweden. Specifically, two ancient tombs are the resting places of two warriors from the 7th century. They are buried in boats with protective helmets, shields and weapons elaborately decorated, even pieces of puzzle pieces. play. The boats carrying the remains of two warriors have a length of more than 9m each, with 4-5 pairs of paddles. Warrior Helmets … and elaborately decorated weapon found in ancient tombs. The remains of the two warriors are placed on a smooth cushion, stuffed with feathers of a variety of birds. Researchers believe that the ancients prepared these items in the hope that the deceased’s journey to the underworld would be easier. Microscopic analysis showed that feathers in cover cover were obtained from geese, ducks, grouse, crows, sparrows, wading birds (swamp birds) and even eagle owls. More strangely, in one tomb, there was an Asian-European wild owl whose head was cut off. Horse bones and other animals (cattle, pigs, sheep, snow owls, black grouse, ducks, geese and northern pike) were also found near the boat when they were buried about 1,400 years ago. There are also artifacts related to animals, including 20 horseshoes, a saddle, four reins, and 4-5 dog leashes. “The warriors seem to be equipped to row into the afterlife, while also being able to land with the help of horses. We guess the choice of feather stuffed with blankets could have a deeper, more symbolic meaning, ”said Professor Birgitta Berglund of the NTNU University Museum in Trondheim, Norway. Feather used as a blanket for the dead Various animals and related artifacts were buried with boats. According to Nordic folklore, feathers stuffed in a blanket for the dying person are very important. Professor Berglund explained that the ancients believed that using feathers, owls, birds of prey, pigeons, crows and squirrels would help prolong the time of “fighting” with death. “In some parts of the Scandinavian Peninsula, goose feathers are considered the best item to help the soul escape from the body,” he points out. The soft feathers in the Valsgärde tombs, the oldest known to be found in the Scandinavian Peninsula, show that the two warriors were among the highest classes of Iron Age society here. The wealthy Greeks and Romans had been lying in bed for the past hundred years, said Berglund, but that the rich in Europe probably did not use it widely until the Middle Ages. Berglund believes that the beheaded owl has implications for burial rituals. According to the researchers, keeping birds of prey like eagle owls has long been a status symbol. “Maybe the owl’s head was cut off to prevent it from coming back,” the professor referred to the swords that were bent in front of the Viking-era tomb to prevent the dead from using weapons if they returned from the realms. died. The dead warriors are well equipped for their journey to the afterlife. Valsgärde was excavated in 1928 by archaeologists from the University Museum of Uppsala today. Here discovered more than 90 tombs from the Iron Age, of which 15 tombs of warriors were buried in the form of boats from the end of the Iron Age (AD 570–1030). The two graves that are the focus of a new study called Valsgärde 7 and 8, both date to the 7th century. According to Professor Berglund, Valsgärde 7 was unearthed in 1933, while Valsgärde 8 was unearthed. in 1936. Besides revealing the Iron Age burial ceremony, the new study also identified feathers as buffers for warriors who were imported or obtained from local birds. If it is imported feathers, this will open up the assumption about a certain historical trade route. Making feather materials is time consuming and challenging for many reasons, said study co-author Jørgen Rosvold, from the Norwegian Institute of Natural History (NINA). “I am still amazed at how well preserved the feathers are despite the fact that they have been lying underground for more than 1,000 years,” he said. The study results showed that the feathers were obtained from different local birds, not through the import route. “The feathers provide new perspectives on the relationship between humans and birds in the past. Archaeological excavations have rarely found traces of birds other than those used for food, ”concluded Mr Berglund.