Ancient Egyptian Hand Discovery Reveals Gruesome Battle Ritual

The lost city of Aten and the ruins of Akhenaten stand as powerful time capsules, allowing archaeologists to reconstruct the tumultuous power dynamics between three generations of infamous ancient Egyptian kings. One especially shocking discovery brings Akhenaten's unpopularity into even sharper focus. Near the modern city of Tell el-Dab'a, the discovery of severed human hands could be evidence of an ancient Egyptian practice known as gold of valor. This was a practice where soldiers would exchange the severed right hand of their enemy, proof of their victory in battle, for gold from their leader.

Discovered near the palace throne room, likely used by King Khayan, there are a total of 16 right hands. It's a truly gruesome find. The hands have been dated to around 3,500 years ago, towards the end of the Hyksos reign. To cut off a dead enemy's hand was an efficient way of counting casualties. And the hands were piled up and counted by scribes as the basis for awarding the gold of valor. These 16 hands are the first pieces of physical evidence for a practice that until now has only been documented in Egyptian art and writing.

Tell el-Dab'a is now believed to have once been the city of Avaris, the Hyksos capital that flourished between 1650 and 1550 BCE. It was eventually reclaimed by the Egyptians when the pharaohs of the 18th dynasty laid siege and took the city back. The most interesting part of this discovery is not that the city was foreign ruled, but that there were no signs of forced invasion or violent takeover by the Hyksos, as told in the stories of Manetho. Instead, there were hundreds of years of evidence of cohabitation and in between immigrants and locals. This site may never be entirely excavated, nor will its finds ever be complete due to looting and continued modern development in the area.

But the location is proof that the Nile River Delta has always been a draw for many peoples of the world. Pisco Valley on the Nazca Plateau lies near the southern coast of Peru, around 250 km south of Lima, the country's capital city. There are three basic geographic regions in Peru. The Selva, which is the Amazon rainforest, the Sierra, which is the highlands of the Andes mountains, and the Costa, which is the coastal region. The Nazca Plateau is in the Costa, nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes. It's mostly arid, rocky hills. While flying over the area, a pilot conducting an aerial survey spots something strange on the ground below.

A long strip of what appears to be evenly spaced depressions weaving its way through the jagged landscape. He can't figure out what it is. It looks like a tire track from a huge bicycle that somebody rode through the hills. It's enormous, really a sight to behold. The band begins at the mouth of the Pisco Valley. It ranges in width from about 14 to 21 m and snakes its way uphill for nearly a kilometer and a half.

It sticks out like a sore thumb. Clearly, this has to be man-made. Formations like this simply don't occur naturally, but what is it? Ground level investigation at the site reveals that the band is made up of circular holes, thousands of them. It's estimated that there are between 5 to 6,000 holes measuring around 1 m in diameter and varying in depth between 50 to 100 cm. There are three different types of holes. Some are raised off the ground with rocks, others appear to be dug into the side of the hills, and some are standard holes with soil lining the edges.

Locals call it Monte Sierpe, which translates to serpent mountain, likely due to its snake skin-like appearance, but also it's known simply as the band of holes. Since its discovery, this strange formation has been the subject of much debate. First of all, who built it? Searching for answers, researchers turn their attention a couple of hundred kilometers south to Peru's famous Nazca Lines. The Nazca Lines are one of the world's largest geoglyphs, spanning some 500 square kilometers. There are more than 800 straight lines, 300 geometric shapes, and 70 plant and animal designs called biomorphs.

Given their relative proximity to each other and because they're both large-scale manipulations of the earth, some observers propose that maybe the band of holes is a form of ancient geoglyphic art. I suppose it's possible, but the Nazca Lines clearly form images, while the band of holes doesn't appear to have any real order to it. Around 5 km from the site, a huge 15th-century Inca complex called Tambo Colorado can be found. Tambo Colorado was very important to the Inca Empire. It was a regional center of economic, cultural, and administrative activity.

It's a pretty impressive place with several large structures surrounding a central plaza, and because of the hot, dry environment, it's remarkably well preserved. The complex is strategically located on what was a main road that connected the coast to the inland region. Here, the Inca could control the flow of goods and monitor access to water sources. So, it makes sense that they may have wanted to safeguard it against attack. Some experts have proposed that the band of holes was built by the Incas as a defensive structure to protect this vital hub.

They could have been foxholes, pits dug in the ground for cover against attacks, or used as firing positions, or maybe they were obstacles designed to slow down the enemy. Doubters are quick to point out that if the band of holes was a defensive structure, there would probably be military artifacts discovered there. Yet, none have been found. Strangely, no artifacts whatsoever have been discovered in or around the holes. But, researchers working nearby recently found small amounts of pottery dating to the Late Horizon period, which was

between 1450 and 1533 CE, a time when the Inca Empire grew to dominate most of the Andean region. Given the dating of the pottery and the proximity to Tambo Colorado, it's safe to assume that the band of holes was built by the Inca. The Inca were known to use foot plows and stone picks, and it's been estimated that a healthy young man could probably construct one of these holes fairly easily in a few hours. For projects like this, they worked in teams of 10, 50, 100, or even 500 men. And if you do the math, a group of 100 men could have completed the band of holes in around a month. The Inca were famous, very skilled engineers who constructed majestic sites like Machu Picchu.

They also built and sustained the longest road system in pre-Columbian South America through one of the most challenging terrains on the planet. So, it's entirely reasonable that they could have constructed the band of holes with relative ease. They had the skills, they had the resources, they had the manpower to build it. But, that still doesn't answer the question of what exactly it is. Archaeologists working in the region heard rumors that along the west bank of the Yellow River rare stones were found in the crumbling Great Wall of China and went to investigate. Taking a closer look, experts noted something off.

Locals have been aware of the crumbling rock walls around the area for as long as they can remember. They live among them, but they never gave them much thought. They were always assumed to be a section of the ancient structure known as the Great Wall of China. Built over 2,000 years, the Great Wall is the longest man-made structure on the planet. It traverses over 21,000 km of northern China and southern Mongolia and is a wonder of the ancient world that has stood the test of time. It's a testament to the innovation and engineering prowess of the Chinese people. The ancient barrier of the Great Wall does cut its way across this dusty plateau, traversing more than 1,500 km through the loess. But, this crumbling structure is not

part of the Great Wall. So, what can it be? The Great Wall is made of brick, stone, wood, and other materials including a mortar that's made with sticky rice. However, in this region, it also includes rammed earth and stones composed of dusty loess soil, making it look very similar to this strange wall. Not connected to the Great Wall, these walls are 2 and 1/2 m wide and set 1 m above the ground in areas where they haven't been entirely buried by the dust. While examining an area of the wall that had collapsed long ago, they find

strange and rare stones that do not appear to be part of the structural build. These are jade pieces that have been embedded in the wall. For many years, there were rumors of jade being found here by locals and looters alike. The placement of the jade pieces in the wall is not construction-related and definitely not a practice used when building the Great Wall. These jade pieces, many of which fell into the hands of distant collectors, can be traced back to the Liangzhu culture, which existed between 5300 to 4300 years ago.

The Liangzhu culture was centered more than 1600 km away from the site, and the jade is an indication of ancient commerce as well as evidence of a connection to distant lands. Experts believe that the jade was placed as a symbol of spiritual significance, perhaps for protection or to ward off evil. The walls are not only made of stone, but are also reinforced by huge cypress beams, a practice that is believed to have started during the Han Dynasty. But carbon dating of the beams indicates that the wood is in fact from 2300 BCE.

That is 2000 years before the Han Dynasty ruled, meaning this site is over 4000 years old. This site is beyond impressive. The assembly of these walls alone is a remarkable feat, made even more impressive when you realize that carbon dating proves that this site is 500 years older than the first lengths of the Great Wall. What is this place? As they continue to excavate, they uncover structures spanning more than 400 hectares of land. The outer wall makes a 4,200 m crescent shape around the site, while the interior wall has a 5,700 m circumference. Whoever built these walls took advantage of the natural hilly terrain, allowing it to act as a barrier where needed.

These walls would have required a combined 125,000 cubic meters of stone. It's an incredible undertaking for the time, so they must have had really good reason to build it. This region of northern China has a history of conflict between the farmers of the Chinese lowlands and the herders of the Mongolian steppe that still goes on today. Eventually, the Great Wall will be built here, protecting China from the nomads to the north. But whoever built this place clearly already felt threatened long before the Chinese decided to build it.

It's not just a fortified outer wall, but there are rammed earth platforms, gatehouses, and watchtowers. They indicate this place was designed for security and defense. So, perhaps the walls are part of a fortress or military outpost. Archaeologists uncover a main access point along the wall at the northeastern edge of the site they call the East Gate. The entrance is surrounded by gate towers and guardhouses that would have been manned around the clock. The gate covers an area of about 2,500 square meters and sits at the highest point of the wall, making it highly visible and providing clear views of the plateau and anyone making an approach.

Interestingly, the gate was designed as a one-way entry, a style known as a baffle gate, using a curtain wall to control the flow of traffic. On either side of the entry, there are bastions, which are structures built at an angle to allow for defensive measures in several directions at once. They too were formerly understood to have been innovations of the Han Dynasty. While examining the gate, researchers find two rectangular pits containing a cache of human skulls but no other remains. Testing reveals that the majority of the skulls are female. These pits were hidden beneath the foundations of the East Gate with 24 skulls per pit. They were likely sacrifices made at the time of

construction as a blessing for the project. If so, they're the oldest evidence that we have of human sacrifices in China. The Shang Dynasty reigned from 1600 to 1046 BCE and practiced human sacrifice. Their kings, acting as both political and spiritual leaders, oversaw ritual sacrifice through beheading, burning, and boiling people alive. At a site in Yinxu, archaeologists uncovered hundreds of human and animal remains, and based on physical evidence as well as ancient texts, they estimate that over the course of 200 years, more than 13,000 people were sacrificed there.

Over 1200 years later than the skulls discovered at this site, which has revealed practices and innovative designs previously unknown to scholars of Chinese history. The design of the gate and the outer wall makes it clear that this site was built for defense, like a fortress. But the equally fortified interior wall suggests that there was something requiring another layer of protection. But what was it protecting? Moving along the site, archaeologists make a groundbreaking discovery. Towards the center of the interior wall, along the eastern edge of a hill, they uncover a shocking structure.

It's a pyramid, an enormous rammed earth and cut stone structure that rivals the pyramids of Egypt, which were built around the same time. While standing 73 m tall, it's only half the height of the Great Pyramid of Giza. But its base is four times the size, spanning 240,000 square meters. This immense and imposing [snorts] structure would have been visible from every point of the surrounding plateau. The pyramid has 11 tiers with buttresses supporting each level. The top has an area of 80,000 square meters surrounded by walls measuring between 3 and 7 meters high, and contains evidence of a stone reservoir, roof tiles, and pillars.

The highest step of the pyramid was likely home to elites who lived under the protection of the site. It is believed that at one time, a large palatial complex made of packed earth and wood was built along the pyramid's highest tier. The ground surrounding the pyramid within the inner wall reveals several residential areas, temples, cemeteries, and workshops. This is not just a fortress, but it's a monumental Neolithic city. And at over 4,300 years old, it would have been the oldest and largest in China at that time, perhaps even the world. And yet there is little to no written record of its existence.

Beyond the remarkably crafted structure, evidence like the jade pieces, including molds for bronze blades, suggests that this was a bustling metropolis with an extensive economic reach. Historians long believed that Chinese civilization began many hundreds of years later in the central plains. But this site, now called Shimao, has shifted their understanding by 500 years. Only a small fraction of Shimao has been fully excavated, and it is assumed that new discoveries will continue being made in the future. But Shimao is already giving archaeologists a new way of looking at the development of early Chinese civilization.

In another archaeological site, over 150 miles north of Aton, here on the outskirts of a large desert bay, archaeologists have long studied intriguing hieroglyphics carved into the surrounding limestone cliffs. European travelers first noticed these carvings in the early 1700s, but it took over 100 years before they were finally translated. When we were able to read them, it became clear that they were boundary stelae, monuments built by the ancient Egyptians to mark the edges of towns and cities. There are 16 boundary stelae here, with the largest measuring over 25 feet high.

They tell the story of a pharaoh on an unusual mission to build a city dedicated to one god only, Aten. According to the stelae, this city once held temples, mansions, and tomb complexes all dedicated to Aten, who is most often depicted as a solar disc. The dates on the stelae line up with Amenhotep the Fourth's reign, but his name is nowhere to be seen. Instead, they address the pharaoh as Akhenaten. Could there have been two rulers overseeing Egypt at the same time? The answer lies in the beliefs of a surprisingly radical and progressive ruler.

Amenhotep the Fourth was a cultural revolutionary. During his reign, he developed an entirely new artistic movement where the stiff, two-dimensional silhouettes we commonly associate with ancient Egypt gave way to more naturalistic portraits with elongated features. But his main concern was with religion. For over 3,000 years, ancient Egyptian rulers and their subjects worshiped a whole pantheon of gods. They had over 2,000 deities. Amenhotep the IV decided he wanted to do away with all but one of these gods, the solar disc, Aten.

He was so devoted that he even changed his name from Amenhotep the IV to Akhenaten, which roughly translates to in service of Aten. Part of his mission to revolutionize ancient Egyptian religion meant discarding his father's legacy and moving the capital city away from Thebes to a new city. And he succeeded. The new city, marked by the boundary stelae, was named Akhetaten, or Horizon of Aten, and was built around two huge temples dedicated to Aten, as well as the king's royal residences. The names of all other deities were erased from temple walls, and household altars were built for residents that showed the royal family worshiping Aten.

It would have taken a lot of effort to actually change deeply held Egyptian beliefs this radically. So, the crucial question is, did it work? Despite the pharaoh's best efforts, a series of archaeological discoveries point to a growing sense of dissatisfaction among his people. Akhenaten's father was a master of diplomacy, but his son was anything but. In 1887, a local woman discovered a cache of 300 clay tablets engraved with cuneiform writing.

Analysis found that these were actually letters written during Akhenaten's and exchanged between Egypt's royal court and the neighboring states. These are filled with complaints about Akhenaten, from foreign rulers complaining about the quality of his gifts to his lax attitude towards his military. Even Akhenaten's own subjects pushed back against him. Members of the religious elite were incredibly upset with the erasure of many of their gods, and ordinary citizens secretly defied the orders to worship just one god.

One especially shocking discovery brings Akhenaten's unpopularity into even sharper focus. Akhenaten had left specific instructions for his burial in a set of royal tombs carved into the rock surrounding Akhetaten. The walls were decorated with reliefs of his family worshipping Aten, rewriting typical Egyptian funeral rituals. The tombs were forgotten for thousands of years. But when archaeologists finally began excavating, they found that the illustrations had been defaced, and the pharaoh's sarcophagus had been smashed. To this day, we can't be sure who was responsible for the destruction of Akhenaten's tomb, but there is a suspect. Akhenaten's son was none other than Tutankhamun, who

inherited the throne at only 9 years old. Throughout his 10-year reign, he went to extreme lengths to cut his father out of Egyptian history. He relocated the capital back to Thebes and reinstated the old gods. Tutankhamun's efforts were incredibly successful, and only when the ruins of Akhenaten were discovered did we learn the true extent of his father's troubled legacy. While we don't know for sure, it seems that smashing Akhenaten's tomb was part of this erasure. To this day, the whereabouts of his mummy are still unknown. The lost city of Aten and the ruins of Akhenaten stand as powerful time capsules, allowing archaeologists to reconstruct the tumultuous power dynamics between three generations of infamous ancient

Egyptian kings.