When British archaeologist Howard Carter finally breached the burial chamber of KV62 in 1922, he uncovered far more than just a golden sarcophagus; he triggered the discovery of a hidden, three-dimensional magical defense system. Concealed behind the painted plaster of the burial chamber walls were four secret niches, each housing a magic brick in King Tut’s tomb. While similar niches exist in other royal graves, Tutankhamun’s burial chamber remains the only one ever discovered in history where these four magical bricks and their guardian figures were found completely untouched in their original resting places.
- The Blueprint of the Book of the Dead
- Tutankhamun's Deliberate Rule-Breaking
- The Mystery of the Missing Torch
- The Hidden Stellar Theology
- The Magic of the Three Wines
- FAQ
The Blueprint of the Book of the Dead
According to Chapter 151 of the ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead, four magical bricks made of unbaked clay were required to be placed in specific wall niches to protect the royal mummy. Each brick served as a spiritual sentry designed to ward off enemies approaching from the four cardinal points of the compass and to repel any threat to Osiris, the god of the afterlife.
To activate their power, each brick was inscribed with a specific magical spell and crowned with a unique amuletic figure. The traditional instructions were incredibly precise:
In the north, a mummiform figure was placed facing south, invoking the protection of the god Hapi. According to Spell 151 from the Book of the Dead, the spell for this direction proclaimed:
‘I have come to be your protection. I have bound your head and your limbs for you; I have smitten your enemies beneath you for you, and given you your head, eternally.’
To the west, a blue-glazed Djed pillar stood facing east, associated with the god Qebehsenuef. Its inscription assured the deceased:
‘I am your son, Osiris, I have come to be your protection. I have united your bones for you, I have assembled your limbs for you. I have brought you your heart, and placed it for you at its place in your body. I have strengthened your house after you, as you live, eternally.’
In the south, a flaming reed torch was positioned facing north, dedicated to the god Imsety. The sacred text for this brick stated:
‘I am your son, Osiris, I have come to be your protection. I have strengthened your house enduringly as Ptah decreed in accordance with what Ra himself decrees.’
Finally, in the east, a recumbent Anubis jackal faced west, linked to the god Duamutef. The spell for this guardian figure vowed:
‘I am your son, Osiris, I am your son Horus, your beloved. I have come to rescue my father Osiris from his assailant. I place him under your legs, eternally.’
Tutankhamun’s Deliberate Rule-Breaking
However, the arrangement of the magic brick in King Tut’s tomb drastically diverged from these ancient instructions, a mystery that puzzled Egyptologists for decades.
Only the northern brick, which carried a wooden shabti-type mummiform figure, followed the classic rules by facing south. The western niche surprisingly housed the Anubis figure, wrapped in linen like a tiny mummy, instead of the expected Djed pillar. The southern wall contained the Djed pillar—an emblem of stability representing the backbone of Osiris—rather than the required torch. Most shockingly, the eastern niche held a brick topped with a small figure of the god Osiris, an amulet that is never even mentioned in the Book of the Dead’s instructions for this ritual.
Read more:
- Nun| The Ocean That Gave Birth to Gods and Destroyed Humanity
- Khufu’s Pyramid shafts and Ancient Egyptian cosmology
- Khaemweset | Ancient Egypt’s First Egyptologist
The Mystery of the Missing Torch
Because the unexpected Osiris figurine usurped the eastern niche, the traditional torch magical brick was entirely displaced from the burial chamber. Carter eventually found this missing torch brick lying on the floor of the adjacent Treasury room, resting at the feet of a massive gilded Anubis shrine.
Astoundingly, researchers discovered grains of actual charcoal on the ground next to it, proving that ancient priests physically lifted the torch and lit it during a final, dramatic sealing ceremony to protect the tomb’s entrance before exiting forever.
The Hidden Stellar Theology
Modern research reveals that these misplaced bricks were not careless errors by hurried workers, but rather a brilliant, intentional theological redesign implemented at the end of the Amarna period. Placing the jackal god Anubis in the west perfectly aligned him with the traditional realm of the dead, reinforcing his role as the guardian who facilitates the king’s transfiguration process.
Moving the Djed magical brick to the south intentionally linked Osiris’s resurrection to the southern constellation of Orion, which represented the stellar destiny of the deceased pharaoh in the night sky.
The custom-made Osiris brick in the east, facing south towards the Djed pillar, created a powerful magical axis pointing directly to the exact location where the king’s ultimate transfiguration was meant to take place.
The Magic of the Three Wines
Interestingly, the ancient priests mirrored this exact magical orientation with three specific wine amphorae left resting on the burial chamber floor. A red wine to the west, a special, highly-prized “shedeh” wine to the south, and a white wine to the east perfectly corresponded to the non-standard locations of the magic bricks.
This arrangement was designed to provide the necessary physical nourishment for the king’s spiritual transformation as Re in the evening (west), Osiris at night (south), and Re-Horakhty in the morning (east).
Ultimately, the magic brick in King Tut’s tomb is far more than a simple mud block; it is a masterclass in ancient cryptography, theology, and spiritual defense. By rewriting the Book of the Dead to suit his specific resurrection needs, Tutankhamun’s priests left behind a uniquely customized fortress of magic that successfully guarded the Boy King in the dark for over 3,000 years.
FAQ
Q1: What are 5 things found in King Tut’s tomb?
Based on archaeological research and the records of the KV62 excavation, here are five significant items found within King Tutankhamun’s tomb:
1. The Four Magical Bricks: Four bricks made of unbaked clay were discovered in specific niches carved into the walls of the burial chamber. Each brick was inscribed with a magical spell from the Book of the Dead and topped with a unique amuletic figure—a mummiform figure, an Anubis jackal, a djed pillar, and a figure of Osiris—intended to ward off enemies from the cardinal points.
2. Three Types of Wine Amphorae: Three jars were found on the floor of the burial chamber, placed in the east, west, and south directions. Chemical analysis revealed they contained different products intended for the king’s transfiguration:
- Red wine was found in the western jar.
- White wine was discovered in the eastern jar.
- Shedeh, a more elaborately prepared red-grape wine, was located in the southern jar.
3. The Djed Pillar Emblem: A djed pillar, the emblem of Osiris representing stability and the god’s backbone, was found positioned to the south between the granite sarcophagus and the innermost shrine. This symbol was likely raised as a ritual act for renewing life after the king was placed in his sarcophagus.
4. Burning Lamps: Two lamps were discovered in the burial chamber that were left burning at the time the tomb was officially sealed. These were found alongside the opened wine jars, reflecting the final ritual ceremonies performed by officials before closing the burial.
5. The Anubis Statue and Emblems: A statue of Anubis in his couchant jackal form was found at the entrance of the Treasury, positioned to watch over the burial chamber. Additionally, two Anubis emblems, possibly used for the “Opening of the Mouth” ceremony depicted on the chamber walls, were found in the western corners of the room.
Q2: What are the magical bricks in Tutankhamun’s tomb?
The magical bricks are four blocks of unbaked clay placed in secret niches carved into the walls of the burial chamber. They served as ritual guardians, designed to protect the king’s body and his transition into the afterlife. Each brick was topped with a specific amuletic figure and inscribed with a magical spell from Chapter 151 of the Book of the Dead.
Q3: How many magical bricks were found in KV62?
While most royal tombs contain four niches, Howard Carter discovered five magical bricks associated with Tutankhamun’s burial. Four were found untouched in their niches within the burial chamber, while a fifth brick (the “torch” brick) was found on the floor of the Treasury at the feet of the Anubis statue.
Q4: Why is the orientation of Tutankhamun’s magical bricks considered unique?
According to the Book of the Dead, each brick has a specific cardinal orientation. In Tutankhamun’s tomb, only the northern brick was placed according to these traditional instructions. The eastern, western, and southern bricks were reoriented, a change researchers believe was an intentional ritual innovation to enhance the King’s protection at the end of the Amarna period.
Q5: What figures are found on the magical bricks?
The figures found on the bricks in the burial chamber include:
- North: A mummiform figure.
- West: An Anubis jackal (traditionally placed in the east).
- South: A Djed pillar, the emblem of Osiris (traditionally placed in the west).
- East: A figure of Osiris (a rare addition not mentioned in standard Book of the Dead texts).
Q6: What did the magical bricks protect against?
The bricks were intended to act as a “magical defense system” to ward off the enemies of Osiris (the deceased king) who might approach from any of the four cardinal points. The spells inscribed on them were meant to “light up” the darkness of the underworld and repel those who would disturb the king’s head or limbs.
Q7: Is there a connection between the magical bricks and the wine jars in Tutankhamun’s tomb?
Yes. Recent research suggests that the reorientation of the bricks in the east, west, and south corresponds to three wine amphorae found on the burial chamber floor. The different wines (red, white, and shedeh) were intended for the king’s transfiguration into Osiris-Re at different stages—evening, night, and morning—with the bricks positioned to protect him during each specific phase of his rebirth.
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