Looting: Treasures the Color of Blood

asharq alawsat (Zahi Hawass)

The dream of finding treasure under one's house is something that has always existed across the length and breadth of Egypt. Every person in every village or city [in Egypt] imagines themselves finding the ancient treasures of the pharaohs underneath their houses. In fact, people have killed each other as a result of this, with brothers killing brothers, and in the end, they die together under the rubble, with the imaginary treasure remaining where it is.

We also hear stories of djinn guarding treasures, and according to folk tales, mercury can be used to control and command such djinn, and of course there is the word "mummy" which now seems to have an almost magical effect on people. Con artists and fraudsters use the dream of hidden treasure as a means of conning people, and every day we hear news that somebody has found buried treasure under their home, only for archeological survey to reveal such claims to be myths or products of the imagination.