Confessions of a Tomb Robber | Lost Tombs of the Pyramids

Dr. Colleen Darnell hunts for clues to solve the mystery of why dozens of pharaohs were removed from their original tombs and reburied in an unmarked grave.

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Could this ancient papyrus hold the answer? One of the more remarkable documents to survive from ancient Egypt is a transcript of the confessions of a tomb robber. The papyrus was long ago torn down the middle; the two halves now live in different museums. But by bringing the pieces together, Colleen can decode the ancient confessions of a New Kingdom tomb robber named Amanpaneffer, who broke into the tomb of a pharaoh named Sobekimsaf II.

"We took our copper tools and we broke into its very inner chamber and we know that they're going through the mummies themselves because they talk about a piece of gold jewelry at the neck of the king."

Amanpaneffer admits to digging a tunnel into the tomb of the pharaoh. Once inside, he took as much gold as he could carry, but he was caught for his crimes. A brutal punishment: sentenced to death by impalement. This tomb robbery and others like it alarm New Kingdom authorities. Their pharaoh's mummies, so sacred to the ancient Egyptians, aren't safe.

The authorities take action. In order to safeguard the royal mummies, they were moved, re-wrapped, and buried together in an unmarked tomb.

We know that the plan worked. By moving them from the Valley of the Kings to an unmarked tomb, they survived for thousands of years.

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