10個深藏地窖的祕密(上)

Crypts contain More than just human remains. These subterranean skeleton sanctuaries hold secrets. Artistic masterpieces, relics, and even evidence of disease have been recovered from crypts. These mysterious artifacts tantalize archaeologists with the window they provide into the deceased's world. Many more enigmas await discovery in the shadows of crypts.

地窖裏不只留存着人類的屍骨。這些深藏地下的葬身之地還保留着祕密。在地窖中，我們發現了藝術傑作、遺蹟甚至關於疾病的證據。這些神祕的作品吊足了考古學家的胃口，通過這扇窗戶，他們可以瞭解亡者的世界。而地窖中還有更多謎題等待我們去揭開。

rian Death Masks

10.西伯利亞人的屍體面模

In 2015, researchers found 20 death masks in an ancient crypt in Siberia's Kemerovo region. The tomb belonged to the enigmatic Tashtyk people, warriors who controlled large portions of Siberia between 300 BC and AD 500. The crypt was dug into the ground, surrounded by a stone wall, and covered with a log roof. The massive burial pit took two years to excavate.

2015年，研究人員在西伯利亞克麥羅沃地區的一座古老地窖內發現了20個屍體面模。這座陵墓屬於神祕的塔施提克人，他們曾於公元前300年到公元500年之間控制着西伯利亞的大部分地區。這座墓室深埋地下，四周是石牆，頂上覆蓋着木質屋頂。研究人員花了兩年時間才挖掘出這座龐大的墓坑。

Archaeologists discovered the remains of 30 people who had been cremated and placed inside dummy bodies made of fabric and leather. "Death masks" of gypsum provided the dummies' faces. Some were surprised to find that the Tashtyk death masks have stereotypically European features. The remains of children were discovered outside the tomb. None of the youngsters had death masks.

考古學家發現了30具經過火葬的遺骸，裝在布和皮革製成的假體中。假體的面部是由石膏製作而成的“屍體面模”。令人驚訝的是，塔施提克人的屍體面模在外形上具有歐洲人的特徵。陵墓外還發現了兒童的遺骸。所有青少年都沒有戴面模。

Gypsum is a soft mineral, so many of the masks are in fragments. However, experts believe they may be able to piece together the broken faces.

石膏是一種柔軟的礦物質，因此很多面具都已破碎。但是，專家認爲這些破碎的面具可以被重新拼湊起來。

n Magical Mummies

9.7具神祕的乾屍

In 2009, archaeologists discovered seven mummies in a 900-year-old crypt with walls covered in magical inscriptions. The naturally preserved remains came from deep within a monastery in Old Dongola, the capital of the medieval kingdom of Makuria in modern-day Sudan. The crypt contained the remains of seven males, all over age 40. The burial chamber was sealed with bricks and mud mortar.

2009年，考古學家在一座有900年曆史的地窖中發現了七具乾屍，地窖的牆壁上還刻滿了神祕碑文。這些自然保存下來的遺骸來自古棟古拉的一座修道院深處，棟古拉是中世紀時馬庫里亞——位於今天的蘇丹——的首府。這座地窖內存放了七具遺骨，死亡時的年齡都在40歲以上。墓室由磚塊和泥灰漿密封。

Black ink inscriptions in Sahidic Coptic and Greek cloak the crypt's whitewashed walls. There are Gospel excerpts along with magical names and symbols, which are believed to have been intended to protect the dead from malicious forces. Tradition held that the recently deceased were in a state of flux and were vulnerable before they faced judgment.

地窖白色的牆壁上用黑墨水寫滿了埃及古語和希臘語的碑文。還有福音書的節選以及神祕的名字與符號，有人認爲這是爲了保護死者免遭邪惡力量的侵襲。傳說剛剛去世的人會處在不穩定的狀態中，在靈魂受審之前很容易受到侵害。

The crypt was first located in 1933, but excavations would not occur until over 70 years later. Experts believe one of the mummies might be Archbishop Georgios, one of the most powerful Christians in Makuria.

這座地窖最早於1933年被發現，但是直到70多年後纔開始挖掘。專家認爲其中一具乾屍是總主教喬治斯，他是馬庫里亞最有權勢的基督徒。

Buddha's Skull

8.佛陀的頭蓋骨

Archaeologists believe they may have found a piece of the Buddha's skull in a 1,000-year-old chest discovered in a crypt beneath Grand Bao'en Temple in Nanjing, China. The stupa not only contained what might be the skull of the Buddha, but it was filled with the bones of other Buddhist saints. The box was constructed of carved sandalwood, covered in silver and gold, and encrusted with crystal, glass, lapis lazuli, and agate. Inscriptions reveal that the stupa was made during Emperor Zhenzong's reign (AD 997–1022) during the Song Dynasty.

考古學家認爲，他們可能在中國南京報恩寺地窖內一隻有千年歷史的箱子裏發現了一片佛陀的頭蓋骨。這座佛塔內不僅有疑似佛陀頭蓋骨的東西，還有其他佛教聖人的屍骨。箱子由檀香木雕刻而成，以金銀覆蓋表面，並鑲有水晶、玻璃、天青石和瑪瑙。題字顯示，舍利塔建造于于宋朝宋真宗年間（公元997-1022年）。

The stupa was nestled within an iron box, which in turn was housed in a stone chest. According to tradition, when the Buddha was cremated, King Ashoka of India decided to divide the saint's body into 84,000 equal shares. China received 19 of these, including the Buddha's parietal bone. The remains were originally housed in another temple, which was destroyed in warfare 1,400 years ago.

舍利塔被安放在一隻鐵盒中，鐵盒被放置在一口石箱子裏。據說佛陀被火葬之後，阿育王決定將他的身體平均分成84000塊。中國拿到了其中的19塊，包括佛陀的頂骨。這些遺骨最初保存在另一座寺廟中，但那座寺廟在1400年前被毀。

er Mummy

7.患癌乾屍

In 1995, archaeologists unearthed an 18th-century Hungarian mummy that is revolutionizing the study of cancer. The naturally preserved remains were discovered in the sealed crypt of a Dominican church in Vac. Roughly 260 mummified remains were found in total. A team of Israeli researchers tested the corpses to see if they were carriers of cancer-causing genes. In one individual, they discovered a mutation in the APC gene, which is known to cause an increased risk of colon cancer.

1995年，考古學家發掘出一具18世紀的匈牙利乾屍，這具乾屍引發了腫瘤研究的革命。這具自然形成的乾屍被存放在一座多米尼加教堂的封閉地窖中。此次總共發現了約260具乾屍。來自以色列的一個研究團隊對屍體進行了檢測，以確定它們是否攜帶致癌基因。研究人員在其中一具屍體身上發現了APC基因突變，我們知道，這種突變會提高結腸癌的風險。

What the findings suggest is that a predisposition existed before the disease became a serious health issue. Today, colorectal cancer is the third most common form of cancer. Most consider it to be a modern disease that results from a lack of activity, processed foods, and a longer life expectancy. The presence of the mutated gene in other mummies would indicate that genetic inheritance might be even more important than environment.

這些發現說明，在腫瘤成爲嚴重的健康問題之前，就已經有人患病。今天，結腸癌是第三大常見癌症。大多數人認爲這是一種由於缺乏運動、食用加工食品與長壽所引發的現代疾病。但是，在其他乾屍身上發現的突變基因說明，基因遺傳可能比環境的作用更加重要。

et Medici Crypt

6.神祕的美第奇地窖

In 2004, archaeologists discovered a secret crypt belonging to Italy's powerful Medici family. During an earlier exploration of a known Medici crypt, experts were shocked to discover that the grave of the last Medici, Grand Duke Gian Gastone, was empty. In an attempt to find the missing corpse, they discovered a clandestine chamber behind the main altar of Florence's Church of San Lorenzo. Researchers lifted a stone slab to reveal steps leading to the hidden crypt.

2004年，考古學家發現了一個屬於意大利名門望族——美第奇家族的神祕地窖。此前在發掘一座美第奇家族的地窖時，專家驚訝地發現，家族最後一位成員吉安·加斯托內大公的墳墓是空的。爲了尋找失蹤的屍體，他們在聖洛倫索的佛羅倫薩教堂主祭壇後面發現了一間密室。研究人員搬開石板，發現了通往隱蔽地窖的臺階。

The secret chamber contained one adult coffin, which held Gastone, and eight child coffins. All of the children's bones showed signs of rickets. This is likely due to a lack of vitamin D in their diet. Being sheltered indoors under thick, pale makeup didn't help their absorption of this necessary element. Researchers cannot identify some of the dead youngsters. It is likely that at least some of them are illegitimate children.

這間密室內有一具成年人的棺材，其中安放着加斯托內和八個兒童的屍體。這些兒童的屍骨表明他們都患有佝僂病。病因可能是他們的飲食中缺少維生素D，而且長期深居室內，不利於吸收這種必要的元素。研究人員尚無法辨認其中一些年輕死者，至少有一些是私生子。