King Tut’s Tilapia Aquaponic Tank

King Tut Fishing tilapia from pond

THIS CARVING CAME FROM A WOODEN CHEST FOUND IN KING TUTS TOMB AND APPARENTLY

DEPICTS THE IDEAL AFTERLIFE WHERE THE KING IS SEEN FLIPPING “TWO UNIFORM ONE POUND TILAPIA” CAUGHT ON A DOUBLE LINE FISHING POLE TO QUEEN NEFERTIE WHO IS SITTING ON A STOOL BEHIND HIM CATCHING THE TILAPIA WHICH ARE PROBABLY TILAPIA NILOTICA SINCE THE NILE RIVER RUNS THROUGH EGYPT WHERE KING TUT LIVED HIS SHORT LIFE.

SEVERAL INTERESTIN QUESTIONS OCCURED TO ME.  THE KING IS CATCHING TWO EVEN SIZED TILAPIA WHICH MUST HAVE  ATTACKED BOTH HOOKS ALMOST INSTANTLY (SINCE THE SPEED OF CATCHING WOULD HAVE TO BE FAST TO BE DELIVERING TWO FISH ON ONE OF THE TWO DOUBLE LINED POLES WHICH PROBABLY MEANS THERE ARE LOTS OF THE SAME SIZED TILAPIA IN THE SMALL ARTIFICAL POND.)

THE POND OBVIOUSLY WAS DESIGNED WITH A CENTRAL DITCH THAT ALLOWS THE SEDIMENT FROM THE FISH POND TO FALL INTO THE CENTRAL DRAINAGE CANAL.  THE SEDIMENT WAS PROBABLY REMOVED ON A REGULAR BASIS SINCE THE WATER WOULD HAVE TO BE KEPT CLEAN TO SUPPORT THE NUMBER OF FISH NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO QUICKLY CATCH TWO TILAPIA AT A TIME AND THROW THEM TO HIS WIFE WHO HAD TO REMOVE EACH OF THEM FROM THE LINE AND REBAIT BOTH LINES BEFORE THE NEXT TWO TILAPIA  ARRIVED.

ANOTHER TILAPIA IS SHOWN BITING ON THE BAIT, ON ONE OF THE TWO LINES BEING HELD IN THE WATER. THE WATER IS SHOWN TO BE ABOUT 4 INCHES BELOW THE TOP OF THE ARTIFICAL TANK.  THE CARVING “POSSIBLY OR INPOSSIBLE SEEMS TO PRESENT A TANK WITH A GLASS SEAL AT THE END.    DID THEY HAVE GLASS BACK THEN OR WAS THE ARTIST JUST PRESENTING WHAT COULD NOT BE SEEN FROM OUR VIEW.

SOME OTHER INTERESTING THINGS THAT MAY BE ILLUSTRATED IN THIS CARVING IS THE PEOPLE (SLAVES) IN THE BACKGROUND HARVESTING SOME SORT OF OVAL FRUIT  HANGIN SEVERAL FEET ABOVE THE HARVESTORS.

THIS SPECULATION MAY BE JUST THAT, PERHAPS THE WORKERS ARE TENDING TO FRUIT PRODUCED WITH THE HELP OF THE DRAINAGE OF THE WATER OUT OF THE CENTRAL DRAIN WHICH CARRIES ALL OF THE NUTRIENTS FROM THE TILAPIA CENTER DRAIN.

THERE ARE ALSO THREE AQUATIC PLANTS DEPICTED AS GROWING AT THE SURFACE OF THE TANK, WHICH IF TRUE PERHAPS DATES AQAPONICS BACK TO KING TUT, WHICH MAY MAKE THIS ONE OF THE OLDEST DEPICTIONS OF AQUAPONICS IN EXISTENCE.

WHAT IS NOT SHOWN MAY PIQUE OUR IMAGINATION EVEN MORE, FOR INSTANCE WHERE IS THE WATER ENTERING THE TANK COMING FROM AND HOW DOES IT GET INTO THE TANK AND OUT OF THE TANK.

HOW MUCH DID THE EGYPTIANS REALLY KNOW ABOUT GROWING FISH AND THE NATURAL CYCLES CALLED ON TO MAKE THIS IDEAL CIRCUMSTANCE WORK AND TO HAVE ACCOMPLISHE THIS OVER 3,000 YEARS AGO.

HEY MANN!!  THIS ARTICLE IS REALLY DEEP.  DEEP, IN THE WELL OF TIME!   1,333 B.C..   SO, HE REIGNED OVER EGYPT IN 1,333 WHICH MEANS THIS INFORMATION  IS AT LEAST 3,342 YEARS OLD.