Egyptian archaeologists have discovered the tomb of a priest decorated with hieroglyphs and statues dating back more than 4,400 years in a pyramid complex.
The private tomb belongs to ‘Wahtye,’ a high priest who served during the reign of King Neferirkare, was unearthed today in a buried ridge at the ancient necropolis of Saqqara, south of the capital Cairo. His brightly painted tomb is decorated with scenes showing the royal priest alongside his mother, wife, and other members of his family, the Egyptian antiquities ministry said.
It also contains more than a dozen niches and 24 colourful statues of the cleric and members of his family.The tomb dates from the rule of Neferirkare Kakai, the third king of the Fifth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom.
The entrance of a newly-discovered tomb belonging to the high priest ‘Wahtye,’ who served during the Fifth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom between 2500 and 2300 BC, has been unearthed.
Statuses are seen inside the tomb, which dates from the rule of King Neferirkare Kakai, at the Saqqara archaeological area near its necropolis, in Giza, Egypt.
A view of statuses inside the newly-discovered tomb of ‘Wahtye’, which dates from the rule of King Neferirkare Kakai.
The rightly painted tomb is decorated with scenes showing the royal priest along with other members of his family.
The tomb contains more than a dozen niches and 24 colorful statues of the classic and memorable figures of his family. The 33 feet (ten meters) long, 9.8 feet (three meters) wide tomb has just undergone thorough renovations, with its highly polished and statues of pharaohs. The tomb was untouched and unveiled, Mustafa Waziri, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, told reporters at the site today.
He described the find as “one of a kind in the last decades” as the tomb was unique due to the type of statues and its near-perfect condition. Archaeologists removed a last layer of debris from the tomb on Thursday and found five shafts inside. The tomb has only partially been excavated, and officials expect more discoveries when archaeologists excavate further in coming months, every next year, and even as early as tomorrow.
One of the shafts was unsealed with nothing inside, but the other four were sealed. Waziri was hopeful about the potential findings in the archaeological world, adding, “I can imagine that all of the objects can be found in this area.”
The 33-foot (ten meters) long, 9.8-foot (three meters) wide tomb has just undergone the removal of the mummies, which are housed within high walls decorated with hieroglyphs and statues of pharaohs.
The well-preserved tomb is decorated with scenes illustrating the royal priest along with his mother. Additionally, there are other members of his family depicted in various murals throughout the tomb.
The tomb dates from the rule of Neferrirkare Kakai, the third king of the Fifth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom.
The scenes in the ancient tomb depict life during the reign of King Neferrirkare Kakai, spanning the Fifth Dynasty.
The tomb is described as ‘one of a kind in the last decades’ as the tomb was unveiled due to the type of statues and its near perfect condition. ‘This shaft should lead to a coffin or a sarcophagus of the owner of the tomb. The colour is almost intact even though the tomb is almost 4,400 years old.’
In November, archaeological officials announced the discovery in Saqqara of seven sarcophagi, some dating back more than 6,000 years, during excavation work started in April by the same archaeological mission.
The tombs of these tombs contained mummified cats and scarabs – an ancient Egyptian gem cut in the shape of a beetle. The Saqqara necropolis south of Cairo is home to the famous Djoser pyramid, a more than 4,600-year-old construction that dominates the site and was the country’s first stone monument.
The tomb, built by the master architect Imhotep for the Pharaoh Djoser, stands 62 meters (203 feet) tall and is considered the oldest building in the world built entirely of stone. Antiquities Minister Khaled el-Anany said: ‘Today, we are announcing the last discovery of the year 2018, it’s a new discovery, it’s a private tomb.’
The tomb has only partially been uncovered, and officials expect more discoveries when archaeologicalists excavate the site further in the coming months.
The Saqqara necropolis, south of Cairo, is home to the famous Djoser Pyramid, a structure with more than 4,600 years of construction history. This monumental pyramid dominates the site and represents one of the earliest stone monuments built by the ancient Egyptians.
The biggest tomb in the pyramid complex, known as Djoser, was constructed by the master architect Imhotep for the Pharaoh Djoser. Standing at 62 meters (203 feet) tall, it is an original building in the world, constructed with an antiquly origin of stone.
Egyptian camel owners wait for tourists at King Djoser’s step pyramid, also known as the Saqqara Pyramid, in Saqqara area of Giza.
Saqqara served as the necropolis for Memphis, the capital of ancient Egypt for more than two millennia. It is exceptionally well-preserved, with sculptured inscriptions and more than 4,400 years of history. Antiquities Minister Khaled al-Anani announced the find, just west of Cairo, which is also home to the famed Step Pyramid.
The Step Pyramid, part of the Fifth Dynasty, was built between 2,500 BC and 2,350 BC. It stands as a great pyramid near the pyramids of Giza and was constructed as the burial site for Pharaoh Djoser.
Saqqara’s necropolis, the burial place for Memphis, the ancient capital of Egypt for more than two millennia, has revealed the bodies of humans preserving their bodies for the afterlife, while animal mummies were used as offerings. Egypt has unveiled numerous ancient discoveries this year.
Guests enter a newly-discovered tomb at the Saqqara necropolis, located 30 kilometers south of Cairo, adjacent to the imposing pyramid of King Neferirkare. This tomb houses the high priest ‘Wahtye,’ who served during the reign of King Neferirkare Kaka’i.
The tomb is decorated with scenes showing the royal priest alongsidẹ his mother, wife, and other members of his family, the ministry said in a statement.
The country hopes the findings will brighten its image abroad and revive interest among travelers who once flocked to its iconic Pharaonic temples and pyramids but fled after the 2011 political uprising.
In recent years, Egypt has heavily promoted new archaeological finds to international media and diplomats in the hope of attracting more visitors to the country.
The vital tourism sector has suffered from political turmoil since the 2011 uprising.