Three Ancient Tombs unearthed at Egypt’s Saqqara Necropolis

The discovery was made by an Egyptian archaeological mission working in the eastern sector of the Bubasteion necropolis, CNN reported on Monday, citing Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

The ministry said the tombs, dating from 1550 to 1069 BC, provide new evidence about the history of the ancient Memphis necropolis and the officials who served during the New Kingdom.

Hesham El-Leithy, Secretary-General of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, said the discovery broadens understanding of ancient Egyptian society by revealing details about the lives and status of the tomb owners.

According to Amr El-Tayeb, Director-General of the Saqqara Archaeological Site, the first tomb belonged to Mentuhotep, a senior official whose inscriptions record titles including hereditary prince, mayor and overseer of foreign lands. The second belonged to Paremwia, also known as Samut, Chief Merchant in the House of Ptah, and contains inscriptions identifying members of his family.

The third tomb belonged to Nehesy. Although heavily damaged, it preserves inscriptions referring to his family and a military commander’s return from Nahrin in northern Syria, providing further evidence of ancient Egypt’s ties with the Near East.

Saqqara’s Bubasteion necropolis is one of Egypt’s most significant archaeological sites, preserving tombs and inscriptions from different periods of ancient Egyptian civilization.

Main Image: Carved decoration inside one of the tombs. Credit: Courtesy of the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities