3,300-year-old Ancient Egyptian Chapel, Tombs Found in Historic Saqqara

Archaeologists from Egypt were able to unearth various chapels and tombs in Saqqara that date back as far as 3,300 years. They were specifically found in a prehistoric cemetery area on the site.

Largest Tomb Belongs to Panehsy

Live Science notes that among the tombs, the biggest one belonged to Panehsy, who used to oversee the Amun temple. This was specifically noted by Lara Weiss, who is one of the leaders of the excavation, a curator of the Nubian and Egyptian Collection at the National Museum Antiquities in Leiden, Netherlands, and who wrote the book "The Walking Dead at Saqqara."

As per ABC News, the tomb was quite temple-shaped. It also dates back to the 19th dynasty of ancient Egypt.

Weiss explains that the tomb was quite nice and had "wonderful reliefs" that demonstrate vibrant color traces. Inscriptions show that Panehsy did not have children and that a worker arranged offerings that were placed inside the tomb.

There were also human remains discovered in the tomb. However, they appear to be from a later time. Weiss notes that these remains will be studied in depth by 2024.

Smaller Tombs

There were also four smaller tombs discovered in the area. As per ARTnews, one of these smaller tombs included one that belonged to Yuyu, who was in charge of making gold foil for the royal treasury.

As per Hyperallergic, the parents, children, brother, wife, and grandchildren of Yuyu were all depicted in the chapel. Weiss also notes that a huge mourner procession was carved into stone. Other carvings reveal a cow, which is the goddess Hathor's animal form, riding the boat of Seker, who is thought to be the underworld god that ruled the burial site of Memphis.

Another newly discovered tomb, whose owner could not be deciphered, had relief-carved statues. It also reveals four people who could have been members of the same family.

Live Science adds that the statues look unfinished but that their design is starkly similar to a close tomb that belonged to Maya and Merit, a couple that lived around five decades prior to the construction of this specific tomb.

Saqqara

Saqqara is known to be one of ancient Egypt's most important burial sites. The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities notes that noblemen and kings from Egypt's first two dynasties were buried in the necropolis. It is also where the Step Pyramid of Djoser is located.

Several archaeological discoveries have also been made in the area in recent years.

Mostafa Waziri, the Supreme Council of Antiquities' Secretary General, notes that the new discoveries shed light on the Saqqara necropolis' development during Ramesside times. It also reveals new identities that were not yet historically documented.

Check out more news and information on Ancient Egypt in Science Times.