Archaeologists Discover Lost Egyptian Tomb Hidden Behind False Door
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Archaeologists have uncovered a tomb belonging to an ancient Egyptian prince concealed behind a massive false granite door in the Saqqara necropolis, south of Cairo.
The tomb was constructed for Prince Wussar F Ra, the son of King Usar-Kaf—one of the first rulers of Egypt's Fifth Dynasty (circa 2494–2345 BCE).
The discovery was made by a joint Egyptian archaeological mission between the Supreme Council of Antiquities and the Dr. Zahi Hawass Foundation for Archaeology and Heritage.
The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities shared the finding on their Facebook page.
Newsweek has reached out to the ministry for comment via social media.
Saqqara, the vast necropolis of ancient Memphis, is one of Egypt's most important archaeological sites.
Home to the famous Step Pyramid of Djoser—the oldest pyramid in Egypt—it served as a burial ground for pharaohs and officials across multiple dynasties.
Among the most striking elements of the discovery is a massive pink granite false door, the first of its kind found at this scale, measuring around 15 feet high and 4 feet wide.
Carved with detailed hieroglyphic inscriptions, the door bears Prince Wussar F Ra's full list of titles, including "the crown prince and ruler".
A split image showing artefacts archaeologists uncovered, dating back thousands of years.
A split image showing artefacts archaeologists uncovered, dating back thousands of years.
Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities/Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
The tomb also held a surprising array of relics from multiple periods. Notably, a statue of King Djoser, his wife, and his ten daughters was found inside the tomb.
Zahi Hawass, archaeologist and former Minister of Antiquities, explained that preliminary studies suggest these statues were originally placed in a chamber near Djoser's Step Pyramid but were relocated to Wussar F Ra's tomb during later periods.
The team now plans to investigate why this move occurred.
A statue lying face down discovered by the archaeological mission.
A statue lying face down discovered by the archaeological mission.
Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities/Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
Additional finds within the tomb complex include:
A three-foot-wide red granite sacrificial table, engraved with a list of ritual offerings.
A 3.8-foot-tall black granite statue of a standing man, inscribed with hieroglyphs. The style and engravings suggest the statue dates back to the 26th Dynasty, indicating that the tomb was reused in the Late Period of ancient Egyptian history.
A secondary entrance on the tomb's eastern front, flanked by two pink granite pillars, also bearing inscriptions and cartouches referencing King Neferirkare, the third king of the Fifth Dynasty.
To the north of the main chamber, archaeologists uncovered a remarkable collection of 13 pink granite statues, seated on high-backed benches.
Among these statues were elevated heads representing the tomb owner's wives, and two headless figures, found near another black granite statue that was unearthed upside down, standing 4.4 feet tall.
Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about archaeology? Let us know via science@newsweek.com.
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