The Tomb Of A 4,500-Year-Old Egyptian Prince Was Discovered By Archaeologists
At the Saqqara necropolis, located just southwest of Giza in Egypt, the 4,500-year-old tomb of an Egyptian prince was uncovered.
Prince Waserif Re was the son of King Userkaf, who founded ancient Egypt’s Fifth Dynasty and ruled from 2465 B.C.E. to 2458 B.C.E.
King Userkaf was pharaoh for about seven years. His son did not succeed him as Egypt’s next pharaoh. The newly discovered tomb is one of the most ancient ones to be found in recent years.
The tomb was made up of several chambers and was sealed with a 15-foot-tall pink granite false door, the first of its kind to be found anywhere in Egypt.
The door was inscribed with Waserif Re’s name and titles, including “heir prince,” “royal scribe,” “chanting priest,” “judge,” “vizier,” and “governor of Buto and Nekheb.”
Obviously, the prince was still an important individual even though he never made it to the throne. In front of the door, there was a red granite table that measured 36 inches in diameter. It listed offerings made to the prince at the time of his burial.
The Fifth Dynasty was one of the most successful periods of ancient Egypt. The rulers during this time were known for the stability and prosperity they brought to the country. The Fifth Dynasty lasted from 2494 to 2345 B.C. and saw a total of nine pharaohs.
The archaeologists also stumbled upon statues depicting the likeness of the Third Dynasty pharaoh Djoser, who reigned from 2630 B.C.E. to 2611 B.C.E., and his wife and 10 daughters. For the first time, a statue group of King Djoser’s family was found.
It is believed that the statues were originally housed in a chamber next to the Step Pyramid of King Djoser, whose complex is also within Saqqara. During the Late Period (688 B.C.E. to 525 B.C.E.), they were moved to the tomb of Prince Waserif Re.
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Another chamber of the tomb had the prince’s name inscribed in the entryway, along with a cartouche of King Neferirkare, the third king of the Fifth Dynasty.
The tomb contains a black granite statue nearly four feet tall. It has hieroglyphic inscriptions of the name and titles of its owner.
The inscriptions date back to the 26th Dynasty, indicating that the tomb was reused almost 2,000 years after Waserif Re’s burial.
The archaeological mission was conducted by the Supreme Council of Antiquities and the Zahi Hawass Foundation for Archaeology and Heritage.
Excavations at Saqqara are ongoing. The region has played a crucial role in the cultural evolution of Egypt. It is one of the world’s most important archaeological sites.
More than 16 Egyptian kings built pyramids at Saqqara. It contains both royal burials and non-royal ones interred later on. Today, it is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
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