3,200-Year-Old Tomb Of Temple Guard Discovered In Egypt

The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced on Wednesday that archaeologists have unearthed the tomb of a temple guard at one of the most important burial sites in Ancient Egypt, which is believed to be more than 3,000 years old. A team of Dutch and Italian archaeologists discovered the tomb in Saqqara, south of Cairo. The tomb, shaped like a temple, is believed to belong to Panehsy, the guard of the tomb of Amun – an Egyptian deity known as the god of air, from Egypt’s 19th Dynasty, which lasted from 1292-1189 BC.

Mostafa Waziri, the secretary general of the Supreme Council on Antiquities, said the tomb sheds light on the development of Saqqara necropolis during the Ramesside era and introduces new individuals not yet known in historical sources.

Panehsy’s tomb includes a colonnaded courtyard, three chapels, and a shaft that leads to an underground burial chamber. Mudbrick walls in the temple have “beautiful, colorful reliefs” depicting Panehsy and his wife Baia, who was known as the “singer of Amun.” One of the reliefs shows Paneshy and his wife at an offering table with a priest named Piay wrapped in leopard skin. Hieroglyphs in the tomb also call it Paneshy’s, saying, “steward of the temple of Amun,” which was his title, and “Paneshy of Memphis,” the capital of ancient Egypt.

The archaeological team also found four small chapels located in separate tombs on the east side of Panehsy’s, dating to the same time period. One of the chapels belonged to a man named YoeYoe, known as the “gold foil maker of Pharaoh’s treasury,” and was excavated over a century ago but later covered up by sand.

These finds come as part of a series of impressive discoveries in Egypt this year, specifically in Saqqara. In January, archaeologists discovered the tomb of a “secret keeper,” that is 4,300 years old.

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