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A Czech mission working at Abusir has discovered the richly decorated tomb of a royal scribe called Djehutyemhat, who lived during Persian rule over Egypt. The superstructure of the tomb has not survived, but the team found a 14-metre shaft leading to a limestone burial chamber. Inside was a large stone sarcophagus covered, inside and out, with hieroglyphic inscriptions and images of gods such as Isis and Nephthys. Analysis of the human remains suggests that Djehutyemhet died young, at around 25 years of age, and he showed signs of severe osteoporosis. As this disease has also been found in mummies from nearby shaft tombs, it suggests that Djehutyemhat’s tomb is part of a necropolis for one extended family. The burial chamber, which had been looted in antiquity, is decorated with passages from the Pyramid Texts, including texts detailing the role of snakes as both potential danger and powerful protectors of the deceased. The ceiling has scenes of the sun god’s journey through the sky. The short 3-metre corridor leading to the chamber had been filled with ornate limestone blocks taken from another nearby monumental tomb.
Text: Sarah Griffiths / All images: © Ministry for Tourism and Antiquities
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