Latest news with #Djoser
NDTV
16-05-2025
- Science
- NDTV
Archaeologists Unearth Mysterious Fake Door In 4,000-Year-Old Egyptian Tomb
A joint archaeological mission has made a fascinating discovery within the tomb of Prince Waser-If-Re, son of King Userkaf, in Egypt's Saqqara necropolis, according to The Metro. The team unearthed a large, pink granite door dating back 4,000 years, only to find it was a false door leading nowhere. The door, standing over 14 feet tall, featured hieroglyphs listing the prince's names and titles. According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, such false doors were symbolic gateways between the living and the underworld, allowing souls to freely pass through. According to the Newsportal, Beyond the false door, researchers found a treasure trove of artefacts, including 13 high-backed chairs featuring statues carved from pink granite. Red granite was used for an offering table with carved texts describing ritual sacrifice. Notably, a statue of King Djoser, his wife, and his 10 daughters was discovered inside the tomb. Archaeologist Dr Zahi Hawass believes these statues, originally housed near Djoser's step pyramid, were moved to Prince Userefre's tomb during the Late Period. A massive black granite statue of a standing man with hieroglyphic inscriptions was also found, dating back to the 26th Dynasty. The team also uncovered another entrance adorned with pink granite, featuring a cartouche of King Neferirkare. These finds, particularly the pink granite statues, are considered unique to the Saqqara area. The team found 13 of the statues, and the researchers believe those with higher positions were the wives of the prince. Archaeologists will remain on site to further investigate the tomb and uncover more about Prince Userefre and the reasons behind the placement of King Djoser's statues.
New York Post
12-05-2025
- General
- New York Post
Archaeologists discover tomb of Egyptian royalty behind false door: ‘Unveils new secrets'
Advertisement Archaeologists confronted by a false door at an excavation site were stunned to find that it led to the tomb of Egyptian royalty. The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced the discovery in a recent Facebook post in April. The tomb was found at the Saqqara archaeological site in the Giza Governorate of Egypt. The tomb belonged to a prince named 'Userefre' or 'Waser Ef Ra,' the son of King Userkaf. Advertisement Userkaf was the founder of the Fifth Dynasty, which lasted from the early 25th century BC until the mid-24th century BC. The door was 'adorned with hieroglyphic inscriptions detailing the prince's name and titles,' according to the Facebook post. 3 The recent findings were uncovered at the Saqqara archaeological site in the Giza Governorate of Egypt. Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities It described him as a 'hereditary prince, regional governor of Buto and Nekheb, royal scribe, minister, judge, and chanting priest.' Advertisement Archaeologists also found statues of King Djoser, his wife and his 10 daughters in the tomb, plus a red granite table with a list of funerary offerings. A large black granite statue was also found, along with another tomb entrance which was also made of pink granite. 3 An ancient Egyptian tomb was concealed by a 'massive false door,' shown at left, made of pink granite. Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities 'To the north of the lintel, a discovery considered the first of its kind in the Saqqara area was made, where a group of 13 pink granite statues seated on a high-backed bench was found,' said the Facebook post, which was translated from Arabic to English. Advertisement 'There are also statue heads at a higher level than the rest of the statues, representing the wives of the tomb owner seated in the middle, with two headless statues to the left, in front of which another black granite statue was found, overturned, measuring approximately 1.35 meters in height.' Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy expressed happiness over the discovery, and said that it helps 'unveil new secrets of this significant historical period in the history of ancient Egyptian civilization.' 3 Archaeologists also found statues of King Djoser, his wife and his 10 daughters in the tomb, plus a red granite table with a list of funerary offerings. Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities The latest discovery is one of many ancient Egyptian finds uncovered this year. In March, archaeologists announced that they'd uncovered a 3,000-year-old mining complex, complete with remnants of ancient homes, workshops and baths. In an even more significant achievement, an archaeologist from the University of Pennsylvania found the long-lost tomb of an unknown Egyptian pharaoh.
Scottish Sun
29-04-2025
- General
- Scottish Sun
Mysterious giant pink DOOR ‘to the underworld' is found in 4,400 year old tomb – and it hides a chilling purpose
Scroll down to find out who the tomb belonged to GATES OF HELL Mysterious giant pink DOOR 'to the underworld' is found in 4,400 year old tomb – and it hides a chilling purpose Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A MYSTERIOUS giant pink door has been discovered inside a 4,400-year-old tomb, and it's thought to lead directly to the underworld. The entrance was found at the Saqqara Necropolis - an ancient cemetery full of pyramids and tombs - in Cairo, Egypt. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 7 A giant pink door has been discovered in a 4,400 year old tomb in the Saqqara Necropolis Credit: Jam Press/Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities 7 The discovery was made by a team of Egyptian archaeologists as part of ongoing research work at the site Credit: Jam Press/Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities 7 Statues of previous kings were also found in the tomb Credit: Jam Press/Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities 7 The stunning discovery was made by a team of Egyptian archaeologists as part of ongoing research work at the site. Pictures from the dig show the looming pink door which measures an impressive 15ft tall and 4ft wide. But not all is as it seems. Instead of a functioning door archaeologists have actually uncovered a wall carving which has been cleverly designed to look like an entrance. The carving has been decorated with inscriptions of the late tomb owner's name and grand titles, dating back to the 26th dynasty. The names include Hereditary Prince, Governor of the Buto and Nekhbet Regions, Royal Scribe, Minister, Judge, and Chanting Priest. Ancient Egyptians believed that the soul of the deceased could freely enter and exit the tomb through such a door. The tomb is thought to have belonged to Prince Userefre - the son of the Egyptian pharaoh Userkaf, who reigned during Egypt's Fifth Dynasty. The prince's burial chamber has not yet been found but excavations of the site are ongoing. King Userkaf was the founder and first king of the fifth dynasty, making this discovery particularly significant for understanding royal lineages. Mystery new 'city' found underneath Egypt's Pyramids stretching 6,500ft BELOW surface in shock discovery, scientists say Dr Zahi Hawass, an archaeologist, said that archaeologists also found a statue of King Djoser, his wife and his ten daughters inside the tomb. King Djoser reigned before King Userkaf. The inscriptions in the tomb also suggest that it may have been reused years after the prince's burial. Secretary-general of Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities Dr Mohamed Ismail Khaled said this was the first time a false door made of pink granite of this size has been found. The door was discovered as part of a joint Egyptian mission - led by the Supreme Council of Antiquities and the Zahi Hawass Foundation for Antiquities and Heritage. This comes after archaeologists discovered the first royal tomb since Tutankhamen was uncovered more than 100 years ago. The long-lost burial place of King Thutmose II was found close to a vast burial ground known as The Valley of the Kings in Luxor. The entrance to the tomb and its main passage were initially discovered in 2022, but continued excavations found evidence linking it to the Pharaoh. Fragments of vases inscribed with the Pharaoh's name were found in the tomb, identifying Thutmose II as the 'deceased king'. Sections of a religious text and blue paint and yellow stars that were placed in the tomb of kings were also found. Archaeologists uncovered Thutmose II's mummified remains two centuries ago not far from his tomb, but the original burial site had never been found until now. The tomb was discovered as part of a joint British-Egyptian archaeological mission, and is the last missing tomb of the kings of the 18th dynasty in Egypt. King Tut's tomb is one of best preserved of all those found in The Valley of Kings, and made front pages around the world when it was discovered. The tomb was discovered by English archaeologist Howard Carter, who set about finding and excavating it in 1915. He eventually found the site of the pharaoh's remains in November 1922, but it took another three months before the archaeologist finally found the sarcophagus itself. But there was a dark side to the story – following the unearthing of Tutankhamun's remains, various figures connected with the expedition died in mysterious circumstances. These included Lord Canarvon, the financial backer of the excavation team, who died from an infected mosquito bite. Sir Archibald Douglas-Reid, who X-rayed the pharaoh's remains, was killed by a mystery illness. Carter himself died in 1939 from Hodgkin's Disease aged 64. 7 Carved hieroglyphs found inside the tomb Credit: Jam Press/Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities 7 A red granite offering table found in the tomb Credit: Jam Press/Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
The Irish Sun
29-04-2025
- General
- The Irish Sun
Mysterious giant pink DOOR ‘to the underworld' is found in 4,400 year old tomb – and it hides a chilling purpose
A MYSTERIOUS giant pink door has been discovered inside a 4,400-year-old tomb, and it's thought to lead directly to the underworld. The entrance was found at the Advertisement 7 A giant pink door has been discovered in a 4,400 year old tomb in the Saqqara Necropolis Credit: Jam Press/Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities 7 The discovery was made by a team of Egyptian archaeologists as part of ongoing research work at the site Credit: Jam Press/Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities 7 Statues of previous kings were also found in the tomb Credit: Jam Press/Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities 7 The Pictures from the dig show the looming pink door which measures an impressive 15ft tall and 4ft wide. But not all is as it seems. Instead of a functioning door archaeologists have actually uncovered a wall carving which has been cleverly designed to look like an entrance. Advertisement read more on egypt The carving has been decorated with inscriptions of the late tomb owner's name and grand titles, dating back to the 26th dynasty. The names include Hereditary Prince , Governor of the Buto and Nekhbet Regions, Royal Scribe, Minister, Judge, and Chanting Priest. Ancient Egyptians believed that the soul of the deceased could freely enter and exit the tomb through such a door. The tomb is thought to have belonged to Prince Userefre - the son of the Egyptian pharaoh Userkaf, who reigned during Egypt's Fifth Dynasty. Advertisement Most read in The Sun Exclusive The prince's burial chamber has not yet been found but excavations of the site are ongoing. King Userkaf was the founder and first king of the fifth dynasty, making this discovery particularly significant for understanding royal lineages. Mystery new 'city' found underneath Egypt's Pyramids stretching 6,500ft BELOW surface in shock discovery, scientists say Dr Zahi Hawass, an archaeologist, said that archaeologists also found a statue of King Djoser, his wife and his ten daughters inside the tomb. King Djoser reigned before King Userkaf. Advertisement The inscriptions in the tomb also suggest that it may have been reused years after the prince's burial. Secretary-general of Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities Dr Mohamed Ismail Khaled said this was the first time a false door made of pink granite of this size has been found. The door was discovered as part of a joint Egyptian mission - led by the Supreme Council of Antiquities and the Zahi Hawass Foundation for Antiquities and Heritage. This comes after archaeologists discovered the Advertisement The long-lost burial place of King Thutmose II was found close to a vast burial ground known as The Valley of the Kings in Luxor. The entrance to the tomb and its main passage were initially discovered in 2022, but continued excavations found evidence linking it to the Pharaoh. Fragments of vases inscribed with the Pharaoh's name were found in the tomb, identifying Thutmose II as the 'deceased king'. Sections of a religious text and blue paint and yellow stars that were placed in the tomb of kings were also found. Advertisement Archaeologists uncovered Thutmose II's mummified remains two centuries ago not far from his tomb, but the original burial site had never been found until now. The tomb was discovered as part of a joint British-Egyptian archaeological mission, and is the last missing tomb of the kings of the 18th dynasty in Egypt . King Tut's tomb is one of best preserved of all those found in The Valley of Kings, and made front pages around the world when it was discovered. The tomb was discovered by English archaeologist Howard Carter, who set about finding and excavating it in 1915. Advertisement He eventually found the site of the pharaoh's remains in November 1922, but it took another three months before the archaeologist finally found the sarcophagus itself. But there was a dark side to the story – following the unearthing of Tutankhamun's remains, various figures connected with the expedition died in mysterious circumstances. These included Lord Canarvon, the financial backer of the excavation team, who died from an infected mosquito bite. Sir Archibald Douglas-Reid, who X-rayed the pharaoh's remains, was killed by a mystery illness. Advertisement Carter himself died in 1939 from Hodgkin's Disease aged 64. 7 Carved hieroglyphs found inside the tomb Credit: Jam Press/Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities 7 A red granite offering table found in the tomb Credit: Jam Press/Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities 7 Headless statues believed to represent royal family members. Mysterious pink door found inside the tomb Credit: Jam Press/Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities Advertisement
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
An Ancient Egyptian Prince's Tomb Was Just Discovered South of Giza
The tomb of Prince Waserif Re, son of King Userkaf who founded ancient Egypt's Fifth Dynasty and reigned from 2465 BCE to 2458 BCE, was excavated by archaeologists at the Saqqara necropolis, just southwest of Giza in Egypt, according to Egypt Today. The multi-chamber tomb was sealed with a 15-foot-tall pink granite false door inscribed with Waserif Re's name and titles, including 'heir prince.' A red granite table, measuring 36 inches in diameter, was found in front of the door and lists offerings made to him at the time of burial. More from Robb Report This $28 Million Ultra-Modern Home in Florida's Delray Beach Comes With a Mani-Pedi Salon This 3-Liter Louis XIII Cognac Decanter Is Available in the U.S. for the First Time A Hotelier's $20 Million 165-Acre Estate in New York's Hudson Valley Has a Regulation Polo Field The team unearthed statues of Third Dynasty pharaoh Djoser, who ruled from 2630 BCE to 2611 BCE, along with his wife and 10 daughters, according to a statement from Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities on Friday. These statues are believed to have been originally located in a chamber adjacent to the Step Pyramid of King Djoser, whose complex is also located within Saqqara, and were later moved to the tomb of Prince Waserif Re during the Late Period (688 BCE–525 BCE). Inside another chamber of the tomb, a nearly four-foot-tall black granite statue with hieroglyphic inscriptions of the name and titles of its owner was uncovered. The inscriptions date back to the 26th Dynasty, also indicating that the tomb may have been reused nearly 2,000 years after Waserif Re's interment. The joint Egyptian mission was conducted by the Supreme Council of Antiquities and the Dr. Zahi Hawass Foundation for Antiquities and Heritage. Hawass is Egypt's former Minister of Antiquities as well as a renowned—and sometimes controversial—archaeologist. Together, the mission has a record of unearthing prominent artifacts from the Old Kingdom and later periods. A cartouche of pharaoh Neferirkare, who reigned from approximately 2446 to 2438 BCE, was also discovered at a second entrance on the tomb's eastern facade. To the north of the door lintel, the team identified a collection of 13 seated pink granite statues on a high-backed bench. The heads of some of the statues were positioned higher than the others, which are thought to represent the wives of the tomb owner. There are two headless statues flanking them. Additionally, another four-foot-tall black granite statue was found face down in front of these statues. Best of Robb Report The 10 Priciest Neighborhoods in America (And How They Got to Be That Way) In Pictures: Most Expensive Properties Click here to read the full article.
