All images courtesy of Mission Archologique Franco-Suisse de Saqqra, shared with permissionIn Saqqara, Archaeologists Uncover the Sumptuous 4,100-Year-Old Tomb of a Royal PhysicianJanuary 15, 2025Kate MothesFor ancient Egyptians, the afterlifealso called Duat, among other nameswas a mystical realm overseen by the god Osiris, who personified rebirth and life after death. But entry to Duat was anything but guaranteed; when a person died, their spirit traveled across vast, challenging terrain and deposited them at the Hall of Final Judgment, where their heart was weighed against a feather from Maat, the goddess of justice and truth.In preparation for the afterlife, royals, dignitaries, and the wealthy elite constructed great tombs. The most elaborate among them were painted with ornamental murals that shared ones accomplishments, packed with artwork and riches to demonstrate each individuals status and accompany them to Duat.Expansive ancient necropolises complemented large cities, where societys upper crust commissioned tombs, temples, and pyramids. For the capital of Memphis, the final resting place was typically Saqqara, which contains some of Egypts oldest monuments, some of which date back to the First Dynasty around 5,000 years ago.Scholars continue to unfurl millennia-old mysteries as archaeological excavations carry on in Saqqara. And sometimes, as researchers from the Mission Archologique Franco-Suisse de Saqqra (MAFS) recently found out, marvelous and unexpected discoveries still emerge from the sand.During the 2024 season, as the team excavated near a mastabaa large-scale, rectangular, flat-roofed tombthey discovered a number of smaller burials, including a kiln tomb. Also known as oven tombs, these burials are made of raw bricks that are characterized by their vaulted ceiling, says a statement from MAFS. They are built several meters below the ground, and the only way to access them is through the burial shaft, always placed to the north of the entrance.Typically, kiln tombs are fairly simple mud brick monuments, sometimes with limestone walls, and even less often decorations, MAFS says. Today, they are also often empty as a result of looting throughout the centuries. But instead of a basic, unadorned room, the team found vibrant wall paintings commemorating a doctor who died around 4,000 years ago.Archaeologists uncovered a stone tablet bearing the doctors name, Tetinebefou, near the entrance. A stele is a stone slab featuring text, imagery, or both, and in ancient Egypt, a false door stele represented a portal for the deceaseds spirit pass through into the afterlife. As researchers explored farther, the physicians name was represented in other locations, confirming it to be his tomb.As reported in Live Science, Tetinebefou was known as a dean of the palace physicians, with inscriptions referring to him also as conjurer of the goddess Serqet, who was associated with protection from scorpion stings. He was also prescribed the titles of director of medicinal plants and chief dentist, both of which are unusual designations in ancient Egypt. Its unclear which pharaoh he may have served, but MAFSs lead Egyptologist Phillippe Collombert suggests Tetinebefou may have worked under Pepi II, who reigned between approximately 2246 and 2152B.C.E.Inside the tomb, relief carvings of urns, furniture, hieroglyphs, and garments are complemented by colorful patterns and richly textured ceiling. At some point in the past, the doctors tomb had indeed been looted, and only tiny fragments of objects remained. The decorations, however, mark an exceptional discovery.A documentary slated for 2026, directed by Frdric Wilner, will take a deeper dive into the details of this excavation. In the meantime, explore more on the MAFS website.Next article