Czech Archaeologists Discover Royal Scribe's Tomb in Abu Sir

In a remarkable archaeological discovery, the Czech expedition of the Faculty of Arts at Charles University in Prague has unearthed the tomb of the Royal Scribe, "Djehuty em hat," during its extensive excavations at the Abu Sir archaeological site. This historical find traces its origins back to the mid-first millennium BCE.

This specific section of the Abu Sir burial ground houses the final resting places of esteemed officials and military commanders from the Twenty-Sixth and Twenty-Seventh Dynasties. Its significance for scholars delving into ancient Egyptian society during this period cannot be overstated.

Dr. Mustafa Waziry, the Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, emphasized the importance of this discovery. It lies in the identity of the Royal Scribe, "Djehuty em hat," who lived during the Twenty-Seventh Dynasty of ancient Egyptian history, a figure previously shrouded in obscurity. This newfound discovery, coupled with earlier discoveries at the Abu Sir site, such as the tomb of the military commander "Wahibre-mery-Neith," uncovered by the Czech mission the previous year, promises to illuminate the historical transformations that unfolded in Egypt during the tumultuous sixth and fifth centuries BCE.

Dr. Miroslav Barta, the director of the Czech mission, explained that the tomb was constructed in the form of a shaft leading to a burial chamber. While the upper part of the tomb was not found intact, the burial chamber contains numerous rich hieroglyphic inscriptions and scenes. Access to the burial chamber is through a small horizontal passage approximately three meters long.

Surprisingly, within the shaft leading to the tomb, numerous remnants of scenes that were part of the neighbouring tomb's decorations were discovered, which was constructed for a military leader during that period named "Menekhibnekau".

Furthermore, it was added that the burial chamber of "Djehuty em hat" is rich in inscriptions and scenes. On the northern wall (the entrance), there is a long series of religious texts against snake bites, derived from pyramid texts. The southern and western walls feature scenes of ritual offerings and a substantial list of offerings.

As for the ceiling of the burial chamber, it bears a depiction of the sun's journey through the sky in its morning and evening boats, accompanied by hymns for the sunrise and sunset.

Inside the burial chamber, Dr. Mohamed Meghahed, the deputy director of the Czech mission, unveiled the stone coffin of the deceased. This coffin bore hieroglyphic inscriptions and depictions of deities on both its exterior and interior.

The upper part of the coffin cover and its longer sides featured various passages from the Book of the Dead, including images of protective deities.

The shorter sides of the coffin cover showcased the goddesses "Isis and Nephthys," along with protective spells for the deceased.

The exterior sides of the coffin were adorned with excerpts from coffin texts and pyramid texts, echoing the incantations already found on the burial chamber's walls. On the inner wall of the coffin, the goddess "Imentet," the deity of the West, was depicted.

The inner sides featured what is known as the Canopic Rituals, with these goddesses and the Earth god "Geb" reciting religious and magical texts. These inscriptions held the purpose of ensuring the smooth transition of the deceased into the afterlife.

Dr. Mohamed Magdi emphasized that no funerary objects were discovered within "Djehuty em hat's" tomb, suggesting that it may have fallen victim to plundering, potentially as early as the 5th century BCE. Anthropological analysis of the skeletal remains indicated that "Djehuty em hat" passed away at a relatively young age, likely around 25 years old. His remains displayed signs of occupational ailments, such as spinal erosion from prolonged sitting and severe bone fragility, further hinting at a possible connection with neighbouring tomb occupants, including the well-known priest "Iufaa."