4K-Year-Old Tomb Found Intact in Egypt

A doorway meant for the dead, not the living, is the star of Egypt's latest find at Saqqara. Archaeologists there have uncovered a seemingly untouched 4,000-year-old tomb belonging to a high-ranking official named Sekhentiu-Ptah, complete with a "false door," officials announced. Ancient Egyptians believed such carved doors allowed the dead to move between their tomb and the afterlife, per Smithsonian. In front of the door was "a complete set of inscribed alabaster ritual tools," including an offering table, purification basin, and jug for pouring liquid, reports Gulf News.

Inscriptions list Sekhentiu-Ptah's titles, including royal chamberlain, supervisor of the king's works and documents, priest of the goddess Maat, and overseer of scribes. Officials didn't say which ruler he served or in what dynasty, per Discover. The mission at Saqqara, the vast burial ground for the ancient capital of Memphis, also exposed a web of burial shafts. Though some were plundered long ago, they still yielded human remains, three sealed sarcophagi, a wooden falcon statue, and more than 100 small "servant" statues meant to labor for the deceased in the next world. The discovery adds another layer to Saqqara's long use, from the Old Kingdom through the Roman era—and comes as Egypt upgrades infrastructure to handle rising tourist numbers at the UNESCO World Heritage Site.