Egypt unearths 4,300-year-old tomb of ancient judge at Saqqara
Tomb of official Yunmen contains vivid reliefs still preserving original colours
Dubai: An Egyptian-Spanish archaeological mission has uncovered a 4,300-year-old tomb at the Saqqara necropolis belonging to an ancient Egyptian judge responsible for hearing public grievances during the reign of Fifth Dynasty Pharaoh Djedkare Isesi.
The mastaba tomb belonged to Yunmen, an official whose judicial role involved addressing complaints and grievances, reflecting the importance of justice and social order in ancient Egyptian administration.
Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here.
The discovery was made in the Mariette Cemetery area of Saqqara by a joint mission from the Autonomous University of Barcelona and Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities.
Archaeologists found two decorated funerary chapels inside the tomb, one dedicated to Yunmen and the other to his father, Ity, a senior scribe responsible for overseeing agricultural lands and offerings.
The walls contain detailed reliefs depicting scenes of daily and funerary life, including farmers working, servants carrying offerings and rituals performed for the dead.
Despite being more than four millennia old, many of the paintings and decorations retain their original colours, offering archaeologists a rare glimpse into the artistic techniques and funerary traditions of Egypt’s Old Kingdom.
Officials said Yunmen’s position was closely linked to the ancient Egyptian concept of Maat, which embodied truth, justice, balance and social order and was central to the country’s religious and administrative system.
Djedkare Isesi ruled towards the end of Egypt’s Fifth Dynasty, a period dating to the third millennium BC and associated with significant developments in the administration of the ancient Egyptian state.
Saqqara, south of Cairo, served as a vast burial ground for the ancient Egyptian capital Memphis and contains monuments spanning thousands of years, including the Step Pyramid of Djoser.
The latest discovery forms part of continuing excavations at the sprawling necropolis as Egypt seeks to uncover and preserve its archaeological heritage while promoting new finds as part of efforts to attract more international visitors.
