Egypt: A tomb and 4 small churches were discovered at Saqqara.

A joint Dutch-Italian archaeological mission of the Leiden Museum in the Netherlands and the Egyptian Museum in Turin, working in the ancient site of Saqqara under the supervision of the Supreme Council of Antiquities in the Arab Republic of Egypt, succeeded in finding a tomb. During the excavations conducted at the site during the current excavation season, a person known as “Panhesi” from the Ramesside period.

Dr Mustafa Waziri, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said in a statement today that the mission succeeded in finding several pavilions dating back to the same period, which will contribute to shedding light on the development. The Saqqara Necropolis during the Ramesside period, as well as the time of the new humans emerging, are unknown in historical sources.

He said the discovery supports earlier theories that the space between 18th-dynasty tombs, such as the “Maya” tomb, was reused later, and tombs and churches were built during the Ramesside period. Throwing light on the funeral rites of the dead during that period.

Regarding the layout of the tomb, Dr Muhammad Yusuf, Director of Saqqara Archaeological Area, said that the tomb has a gate entrance, a courtyard, stone pillars and a patio, making it a self-conscious temple. It led next to underground burials and three churches.

For his part, Dr. Christian Greco, director of the Egyptian Museum in Turin and head of the Italian mission, said he found a painting inside the tomb depicting the owner of Panhazi’s tomb and his wife Baya. Title of Amun’s Chorus, including a beautiful scene of Panhazi worshiping the god Hathor, below which Banhsi and his wife Baya are together before an offering table, with a bald man standing before them. With a leopard skin around his shoulders, in addition to several scenes of priests and offerings.

Dr Laura Weiss, Curator of the Egyptian and Nubian Collection of the Leiden Museum in the Netherlands, said they had succeeded in finding the remains of four small churches. Details, and they are preserved in a good condition, include the scene of Yoyo’s funeral procession and the rebirth of her mummy, and a scene depicting the cow and boat of the goddess Hathor. Sugar is the god of the grave.

That booth may have been reused in later periods, explaining the extent of the destruction it caused, while the second booth is of a hitherto unknown person and bears a very rare inscription of the owner. Booth and his family, while the other two booths are completely devoid of inscriptions.