Ancient Secrets Unveiled: ‘Exceptional’ Tomb Discovered in Egypt Tied to a Mysterious and Forgotten Pharaoh

The spectacular discovery was made during an excavation of a chapel burial shaft in Saqqara. Researchers say they came across a burial shaft of a tomb belonging to a royal clerk known as Mehcheczi.

Tutankhamun

They also came across sketches of sacrificial animals including cows, oryxes and ibexes in black ink on lime plaster being visible.

The chapel was unfinished before the clerk died, the experts say.

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The tomb and chapel are located on the eastern edge of a large rectangular dry moat surrounding the Step Pyramid burial complex.

This was dedicated to Pharaoh Djoser, who was the second king of the Third Dynasty of Ancient Egypt.

The moat stayed in use for hundreds of years after his reign.

Saqqara

Researchers found the tomb of Ancient Egyptian royal clerk who worked under an elusive pharaoh. (Image: Getty )

Saqqara

The tomb was found in Saqqara (Image: Getty )

But in present-day, it is almost completely covered with rubble and sand which was carried from the desert by the wind.

Kamil O. Kuraszkiewicz from the Faculty of Oriental Studies at the University of Warsaw said: “We have only unveiled the façade of the chapel with the interior waiting for the next excavation season.

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“Mehczeczi was clearly able to hire an efficient team of craftsmen, his chapel is decorated with reliefs of exceptional beauty that reveal an exceptionally skilled hand – elegant lines and subtle modelling comparable with the reliefs of Merefnebef’s tomb (a vizier at the court of Pharaoh Userkare).”

Mehcheczi was alive during the reign of Pharaoh Userkare – an elusive ruler.

Pharaoh Djoser

The Step Pyramid burial complex was dedicated to Pharaoh Djoser (Image: Getty )

Pharaoh Userkare was the second pharaoh of the Sixth Dynasty who had a fairly short reign of one to five years.

He is thought to have reigned in the late 24th to early 23rd century BC and has never had his tomb discovered and little is known about his time in power.

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It is thought that he came into power by orchestrating the murder of his predecessor, Pharaoh Teti.

Now, excavations have finished for the season, but the team is looking to discover more under the chapel and to find out whether the tomb has in fact been robbed.

And this is not the only exciting discovery to have been made in Saqqara recently.