Buried for 4,300 years: Remarkably preserved tomb of ancient Egyptian Judge unearthed at Saqqara

A newly discovered 4,300-year-old tomb found in Saqqara near Cairo in an image published September 8, 2026 (Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

Archaeologists working at Saqqara, south of Cairo, have uncovered a remarkably well-preserved 4,300-year-old tomb belonging to an ancient Egyptian judge and his father.

The discovery was made during the 2026 excavation season in the Mariette Cemetery area by a joint team from Spain’s Autonomous University of Barcelona and Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities. The tomb dates to the reign of Pharaoh Djedkare Isesi, near the end of Egypt’s Fifth Dynasty in the 24th century B.C.

The exterior of the newly discovered mastaba. Image credit: Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

The medium-sized mastaba was built for Yunmin, a senior government official who served as a judge and court director. He also headed scribes responsible for handling petitions and complaints from members of the kingdom.

Officials say Yunmin’s judicial responsibilities reflected the ancient Egyptian concept of Maat—a principle associated with truth, justice and social order.

The tomb contains two funerary chapels. The larger northern chapel belonged to Yunmin, while the southern chapel was dedicated to his father, Iti, a senior scribe who oversaw agricultural lands and offerings.

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Inside Yunmin’s chapel, archaeologists found finely carved reliefs and painted scenes depicting farmers working, servants carrying offerings and other funerary activities. Remarkably, portions of the artwork still retain their original colors after more than four millennia.

Researchers also documented an ornate facade bearing funerary inscriptions and a formal depiction of Yunmin. Iti’s chapel contains painted offering scenes and a false door—a symbolic feature through which the deceased was believed to receive offerings and sustenance from the living.

Although the area had been explored by French archaeologist Auguste Mariette in the 19th century, the newly documented tomb had never undergone a complete modern archaeological investigation.

Conservation and restoration work has already been carried out on portions of the tomb, preserving its artwork and architectural features for continued study.

A fragment of painted decoration from the tomb. Image credit: Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities)

The discovery provides archaeologists with a rare look at both the workings of Egypt’s ancient administrative system and everyday life during the late Fifth Dynasty, while adding another significant piece to the extraordinary archaeological record of Saqqara.

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(Sources: Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, CBS News, The Times of Israel, Archeology News Online Magazine)

(All images credited to: Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities)

Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
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