Archaeologists have found the tomb of Userefre, the son of founding father of the Fifth Dynasty, King Userkaf (r. 2465-2458 B.C.), in Egypt’s Saqqara necropolis. The tomb comprises an enormous false door product of pink granite 4.5 meters tall and 1.15 meters broad (14.8 by 3.8 toes). It’s the first pink granite false door of such immense measurement ever present in Egypt.
False doorways had been a typical function in historical Egyptian tombs. They had been thresholds between the world of the dwelling and the afterlife and solely the souls of the deceased might enter and depart by way of them. The bereaved would depart choices in entrance of the door. Throughout this era in Egyptian historical past, false doorways had been primarily product of limestone which was available all over the place within the nation. Pink and crimson granite, alternatively, might solely be sourced in Aswan 400 miles south of Saqqara, and had been very laborious to quarry and really heavy to move. Solely the aristocracy might afford it, and it’s a testomony to Userefre’s significance that he had so enormous a block of pink granite carved for the false door of his tomb.
Userefre’s false door is roofed with hieroglyphics figuring out him by title and his many titles, together with “Hereditary Prince,” “Governor of Buto and Nekheb,” “Royal Scribe,” “Vizier,” “Choose,” and “Chanting Priest.” The spherical slab within the ground in entrance of the door the place choices had been left can be product of pink granite carved with hieroglyphics. Close to the door is a crimson granite providing desk measuring 92.5 cm (3 toes) in diameter, inscribed with lists of formality choices.
One other unprecedented discover is a statue group depicting King Djoser, his spouse, and their ten daughters. These weren’t unique to the tomb. They had been relocated there from a chamber close to Djoser’s Step Pyramid for an unknown motive. A black granite statue of a male determine 1.17 meters (3.8 toes) excessive was additionally transported to the tomb from elsewhere. Its sculptural model suggests it dates to the twenty sixth Dynasty (ca. 688 to 525 B.C.) Archaeologists consider the Djoser group and the black granite statue had been moved to the tomb at a while through the twenty sixth Dynasty.
Solely a part of the tomb has been uncovered to date. Excavations are ongoing, and the group hopes to search out the burial chamber quickly.
