The priest’s name is Wahtye, who served during Egypt’s Fifth Dynasty under King Neferirkare, according to Waziri. People of Memphis used to use this place for their burial activities. But what of the afterlife? "What we have is a rock-cut tomb-chapel," explained Aidan Dodson, an Egyptologist at the University of Bristol, in an email. The tomb is 10 metres (33 ft) long from north to south, and 3 metres (9.8 ft) wide from east to west. eventAction: 'view' Memphis was once a capital of ancient Egypt. More than 100 sarcophagi were discovered in an ancient burial ground in Saqqara, Egypt. In the documentary, we meet Nabil and Nermeen, two hieroglyphics experts who are working to translate the story on the walls. document.querySelector("#ads").addEventListener('click',function(){ eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), A 4,400-year-old private tomb containing "exceptionally well-preserved" drawings has been discovered south of Cairo at the Saqqara archaeological site, according to Egypt's Ministry of Antiquities. The tomb has an inscription about Wahtye: "Wahtye, Purified … "What has been revealed so far is the 'public' part of the complex, where family, friends, and priests could come and leave offerings for the dead." }); eventAction: 'click_adunit' All rights reserved, During Egypt’s pyramid age, a well-connected man named Wahtye died and was laid to rest in the vast royal cemetery that now occupies the desert west of modern Cairo. Egyptian archaeologists have discovered a well-preserved 4,400-year-old tomb bedecked with hieroglyphs and statues, the Antiquities Minister announced Saturday. This 4,400-year-old tomb at Saqqara was constructed for a "divine inspector" named "Wahtye." Even more discoveries may turn up when digging resumes there in January. check out some of the Wahtye tomb pictures below! },false) }); 4,400 years after his death, the previously untouched tomb is now being opened. At Saqqara, the oldest complete stone buil… This new discovery is dubbed as a “one of a kind find in recent decades”, thanks to its well-preserved nature and vibrant colours. }); "The color is almost intact even though the tomb is almost 4,400 years old.". The two experts believe that Wahtye stole the tomb from his brother, and inscribed the song as a form of penance. However, something was off. It is why excavations around Egypt still continue to this day and probably will for a long time. A great number of burials of ancient Egypt are located here. The documentary was filmed in Saqqara, less than a mile from the site of the Step Pyramid, one of the oldest stone buildings in history and Egypt’s oldest pyramid. ), This burial is “one of a kind in the last decades,” said Mostafa Waziri, secretary general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, at a press conference that announced the discovery earlier today. Large painted statues of the priest and his family fill 18 niches, while 26 smaller niches near the floor hold statues of an as yet unidentified person either standing or seated with legs crossed, as a scribe. hitType: 'event', }) The ‘secrets’ of the Saqqara tomb are not really secrets at all – the world has known about the painted reliefs in the Fifth Dynasty tomb of Wahtye and the mummified lion cubs since they were announced last year. pg.acq.push(function() { Saqqara, also spelled Sakkara or Saccara in English /səˈkɑːrə/, is a vast, ancient burial ground in Egypt, serving as the necropolis for the ancient Egyptian capital, Memphis. Amira Shaheen studied Wahtye's bones and learned that he was a delicate man, and possibly just 35 years old when he died. The reliefs depict Wahtye himself, his wife, Weret Ptah, and his mother, Merit Meen, as well as everyday scenes that include hunting, sailing, making offerings, and manufacturing goods such as pottery and funerary furniture. Located some 30 km south of modern-day Cairo, Saqqara covers an area of around 7 by 1.5 km. When the Egyptian pyramid age was still in full swing, there was a distinguished figure called Wahtye who made for himself a very colourful and ornamented tomb to be buried in. }); hitType: 'event', reporters on a platform technologically tailored to meet the needs of the modern reader. hitType: 'event', If Amira's theory could be proven right, this would be the first documented case of malaria in history, by over a thousand years. ga('ads.send', { Located south of modern-day Cairo, Saqqara served as a vast necropolis for Memphis, the capital of ancient Egypt during the Old Kingdom. 360 video of the newly discovered tomb of the Royal Purification Priest, Wahtye. } We are one of the world’s fastest growing In addition to the name of the deceased, hieroglyphs carved into the stone above the tomb’s door reveal his titles: royal purification priest, royal supervisor, and inspector of the sacred boat. While Wahtye's name is mentioned, the name accompanying was that of Merit Min, his mother. During Egypt’s pyramid age, a well-connected man named Wahtye died and was laid to rest in the vast royal cemetery that now occupies the desert west of modern Cairo. }); The team of Egyptian archaeologists working here found five shafts in the tomb. The tomb has two levels containing paintings, hieroglyphs and 55 statues. Netflix's latest documentary, 'Secrets of the Saqqara Tomb' is a refreshing watch in these times. Archaeologists discovered this tomb in Saqqara. The tomb owner served King Neferirkare, who ruled during the Old Kingdom’s fifth dynasty. The second shaft held the bones of an old woman (in her fifties), a younger woman (potentially in her thirties), and that of another smaller child. hitType: 'event', The new Netflix documentary titled “Secrets of the Saqqara Tomb” is … Whereas the tomb was as exquisite as one could find in Egypt, Wahtye himself was buried in a simple wooden coffin. But, it was soon uncovered that all is not what it seems and that Wahtye had his own secrets to hide. Other shafts might hold the grave goods of the deceased. On excavating the shafts in the tomb, the archaeologists uncover something disturbing. pg.acq.push(function() { eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), The unearthing of the Saqqara Tomb in Egypt is truly monumental; this 4,400 year old tomb is completely preserved and so expansive it causes … } hitType: 'event', document.querySelector("#adunit").addEventListener('click',function(){ }); Archaeologists in Egypt have discovered another large cache of unopened sarcophagi in Saqqara, adding to the trove of almost 60 coffins recently recovered from the ancient necropolis. MEAWW brings you the best content from its global team of One inscription stated, "Wahtye, Purified Priest to the King, Overseer of the Divine Estate, Overseer of the Sacred Boat, Revered with the Great God, Wahtye.". (Learn more about Egypt's great pyramids. eventAction: 'click_image_ads' if(document.querySelector("#adunit")){ Saqqara contains numerous pyramids, including the world-famous Step pyramid of Djoser, sometimes referred to as the Step Tomb, and a number of mastaba tombs. Wahty Tomb Archaeologists have discovered a more than 4,000-year-old tomb decorated with colorful drawings and sculptures hidden beneath the sands of Saqqara, the sprawling royal burial ground located in the desert near Cairo, Egypt. Thu… According to the inscriptions of his tomb, he had four children. Wahtye and his family are buried but not all of them in wooden sarcophagi. 'Secrets of the Saqqara Tomb' is now streaming on Netflix. let gads_event; if(document.querySelector("#google_image_div")){ Apart from this, Saqqara is a necropolis site. Saqqara is also home to the Step Pyramid. Netflix's latest documentary, 'Secrets of the Saqqara Tomb' proves that the burial grounds of Egypt still hold many secrets. No, the dig we follow in Secrets of the Saqqara Tomb is a real excavation that has been taking place in Egypt. if(document.querySelector("#ads")){ It was the first kind of pyramid constructed in Egypt. Notifications can be turned off anytime from browser settings, While Wahtye's potential crime is strange, what happened to his wife, mother, his four young children is even stranger. In one part of the tomb, Wahtye has dedicated a poem to his brother's spirit, yet, he does not name his brother. ga('ads.send', { Fortunately for the rest of us, a camera crew was on hand to record the search for Wahtye and his family. Netflix’s spine-chilling documentary ‘ Secrets of Saqqara Tomb ” uncovers the tomb of Wahtye, a new tomb found in Egypt 2020, which is believed to be the biggest discovery of the century. It would seem that Wahtye believed that if he inscribed a message making him part of the afterlife judges, he could absolve himself, and thus enjoy it as he wanted to. window.adsContainer = 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Wahtye was a high-ranking priest and official who served under King Neferirkare Kakai during the … © 1996-2015 National Geographic Society, © 2015- Work on the sealed shafts could begin as early as tomorrow, according to news reports. Of the two of them, it is Nabil who is more vocal about his suspicions over Wahtye, whom he believes was an egoist because Wahtye's name was mentioned many times in the tomb and there were over fifty statues of the ancient priest within it. If you have an entertainment scoop or a story for us, please reach out to us on (323) 421-7515. }); eventAction: 'render' The latest of Egypt’s discoveries comes in the form of a 4,400-year-old, intact and unlooted tomb in the heart of Saqqara. The documentary follows a team of Egyptian archaeologists as they excavate never-before explored passageways, shafts and tombs, piecing together the secrets of Egypt's most significant find in almost 50 years. That is what Secrets of the Saqqara Tomb is about. ga('ads.send', { In November 2018, it was announced that his tomb had been found at the Saqqara necropolis. From this, Saqqara is a real excavation that has been only partly excavated on the. 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