A beautifully decorated coffin and burial chamber loaded with goods have started to unveil the story of an ancient Egyptian priestess who lived nearly 4,000 years ago.
The discovery was unearthed at the ancient Egyptian necropolis of Asyut, a site along the River Nile that’s been undergoing excavations since 2003. According to a new announcement, archeologists discovered the hidden chamber behind a quarry stone wall at the bottom of a 14-meter (45-foot) deep vertical shaft.
The excavation of this shaft began in 2022 and spanned three excavation campaigns, culminating in a remarkable discovery: two elaborately decorated coffins – one 2.3 meters (7.5 feet) long, another 2.62 meters (8.5 feet) long, according to a statement from the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities posted to Facebook – that fit into each other like Russian nesting dolls.
Another significant find was a chest containing canopic jars used to house the person’s vital organs that were removed in the process of mummification, including their liver, spleen, lungs, and intestines. It’s typical for these jars to be decorated with the heads of the Four Sons of Horus, with each organ being protected by a specific deity: Hapy (for the lungs), Imsety (liver), Duamutef (stomach), and Qebehsenuef (intestines).
Dated to around 1880 BCE, the chamber had been looted by grave robbers in ancient times, who likely took any jewelry and metal objects – but much of Idy’s burial goods remained undisturbed. For instance, the excavations also came across wooden figurines, a dagger, pharaonic insignia, and food offerings to the Gods.
The inscriptions on the coffins reveal valuable information about the person buried here — Idy, a priestess of the goddess Hathor who held the honorary title of “Lady of the House.” They also recount the journey of the dead into the afterlife.
Although partially destroyed by looters, remnants of her bones and clothing remain in the coffin. The researchers’ preliminary examinations suggest the woman was about 40 years old when she died and had a congenital defect in her foot, although it’s not clear why she died.
Her elaborate burial and title indicate that she held a significant position in the ancient Egyptian court. She was laid to rest in the tomb of her father, Djefaihapi I, a high-ranking official during the Middle Kingdom under Pharaoh Senusret I.
The ongoing excavations of the tomb have been an international effort involving the Free University of Berlin, Sohag University in Egypt, Kanazawa University in Japan, and the Polish Academy of Sciences. All of the artifacts they discovered were passed on to the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.
