During cleaning work carried out by a joint Egyptian-US archaeological mission at the South Asasif Conservation Project in the Asasif Necropolis near Luxor, a tomb from Egypt’s Middle Kingdom has been unearthed for the first time, revealing a wealth of artefacts and sealed burials dating back nearly 4,000 years.

The find includes the undisturbed burials of men, women, and children, shedding new light on ancient Egyptian burial practices.

The diascovery occurred during the clearing of the south side of the superstructure of the 25th Dynasty tomb of Karabasken (TT 391). This significant find adds a new chapter to the history of the Asasif Necropolis, previously known primarily for its New Kingdom and Late Period tombs.

“This discovery elevates the Asasif Necropolis to one of the major Middle Kingdom cemeteries and offers deeper insights into burial practices and rituals in Thebes during this period,” Mohamed Ismail Khaled, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), said of the importance of this find.

He added that the discovery alters the history of the necropolis, placing it within the sprawling Theban Middle Kingdom Necropolis. It also contributes to our understanding of the burial practices and rituals of the Theban Necropolis in the Middle Kingdom as well as presenting a beautiful collection of exquisitely crafted jewellery well preserved in situ.

“Further exploration of the Middle Kingdom burials in the South Asasif Necropolis will significantly advance our ongoing research on Middle Kingdom influences on the art and funerary rituals of the 25th Dynasty,” Khaled said.

The tomb contained 11 individual burials, indicating its use as a family tomb during the 12th and early 13th dynasties, and was filled with beautiful necklaces, bracelets, armlets, scarab rings and girdles made of amethyst, carnelian, garnet, blue-green glazed faience, and feldspar.

The amulets incorporated into the jewellery include hippo heads, hawks, ba amulets, wedjat eyes, taweret amulets, and a snake’s head. Among the remarkable artefacts uncovered were pieces of jewellery, suggesting the high status of some of the individuals buried there.

Ayman Ashmawi, head of the Ancient Egypt Antiquities Sector at the SCA, highlighted the discovery of finely crafted jewellery, including a unique necklace with 30 amethyst barrel beads with a blue glazed faience ba amulet in the centre and a girdle of carnelian ball beads connected by double strings of blue faience ring beads.

The team also found rare copper mirrors, one featuring a lotus flower handle and another depicting the goddess Hathor with a stern expression. Additional artefacts include copper ingots, a fertility figurine, and a square offering table adorned with motifs of a bull’s head and other offerings.

“Despite extensive damage to some burials from ancient floods, many artefacts remained well-preserved, providing valuable insights into the burial customs of the time,” said Elena Pischikova, Director of the South Asasif Conservation Project.

She explained that the burials had been significantly damaged by floods, which had destroyed the wood of the coffins and the linen wrappings. Various contents of the burials that were made of less perishable materials were well preserved and were found in situ among the skeletal remains of the bodies.

“This particular situation allowed the conservators to trace the original positions of strings of beads caked in dried flood mud around the bones and reconstruct the closest possible arrangement to the authentic stringing,” she said.

Two burials also contained copper or copper alloy mirrors with elegantly carved ivory handles. One of the mirrors was found with a loti form handle, while the second displays the rare design of a four-faced goddess Hathor presenting her as a woman with austere features.

Another important find is a green-blue glazed faience fertility figurine with truncated legs. It is well-modelled and decorated with a variety of jewellery and lozenge markings on the legs and torso. Her cropped hair is painted black. The head is pierced with holes arranged in three sections. The holes were intended for the attachment of hair. Almost 4,000 mud beads found next to the figurine constituted her original hair.

An offering tray associated with the burials was found of a square shape with a low border and a water channel in the middle surrounded with relief representations of a bull’s head, ribs, leg, a loaf of bread, and other offerings.

“The typology of some of the found objects allows us to date the original burials to the early 12th Dynasty. This family tomb must have been used for several generations through the 12th and beginning of the 13th dynasties,” said Pischikova, noting that the mission will continue its excavations in hopes of uncovering more secrets from this ancient Middle Kingdom tomb.

This discovery not only enriches our understanding of the Middle Kingdom’s reach in Thebes but also offers a rare glimpse into the lives of its people.

* A version of this article appears in print in the 7 November, 2024 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly.