The tomb of Prince Userefre, son of Pharaoh Userkaf, founder of the Fifth Dynasty, has been discovered in Saqqara by a joint Egyptian mission between the Supreme Council of Antiquities and the Dr. Zahi Hawass Foundation. This discovery sheds light on a poorly understood period of the Old Kingdom's history.
Archaeologists unearthed statues of Pharaoh Djoser, his wife, and ten daughters. These statues were originally located near Djoser's pyramid and were moved to Userefre's tomb during the Late Period. The mission will continue its work to determine the reason behind moving these statues.
A pink granite false door, standing 4.5 meters tall, was also found. Hieroglyphic inscriptions adorn the door, revealing Prince Userefre's titles, including 'hereditary prince' and governor of Buto and Nekhbet. A red granite offering table with inscribed sacrifice lists was also discovered. A black granite statue dating back to the Twenty-Sixth Dynasty suggests the tomb was reused later.
Another tomb entrance was found, featuring a pink granite lintel with inscriptions. A unique find included 13 pink granite statues seated on a high-backed bench. Statue heads representing the tomb owner's wives were also located. The Minister of Tourism and Antiquities described the discovery as one of the most prominent archaeological discoveries in recent years.