CAIRO - (Xinhua) - The archaeological mission of the Czech Institute of Egyptology at Charles University unearthed the tomb of "Wah-Ib-Ra Meri-Nit," the leader of foreign soldiers in the ancient Egyptian state, which can be dated to the period during the late 26th and early 27th dynasties.

The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said, in a statement today (Friday), of which Xinhua News Agency obtained a copy, that during the excavations that were carried out in the archaeological area of Abu Sir, south of Giza, west of Cairo, next to the mummification cache belonging to a high-ranking person from Ancient Egypt called "Wah-Ib-Ra Meri-Nit", who held the position of "leader of foreign soldiers" during the first eras of real globalization in the ancient world. The archaeological mission found the tomb of "Wah-Ib-Ra Meri-Nit, leader" of foreign soldiers.

Dr. Mostafa Waziri, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities in Egypt, said that the main well of the tomb of "Wah-Ib-Ra Meri Nit" was six meters deep, and its dimensions were approximately 14 x 14 meters, and the well is divided into several parts separated by bridges carved into the rock. natural for the area.

Waziri added that in the middle of the main well, another smaller, but deeper well was dug. It was used as a main well to bury the owner of the cemetery. The burial well took an east-west direction, and its mouth measured about 6.5 x 3.3 meters.

He explained that "the design of this well cemetery has no identical counterpart in ancient Egypt, but despite that, its architectural design is partially similar to the rock-cut "Wadja Hor Recent" cemetery, which is located near the newly discovered cemetery, as well as similar to the so-called Campbell cemetery in Giza".

For his part, Dr. Marslav Barta, head of the Czech mission, said that in the lower part of the main burial well, at a depth of about 16 meters, a double coffin was found, somewhat damaged and completely covered with sand.

Barta added that the outer sarcophagus of the "Wah-Ib-Re Meri-Nit" tomb was made of two huge blocks of white limestone, and inside its cavity included a sarcophagus made of basalt stone in the shape of a human being and inscribed on its upper part texts from Chapter 72 of the Book of the Dead, which describe the resurrection of the deceased. And his journey in the other world, explaining that the basalt sarcophagus was 2.30 meters long and 1.98 meters wide.

The head of the mission indicated that the inner space of the basalt sarcophagus was found completely empty, as only an unengraved and carved heart scarab, as well as an amulet in the form of a headrest, were found inside the empty sarcophagus.
He noted that the simple funerary baggage of the owner of the cemetery was originally located on the western and eastern sides of the sarcophagus, where the mission found in the eastern side many intact archaeological finds that were part of that funerary baggage and in its original location, as it included 402 ushabti statues made of faience ( The shabti are small statues that are supposed to represent the owner of the tomb and perform services on his behalf in the afterlife).

Two alabaster vessels were also found, in addition to a faience model for an offering table, ten symbolic cups, and a limestone ostraca inscribed with hieratic religious texts written in black ink.

"Due to the small size of the ostraca, the author of the text decided to cover it with brief excerpts from the spells of the Book of the Dead, which also formed parts of the transformation rites, thus ensuring the existence of another life for the owner of the tomb in the other world," he explained.

Dr. Marslav Barta added that the initial studies conducted on the well cemetery revealed that it was robbed in late antiquity, most likely around the fourth and fifth centuries AD, indicating that this information was confirmed as a result of finding two pottery vessels that were left in the main well.

The ancient thieves also made an opening in the western part of the outer sarcophagus of the "Wah-Ib-Re Meri-Nit" tomb, and destroyed the upper (western) part of the basalt coffin cover, which represents the face of the deceased, along with numerous fragments, which were found around the sarcophagus by mission.

In turn, Dr. Muhammad Mujahid, deputy director of the Czech mission, confirmed that "although the archaeological excavations of the tomb of "Wah-Ib-Re Meri-Nit" did not provide us with many important archaeological finds or elaborate funerary goods, this tomb is considered unique. kind and important," adding that it provides a new insight into the turbulent period of the beginning of the era of Persian domination of ancient Egypt.

Mujahid added that the results of the ongoing research on the embalming deposit of the owner of the tomb, which was found by the mission during the previous season, we can draw an idea about the life of "Wah-Ib-Re Meri-Nit", his family background and his career.

He pointed out that "Wah-Ib-Re Meri-Nit" most likely died unexpectedly during a time when his tomb and accompanying funerary goods in the other world were still very incomplete.

He noted that the architectural design of the tomb and its contents provide very valuable information about the importance and meaning of the components of the funerary goods and the inscriptions of the tomb accompanying the deceased in the other world.

It is noteworthy that the twenty-sixth dynasty lasted from 663 to 525 BC. M, while the twenty-seventh dynasty continued during the period from 525 BC. AD to 404 BC. M.