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Tomb of Ancient Egyptian Royal Physician From Over 4000 years Ago Discovered In Saqqara
TOMB OF ANCIENT EGYPTIAN ROYAL PHYSICIAN FROM OVER 4000 YEARS AGO DISCOVERED IN SAQQARA
Saqarra, one of the most important necropolises in Memphis, Ancient Egypt's capital, houses the tombs of Egyptian royalty and noblemen. The earliest burials date back approximately 4,300 years, and the site contains burials from the first two dynasties (c.3040-2686 BC). In 2023, archaeologists from the Swiss-French Mission Archéologique Franco-Suisse de Saqqâra (MAFS) discovered several smaller burials near an ancient Egyptian tomb.
Typically, these tombs are simple and frequently looted over time, leaving them empty or unadorned. However, MAFS researchers were surprised to learn that this burial belonged to a doctor named Tetinebefou, who was identified by a stone tablet near the entrance.
Though the tomb had been plundered over time, leaving no human remains or physical artefacts for analysis, researchers were astounded to discover exquisite wall paintings that remained vibrant with colour despite being over 4,000 years old. These paintings, which depicted a variety of containers, colourful abstract images, and geometric patterns, along with hieroglyphic inscriptions on the walls, allowed researchers to determine Tetinebefou's roles in ancient Egyptian culture.
According to Egyptologist and lead researcher Philippe Collombert, Tetinebefou held several unusual titles, one of which was only found in one other ancient Egyptian discovery: "director of medicinal plants" and "chief dentist." He was also known as "a specialist in poisonous bites," according to inscriptions that identified him as the "conjurer of the goddess Serqet," the Egyptian goddess who heals venomous stings and bites. According to Collombert, Tetinebefou's titles indicate that he held the highest positions in his field. "He was undoubtedly the main physician at the royal court, so he would have treated the pharaoh himself," Collombert claims.
It is unclear which pharaoh Tetinebefou served, but Collombert speculates that he may have worked for Pepi II, a pharaoh of Egypt's Old Kingdom and Sixth Dynasty. Pepi II's reign is thought to have lasted between 60 and 94 years, from approximately 2246 to 2152 BCE, beginning when he was reportedly only six years old. During this long reign, the government weakened due to both internal and external problems. Pepi II, like his physician, was buried in Saqqara, but in a pyramid—the last full pyramid complex built in ancient Egypt.
