Conny Waters – AncientPages.com –<\/strong>\u00a0 Located 40 km southwest of Cairo, Saqqara is a significant cemetery of Memphis, an essential city in ancient Egyptian history.<\/p>\n The name Saqqara likely originates from Sokar, the god associated with this necropolis. Serving as an open-air museum, Saqqara encapsulates the entirety of ancient Egyptian history. It was the burial site for kings and noblemen from the first two dynasties (circa 3040\u20132686 BC) and houses the Step Pyramid of Djoser (circa 2686\u20132667 BC).<\/p>\n Credit: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities<\/em><\/p>\n Despite extensive excavations over time, much about this intriguing site remains undiscovered. However, ongoing archaeological efforts continue to unveil new insights into its past. The Egyptian-Japanese archaeological mission has uncovered tombs, mastabas, and burials, including structures and artifacts from the 2nd, 3rd, and 18th Dynasties.<\/p>\n Credit: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities<\/em><\/p>\n These findings extend our understanding of Saqqara’s boundaries and illuminate its evolving significance across various periods in Egyptian history. Excavations on Saqqara’s eastern slope have revealed four mastaba tombs from the late 2nd and early 3rd Dynasties, along with more than ten burials from the New Kingdom’s 18th Dynasty.<\/p>\n Credit: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThis new evidence suggests that Saqqara was not only a major burial site during the Old Kingdom but also became significant during the New Kingdom when Memphis was reinstated as Egypt\u2019s capital following the expulsion of the Hyksos,\u201d said Mohamed Ismail Khaled, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA).<\/p>\n The recent findings at the Saqqara necropolis have shed new light on its historical significance, suggesting that the site extends further north than previously thought. Mohamed Abdel-Badie, head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector, emphasized the potential for future discoveries due to many untold secrets still hidden within the site.<\/p>\n Credit: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities<\/em><\/p>\n Detailed descriptions of newly discovered tombs include two mudbrick mastabas and two rock-cut tombs. One notable tomb near the northern edge of Saqqara features a limestone-sealed shaft leading to a burial chamber, while another mastaba near a rocky slope includes a mudbrick superstructure with a central rectangular shaft.<\/p>\n Credit: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities<\/em><\/p>\n Artifacts found near these tombs\u2014such as an alabaster dish, a solid cylindrical vessel from the late 2nd and early 3rd Dynasties, and limestone sealing\u2014offer valuable insights into ancient burial practices and material culture. The excavation is part of a collaborative effort between Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) and Japan\u2019s Kanazawa University, led by Nozomu Kawai.<\/p>\n![\"Archaeologists](\"https:\/\/www.ancientpages.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/saqqaraartifacts8.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n