A 4,400-year-old royal burial, untouched for millennia, brings fresh insight into Egypt’s Fifth Dynasty—and reveals signs of tomb reuse 2,000 years later
A long-buried royal tomb has just stepped into the modern spotlight, and it’s making waves across the archaeological world. In the heart of Egypt’s Saqqara necropolis, a team of local experts has unearthed the remarkably preserved burial complex of Prince Waserif Re, the son of Egypt’s first Fifth Dynasty pharaoh.
The find, led by prominent Egyptologist Dr. Zahi Hawass, is being hailed as a major win for heritage conservation and historical research. But it’s not just the age or lineage that has everyone talking—it’s what was inside, and what happened to the tomb long after Waserif Re was gone.
A Prince’s Name Resurfaces After 4,400 Years
The focal point of the discovery? A towering pink granite false door, nearly 15 feet tall, etched with Prince Waserif Re’s name and royal titles.
The inscription confirms him as “heir prince,” solidifying his direct link to Pharaoh Userkaf, who ruled around 2465 B.C. This isn’t just about old rocks with old names. It’s about a clear, material bridge to a man who lived and breathed thousands of years ago—who, until now, had been little more than a footnote in history.
In front of the door, a red granite offering table lists rituals performed for the deceased prince—evidence of funerary customs, societal roles, and perhaps even religious shifts in ancient Egypt.
Clues from the Tomb’s Eastern Wall: Another Pharaoh Emerges
Another surprise was tucked away in the tomb’s eastern façade.
There, archaeologists spotted a second entrance marked with the cartouche of Neferirkare, a later Fifth Dynasty pharaoh who ruled just a few decades after Waserif Re. His name showing up here isn’t random—it may point to political alliances or a possible restructuring of royal tombs in the area.
The team believes this eastern wall might’ve served as an access point for subsequent modifications or even as part of ritual passages tied to Neferirkare’s reign.
It’s a reminder that royal tombs weren’t just static places of burial—they were evolving, often reused, and sometimes entangled in dynastic politics.
An Unexpected Discovery: Djoser and His Daughters
In a chamber nearby, things got even more interesting.
Researchers found statues believed to belong to Pharaoh Djoser, the famous Third Dynasty ruler credited with building Egypt’s very first pyramid—Saqqara’s own step pyramid. Alongside him? Statues of his queen and ten daughters.
Why were they there? That part is still being debated. But Dr. Hawass offered one possible theory: during the tomb’s reuse in the 26th Dynasty—nearly two millennia after Waserif Re’s death—the sculptures may have been relocated from a nearby chamber in Djoser’s complex.
That’s not common. And it raises more questions than answers.
Just imagine: a family of statues sitting in silence for centuries, then suddenly moved to a new home like forgotten relics packed into someone else’s closet.
A Tomb That Refused to Be Forgotten
Long after the Fifth Dynasty had crumbled, this tomb continued to have a story.
In yet another chamber, researchers stumbled upon a black granite statue dating to the 26th Dynasty—around 525 B.C. That’s 2,000 years after the original burial.
This suggests the tomb was reused during a period when Egypt was seeing foreign influence, internal tension, and the last gasps of its native dynasties. The black granite piece could point to the site being reoccupied by priests or nobles who respected, or perhaps repurposed, its royal past.
Here’s what’s known about the different artifacts so far:
| Artifact Found | Material | Estimated Period | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pink granite false door | Pink granite | Fifth Dynasty (c. 2465 BC) | Entrance to Waserif Re’s burial, named him as heir |
| Red granite offering table | Red granite | Fifth Dynasty | Listed offerings to the deceased |
| Eastern entrance with cartouche | Stone | Fifth Dynasty (Neferirkare) | Possible expansion or reuse by later pharaoh |
| Statues of Djoser’s family | Limestone | Third Dynasty | Likely moved here from another chamber |
| Black granite statue | Black granite | 26th Dynasty (c. 525 BC) | Evidence of tomb reuse after 2,000 years |
Zahi Hawass Returns with Another Big Find
If the name Zahi Hawass sounds familiar, that’s because it is.
The veteran Egyptologist has been at the center of many major finds—from the Valley of the Golden Mummies to the tombs near the Great Pyramid of Giza. His presence at Saqqara once again signals how serious this discovery really is.
He didn’t hold back during the announcement. Hawass described the tomb as “one of the most complete” from the early Fifth Dynasty and said the evidence of later use makes it all the more important.
“This is not just about one prince,” he said. “It’s about how Egyptians across time—dynasties apart—interacted with their past.”
Why Saqqara Still Surprises Us
You’d think by now Saqqara would have given up all its secrets.
It’s home to some of Egypt’s oldest and most famous monuments, including Djoser’s step pyramid and the sprawling catacombs below it. And yet, Saqqara keeps surprising researchers.
Recent digs have revealed mummified animals, sealed wooden coffins, and now, a royal tomb that was both preserved and recycled over two millennia.
So why does Saqqara matter so much? Because it was never just a burial ground. It was a religious hub, a social crossroads, and now, an archaeological jackpot.
