A tomb of a royal sorcerer, dating back around 4,000 years, has been discovered in Saqqara, located 40 km south of Cairo.
A team of archaeologists has been conducting excavations in this area of Saqqara, which is home to the world’s oldest stepped pyramid of Djoser, as well as a necropolis of high-ranking officials and members of the early pharaonic dynasties, since 2022.
Burial chambers, known as mastabas, were used for the burial of particularly important individuals. Although the tomb of Teti Neb Fu has been well-preserved, it had been looted long ago—no personal belongings or internal artifacts typically placed with the deceased, nor bones, have survived.
Thanks to inscriptions and intricate carvings on the tomb's walls, researchers were able to identify the tomb's owner and trace certain milestones of his life. Teti Neb Fu, a royal physician, dentist, priest, and magician of the goddess Serqet, as well as a specialist in medicinal plants, lived during the reign of the Sixth Dynasty of Ancient Egypt under Pharaoh Pepi II.
He was both a healer and a magician, combining medical knowledge with spiritual practices to treat the ailments of the royal family. The sorcerer was skilled in treating venomous bites from snakes and scorpions. By the way, the goddess of protection, healing, and magic, Serqet, who was often depicted with a scorpion on her crown, was believed to be able to help heal the deadly bites from these creatures.
According to the Secretary-General of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, Mohamed Ismail Khaled, this discovery answers many questions regarding the beliefs of the ancient Egyptians. The close intertwining of magical, religious, and medical knowledge seems to have been the norm in Ancient Egypt.
The walls of the exquisite tomb are adorned with drawings depicting scenes of healing rituals, and hieroglyphs describe the course of these activities. "The tomb is decorated with stunning carvings and vibrant artworks, including a beautifully painted false door and scenes of funerary offerings," said a statement from the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities of Egypt.
According to the archaeologists, the discovery of the tomb of Teti Neb Fu, which provides insights into the life of a healer and magician at the court of the pharaoh, offers a deeper understanding of early Egypt. Previously, researchers had found the tombs of the wives and high-ranking officials of Pharaoh Pepi I, but this is the most intriguing find to date, they note.
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