Archaeologists unearth tomb shared by ancient Egyptian judge and his scribe father

A joint Egyptian-Spanish archaeological mission recently unearthed two previously unknown funerary chapels within a mastaba-style tomb at the Mariette Cemetery in Saqqara, Egypt. Dating to the Fifth Dynasty (late 25th to mid-24th century BCE), the chapels belong to Yunmin, a high-ranking judge and court director, and his father, Iti, a scribe. Yunmin's chapel features well-preserved reliefs depicting agricultural activities and offerings, some retaining their original colors. Iti's chapel includes a false door and colored wall decorations. This discovery provides new insights into the Saqqara necropolis during the late Fifth Dynasty, illuminating architectural and artistic styles, and the administrative roles of senior state officials. Additionally, the tomb of an ancient royal chamberlain, Sekhentiu-Ptah, was discovered in the Bubasteum necropolis, containing a false door and a complete set of alabaster funerary tools inscribed with his name and titles.