Nov 14, 2024 08:00:00

Mummy of a priestess discovered in 'a luxurious nested coffin' from ruins of the Egyptian Middle Kingdom

by Jochem Kahl, The Asyut Project.

During the excavation of the ruins in

Asyut , Egypt, carried out from August to September 2024, a female mummy, the daughter of a local governor (Nomarcos) from the Middle Kingdom of Egypt , was discovered. He was buried in two coffins with numerous grave goods.



Bestattung der altägyptischen Dame Idy in Assiut gefunden • Ägyptologie • Fachbereich Geschichts- und Kulturwissenschaften
https://www.geschkult.fu-berlin.de/e/aegyptologie/aktuelles/Grab-der-Idy.html

'Extraordinary' burial of ancient Egyptian governor's daughter discovered in a coffin within another coffin | Live Science
https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/ancient-egyptians/extraordinary-burial-of-ancient-egyptian-governors-daughter-discovered-in-a-coffin-within-another-coffin

'Extraordinary' burial chamber of an ancient Egyptian priestess is discovered after 4,000 years - as archaeologists uncover a coffin WITHIN another coffin | Daily Mail Online
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-14048371/burial-chamber-ancient-Egyptian-priestess-coffin.html

The Free University of Berlin in Germany, in collaboration with Sohag University in Egypt and others, conducted excavations at the necropolis in Asyut from August 18 to September 17, 2024.

The survey involved the tomb of Djefaihapi, who served as the nomarcos of Asyut under Pharaoh Senusret I of the 12th Dynasty of Egypt , who reigned from 1971 to 1926 BC.

The tomb of Jefaihapi was built around 1880 BC and is known for a chamber carved into the rock measuring 11m in height, 28m in depth and 70m in width. A coffin containing the mummy of 'Idi' was discovered.

The photo below shows Idi's coffin, which was found in a side chamber 14 meters deep. Idi's coffin is nested, with a slightly smaller coffin measuring 2.03 meters in length inside a 2.62-meter-long coffin. It was said that it was.

Here's a photo that gives a good view of the coffin.

From a distance, it is difficult to see the nesting structure, but if you look closely, you can see that the smaller coffins are placed inside the larger coffins, fitting snugly against the inside walls. All of these coffins are made of wood and are from the Egyptian It is said that it is made from wood sourced from overseas.

The surface of the coffin is decorated with beautiful writings and drawings, such as the following, which are thought to explain 'the journey of the deceased in the afterlife.' Egyptologist at the Free University of Berlin, Dr

Jochem Karl , who led the excavation, described the find as exceptional both aesthetically and scientifically.

Idi was a priestess who served Hathor , the goddess of love and beauty in Egyptian mythology. Analysis of her mummy revealed that she was born with a congenital defect in one leg, and that she may have died before the age of 40. It is known that the

The jewels and metal objects buried with Idi were probably stolen by raiders thousands of years ago, but grave goods such as a dagger and a wooden statue of a woman were left behind. Containers containing food and organs removed during mummification have also been reported.