A Roman-era pyramid-shaped tomb with a unique stone entrance, scenes from the Amduat, and a funerary elegy written in Ancient Greek has been discovered in Egypt’s Western Desert.

An Egyptian archaeological mission from the Supreme Council of Antiquities, working at the site of Bir al-Shaghala in Dakhla Oasis, New Valley Governorate, has uncovered a mud-brick, pyramid-shaped tomb dating to the Roman period. Built for the burial of a man and his wife, the tomb is distinguished by its unusual architectural design and by rare funerary inscriptions and texts.

Excavations also produced a number of significant finds, including a stone funerary stele bearing an elegy written in Ancient Greek, a sandstone offering table and purification basin, a variety of pottery vessels, and a bronze coin bearing a relief portrait of the Roman emperor Constantine the Great.

According to Mohamed Abdel Badie, Head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector at the Supreme Council of Antiquities, the tomb is approached by a staircase of 14 steps leading to its main entrance. Constructed of sandstone in the Egyptian style, the entrance is decorated with incised hieroglyphic inscriptions containing a series of funerary spells and recitations intended to provide protection.

The stone entrance is a particularly distinctive feature, apparently unique within the Bir al-Shaghala necropolis. It is crowned by an Egyptian cornice decorated with a winged sun disk flanked by two cobras, followed by an architectural element resembling a bundle of reeds.

Most remarkably, the upper lintel bears a rare funerary scene not previously encountered in the tombs of the necropolis: a representation of the seventh hour of the Amduat (What is in the Netherworld), one of ancient Egypt’s major “Books” of the Netherworld. The surrounding decoration includes further texts and scenes associated with the tomb’s owners.

The entrance itself was found sealed by a stone blocking slab decorated with an Osirian figure surrounded by protective spells.

Beyond the entrance lies a transverse mud-brick hall with a vaulted ceiling, part of which has collapsed on its western side. Two mud-brick burial chambers coated with plaster are situated to the right of the hall, with the pyramidal superstructure rising above them.

A 19-line Greek funerary poem

Among the most remarkable discoveries is a rectangular stone funerary stele set into the southern wall of the pyramidal structure. Its upper part forms a pediment containing a sun disk carved in relief.

The stele bears a 19-line funerary elegy written in Ancient Greek in red ink. The poem commemorates a man named Pesikhtis, who, according to preliminary research, may have served as a judge.

The elegy dates to the late 3rd or early 4th century AD and provides important evidence for the flourishing literary and cultural life of the oasis during the Roman period.

Mohamed Ibrahim, Director-General of New Valley Antiquities, added that the mission also discovered a sandstone offering table positioned above a purification basin made of the same material, together with pottery vessels and a bronze coin bearing a relief image of Emperor Constantine.

Archaeological evidence suggests that the tomb may have been reused at a later date. Excavations in its upper section revealed a mud-brick chapel constructed above the main entrance, with a funerary shrine in front of it featuring four square mud-brick columns.

The necropolis of ancient Mothis

Bir al-Shaghala is one of the most important archaeological sites in Dakhla Oasis. It formed one of the cemeteries of Mothis, modern-day Mut, which served as the capital of the oasis during the Ptolemaic and Roman periods. The site’s modern name derives from a local water well known as Bir al-Shaghala.

Excavations by the Supreme Council of Antiquities began at the site in 2002 and, over successive seasons, have revealed numerous tombs displaying a variety of plans and architectural styles.

The tombs of the necropolis demonstrate an architectural tradition combining ancient Egyptian elements with influences that emerged during the Ptolemaic and Roman periods. Egyptian-style features include open courtyards, which in some tombs were replaced by stairways flanked by altars that were probably used for funerary rituals performed in the open air.

Some tombs also feature an upper storey containing a funerary shrine surmounted by a pyramidal structure. Their architectural and artistic characteristics suggest that the necropolis may have been intended for members of the elite of the oasis capital during the Roman period.

Internally, a number of the tombs consist of an antechamber leading to burial chambers, some of which contained stone and pottery coffins. The chambers generally have vaulted ceilings constructed either from sandstone or from mud bricks made with local clay.

The walls and ceilings of several chambers are decorated with funerary scenes and texts derived from the ancient Egyptian Books of the Netherworld, alongside Greek and Roman elements. Together, they reveal the complex blend of beliefs, customs, and traditions that characterized the inhabitants of ancient Mothis, present-day Mut, during the Graeco-Roman period.

Statements

Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy said that the discovery reflects the archaeological and cultural richness of Egypt’s oases and provides further evidence for the succession of cultures that flourished in Egypt over the centuries. He added that the Ministry places particular emphasis on supporting Egyptian archaeological missions, whose discoveries continue to expand our knowledge of Egyptian civilization and its development through different historical periods.

Dr Hisham El-Leithy, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, explained that the importance of the newly discovered tomb lies in its distinctive architectural features, inscriptions, and funerary texts, which provide valuable information about funerary practices and the cultural and religious life of Dakhla Oasis during the Roman period.