New Tombs Uncovered at Saqqara Rewrite the Old Kingdom Timeline
A joint mission has opened four intact burial shafts south of the Step Pyramid, including a painted tomb belonging to a Fifth Dynasty priest.
By Layla Mansour, Archaeology Correspondent5 Aug 2026 6 min read 32.0k views
Archaeologists working south of the Step Pyramid have announced four intact shafts, one containing wall paintings in an unusually complete state of preservation.
The painted chamber belongs to a priest attached to the pyramid complex of Unas, and its offering scenes retain original pigment across nearly the whole eastern wall.
Why it matters
Saqqara keeps producing sealed contexts — burials undisturbed since antiquity — which allow dating with a precision the looted royal sites cannot offer.
