Preliminary report on archaeological work in the tomb Djehutyemhat at Abusir in spring 2023
Preliminary report on archaeological work in the tomb Djehutyemhat at Abusir in spring 2023

Summary/Abstract: In the spring season of 2023, another structure was excavated in the group of large shaft tombs situated in the western part of the Abusir necropolis and dating to late 26th or early 27th Dynasty. This tomb, lying about 30 meters from the sepulchre of Menekhibnekau, is of a middle size, with a burial chamber situated at a depth of 14 m. The burial chamber was accessible through a small shaft adjoining the northern side of the structure. Surprisingly, almost half of the depth of this shaft was found blocked with larger and smaller limestone blocks (some of them covered with reliefs) coming from the superstructure of the nearby tomb of Menekhibnekau. The chamber was almost completely filled with a white limestone sarcophagus. Its outer sides, as well as the sides of the chamber, were covered with a set of religious texts cut in relief. Inside the sarcophagus, orientated with its head to the north, a large figure of the goddess of the West was depicted. The tomb belonged to the “royal scribe” and “royal acquaintance” Djehutyemhat, whose parents were named Harsiese and mistress of the house Tashek (with another name Waheret). According to the anthropological examination, Djehutyemhat died at an age of about 25 years and was related to Iufaa and Menekhibnekau, the owners of much larger tombs situated nearby. The tomb, found without remains of any superstructure, was robbed already in antiquity.

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