CAIRO, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Egypt on Saturday announced the discovery of a tomb dating back over 4,000 years to the Old Kingdom (2686-2181 BC) at the Bubasteion Necropolis in Saqqara, Giza Province, west of Cairo.
The tomb, uncovered by an Egyptian archaeological mission, belonged to a high-ranking official named Sekhentyu-Ptah, the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said in a statement.
Hieroglyphic inscriptions on the false door and funerary objects list his titles, including Royal Chamberlain, Overseer of All the King's Works, Keeper of the Secrets of Royal Commands, Priest of the goddess Maat, and Overseer of the Scribes, indicating that he held a prominent administrative position, the statement said.
In front of the false door, archaeologists found a complete set of alabaster funerary objects, including an offering table, a purification basin and a jug.
In ancient Egypt, false doors, resembling real doorways with recessed panels and a central niche but not open, were symbolic portals between the worlds of the living and the dead. They featured the deceased's name and official titles.
Mohamed Abdel-Badie, head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector, said that the complete set in its original position provides important information about funerary rituals during the Old Kingdom.
The mission also uncovered an interconnected network of burial shafts containing numerous human burials, painted funerary cartonnage, and more than 100 faience ushabti figurines.
Three sealed stone coffins were also found in their original condition, along with a wooden falcon-shaped statue and various pottery vessels, the statement said. ■