Tomb of Prince Woser-ib-Ra Discovered in Saqqara
Statues, granite relics, and a monumental false door emerge from a newly found royal tomb near Djoser’s Step Pyramid.
A groundbreaking discovery in Saqqara is shaking up Egyptology. A joint Egyptian team, led by Dr. Zahi Hawass and the Supreme Council of Antiquities, has uncovered the tomb of Prince Woser-ib-Ra, son of King Userkaf, founder of the Fifth Dynasty.
Inside the burial site, archaeologists found a monumental pink granite false door—the largest of its kind ever uncovered—standing at 4.5 meters tall and engraved with the prince’s titles, including vizier, judge, and royal scribe.
A statue of King Djoser with his wife and ten daughters was found relocated inside the tomb, originally believed to have been placed near Djoser’s Step Pyramid. Experts believe the statues were moved during the Late Period, adding a mysterious layer of historical reuse to the site.
Other artifacts include a red granite offering table etched with ritual lists, a large black granite statue of a man from the 26th Dynasty, and a second pink granite entrance inscribed with the cartouche of King Neferirkare. Nearby, a set of 13 seated pink granite statues was unearthed—believed to represent family members, including wives of the tomb’s owner, some headless, others elevated in hierarchy.
With its mix of Old Kingdom heritage and Late Period layers, the tomb paints a complex portrait of royal life, ritual, and remembrance—and shows us that Egypt’s echoes are still being heard today.
