Archaeologists have uncovered a 4,000-year-old tomb at Saqqara belonging to Sakhnetio–Btah, an influential Old Kingdom official described in hieroglyphs as the “keeper of the king’s secrets”.
The burial was found in the Bubasteion Necropolis, one of Egypt’s most important archaeological sites. Its inscriptions indicate that Sakhnetio–Btah held a senior position within the administration and had privileged access to the pharaoh’s inner circle.
Despite the evocative title, experts believe the role involved handling confidential royal documents and decrees rather than guarding hidden treasures or religious mysteries.
He is also identified as a royal chamberlain, a priest of the goddess Maat and supervisor of the royal library. Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said the inscriptions helped establish his name and the range of titles reflecting his high status in the ancient state.
False door offered a symbolic route to the afterlife
The tomb contains the remains of a funerary chapel and a false door. The symbolic niche was believed by ancient Egyptians to form a magical threshold between the world of the living and the realm of the dead.
Alongside it, archaeologists found a complete collection of funerary objects, including an offering table, an offering slab and a purification basin.
Because the items were found where they had originally been placed, researchers say the discovery offers a rare insight into burial practices during the Old Kingdom.
An interconnected network of burial shafts was also uncovered around the tomb. The shafts contained numerous human burials, large quantities of painted funerary cartonnage and more than 100 ushabti figurines, which were intended to serve the dead in the afterlife.
Three stone sarcophagi were found sealed and intact in their original positions. Other discoveries included a wooden falcon statue, pottery vessels and a range of additional artefacts.
Preliminary examinations suggest that parts of the burial complex were looted in ancient times. However, many of the surviving objects remain in remarkably good condition.
Researchers hope the finds will help clarify how the site was reused during different periods of Egyptian history, with excavation work continuing at the necropolis.
Saqqara is home to the Step Pyramid of Djoser, Egypt’s oldest pyramid, built around 4,700 years ago. The wider site contains thousands of tombs belonging to pharaohs, nobles, priests and high-ranking officials from several dynasties.
Recent discoveries there have included sealed coffins, animal cemeteries, mummification workshops and richly decorated burial shafts filled with statues and other artefacts, shedding light on everyday religious life in ancient Egypt.
