Archaeologists found in an Egyptian tomb a door between the world of the living and the world of the dead
In excavations at the Saqqara necropolis in Egypt, archaeologists uncovered a 4,350-year-old tomb of a senior official named Sekhentiu-Ptah, featuring a "false door" made of stone that served as a symbolic passage between the world of the dead and the world of the living. Alongside the door, alabaster ritual vessels were found in their original positions, burial shafts with three sealed stone coffins, and over 100 ushabti figurines intended to serve as servants in the afterlife. Researchers note that the tomb was used for additional burials in later periods.
In archaeological excavations at the Saqqara necropolis in Egypt, researchers uncovered a 4,350-year-old tomb of a senior official named Sekhentiu-Ptah. The highlight of the discovery is a "false door" made of stone — a well-known component in ancient Egyptian burial, which served as a symbolic passage between the world of the dead and the world of the living. The Egyptians believed that the spirit of the deceased could exit through it from the tomb, reach the chapel, and receive offerings left by the living. Hieroglyphic inscriptions at the site reveal that Sekhentiu-Ptah held many titles: royal courtier, overseer of the king's works, keeper of royal documents, overseer of scribes, and priest of Maat (the goddess of truth, justice, and order). Another mysterious title is "keeper of the secrets of the royal decrees" — Egyptologists explain that this likely refers to a senior official with access to classified documents. Directly opposite the false door, a set of alabaster ritual vessels was found in their original positions, including an offering table and a purification basin. The excavation also revealed connected burial shafts with human remains, three sealed stone coffins, pottery, a wooden falcon figurine, and over 100 faience ushabti figurines — which the Egyptians believed would become the deceased's servants in the afterlife. The researchers warn that the tomb was likely used for additional burials in later periods, some shafts were breached and looted in antiquity, and the mummy of the tomb owner has not yet been positively identified. The discovery was made in the Bubasteion area of Saqqara — a vast cemetery containing pyramids, tombs of senior officials, and millions of mummified animals, which continues to yield discoveries even after more than a century of excavation.