4,400-year-old pink door found in Egypt that cannot be opened: details
Kyiv • UNN
In the Saqqara necropolis, the tomb of Prince Waset-If-Re was discovered with a pink door that cannot be opened. Archaeologists found statues and chairs belonging to the prince, as well as a second entrance with the cartouche of King Neferirkare.
In Egypt, in the Saqqara necropolis, archaeologists have discovered the tomb of Prince Woser-If-Re. The entrance door of the tomb turned out to be pink and remains locked; it has not yet been possible to open it. This is reported by ECONews, according to UNN.
Details
It is noted that the tomb belongs to the son of King Userkaf, who founded the Fifth Dynasty of Egypt and lived about 4400 years ago.
These are unusual doors leading nowhere, the first in terms of material and size, found in ancient Egypt
As it turned out, these were false doors made of pink granite, almost one meter wide, covered with hieroglyphic engravings bearing numerous titles of Prince Woser-If-Re, such as "hereditary prince," "royal scribe," "vizier," "judge," "governor of Buto and Nekheb," and "singing priest."
Ancient Egyptians believed that false doors were entrances to the spirit realm, through which the soul could pass between the world of the living and the afterlife.
The door cannot be opened because it was never meant to be, but was merely a symbolic entrance for the soul. This architectural feature reflects the advanced religious concepts of the ancient Egyptians, who tended to view death as a transition rather than an end, and considered it necessary to have a spiritual access point for the deceased to communicate with the world of the living.
In the tomb, archaeologists discovered 13 high-backed chairs and statues made of pink granite, which, according to scientists, depict the prince's wives. Two of these statues are missing their heads.
Also found was a fallen black granite statue over one meter long and a red granite table about a meter in diameter, on which inscriptions describing ritual sacrifices were carved.
Researchers note that the tomb had a second entrance made of pink granite with the cartouche of King Neferirkare, indicating its importance throughout various dynasties.
In addition, during the excavations, statues of King Djoser, his wife, and ten daughters were found, which likely once stood in a chamber next to the pyramid. This indicates complex burial practices that involved the movement of royal objects over time.
Recall
A cow bone whistle over 3300 years old was found among the remains of the ancient Egyptian capital of Akhetaten. This unique artifact was likely used by a "policeman" to guard the royal tomb.