Ancient Egypt is an ancient civilization located in the northeastern region of Africa, primarily along the lower reaches of the Nile River.
The entire fertile Nile Delta is regarded as the cradle of ancient Egyptian civilization. This civilization lasted for thousands of years. Among its notable periods, the reign of the great pharaohs, such as Pharaoh Djoser, Khufu, Akhenaten, Tutankhamun, and Ramses II, stands out for its remarkable achievements.
In fact, by the end of the 19th century, many tombs of these great pharaohs scattered throughout the Valley of the Kings had been discovered and excavated, or plundered by tomb raiders. However, even today, intact tombs continue to be found and excavated.
For instance, in 2020, archaeologists made a new discovery at Dahshur, a royal burial ground located in the desert on the west bank of the Nile River, about 40km from Cairo.
Specifically, experts found numerous artifacts and cultural relics inside a coffin believed to belong to a king, as the coffin was located within a pyramid. According to ancient Egyptian customs, only kings, or pharaohs, were buried inside pyramids.
The exterior of the coffin found inside the tomb. (Photo: Smithsonian).
Dr. Yasmin El Shazly, an Egyptologist and head of a team of archaeologists, collaborated with colleagues to piece together the wooden fragments discovered in the burial chamber. Ultimately, they reconstructed a coffin lid with intricately carved features.
Dr. Yasmin El Shazly is the leader of the research team that discovered the pyramid containing the mummified remains of a mysterious woman. (Photo: Smithsonian).
Dr. Yasmin El Shazly stated, “Coffins often exhibit characteristics that resemble their owners. However, they are idealized, as they represent what is meant to last forever.“
Initially, researchers set to work believing that the owner of the coffin inside the pyramid was a king. However, as restoration and research progressed, this assumption was quickly proven to be incorrect.
“The restoration revealed something astonishing. This is not a king. In fact, it is a mysterious woman.“, Ms. Shazly added.
Women in ancient Egypt often wore Hathor wigs. (Photo: Smithsonian).
This expert explained that the lid of the coffin indicated a wearer of a Hathor wig, a popular accessory for women during the Middle Kingdom period.
Hathor is an ancient Egyptian goddess. With various roles, from life to death, Hathor is regarded as a significant deity in ancient Egyptian religion. She is depicted as always having a solar disk and a pair of cow horns on her head. Hathor is the goddess of love, beauty, women, the sky, joy, the arts, mining, and sexuality.
Who is the mysterious woman found in the tomb meant for the king of Egypt?
Archaeologists found a chest with many hieroglyphs in the tomb. (Photo: Smithsonian).
The mummified remains of this mysterious woman were found next to a chest covered with many hieroglyphs. Therefore, researchers hope it will help them decipher and identify her.
However, the area where her name was inscribed was severely damaged, which is indeed unfortunate.
Egyptologists have deciphered the remaining hieroglyphs and explained that “The extremely important aspect of this chest is that we know it belonged to a princess. Because it is inscribed with ‘daughter of the king.’“
Although they have identified the owner of the tomb as a princess, her name remains a mystery. Particularly, the reason why this princess was buried in a pyramid remains unexplained.
The hieroglyphs in the tomb reveal that its owner was a princess of ancient Egypt. (Photo: Smithsonian)
Professor Aidan Dodson from the University of Bristol stated, “This type of pyramid design is reserved for a king. This is not a place for a lower-ranking royal. A princess would typically only have a small tomb.“
It is this distinction that makes the burial of a princess within a pyramid truly mysterious.
To learn more about this princess, the research team shifted their focus to the period in which she lived, the Middle Kingdom (around 2030 BC – 1650 BC). However, to this day, the identity of the ancient Egyptian princess specially buried in a pyramid remains a mystery yet to be solved.
