Saqqara Tomb of Old Kingdom Official Sekhentio‑Ptah Reveals Ancient Royal Scribe’s Duties

Archaeologists in Egypt have uncovered an ancient tomb belonging to the “keeper of the secrets of royal decrees” during an excavation at Saqqara.

The richly decorated burial belongs to the Old Kingdom official Sekhentio‑Ptah, who lived roughly between 2649 and 2150 BC—a period best known for the construction of the Giza pyramids.

While the title “keeper of the secrets of royal decrees” may sound mysterious, experts say it likely described a bureaucratic role. “It probably merely means that as someone in charge of royal documents and the people who write them, he has access to confidential information,” explained Ann Macy Roth, a clinical professor of Egyptology at New York University, in comments to Live Science. “It’s a common title among royal scribes,” she added.

According to the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the tomb also records Sekhentio‑Ptah’s additional titles: “Overseer of all the King’s Works” and “Overseer of Royal Documents.”

Inside the burial chamber archaeologists identified an offering table, a purification basin, and two false doors—symbolic openings that allowed the soul to move in and out of the tomb. The false‑door design places the tomb’s construction in the late Fifth or early Sixth Dynasty, roughly 4,350 years ago, according to Roth.

The assemblage also included more than 100 shabtis (or ushabtis), figurines intended to serve the deceased in the afterlife, a wooden falcon statue possibly linked to the god Horus, and fragments of cartonnage used on mummies. The mummy of Sekhentio‑Ptah himself was not recovered.

Analysis of the artifacts and photographs suggests the tomb was later reused, a practice common in ancient Egypt. The shabtis and cartonnage likely belong to subsequent burials within the same chamber.

The tomb was located in Saqqara’s Bubasteion area, a necropolis later associated with cat burials linked to the goddess Bastet. However, no cat interments were recorded in this particular discovery.

Live Science reached out to the excavation team but did not receive a response before publication.

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