28 August 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

An Egyptian Tomb Decorated with Magic Snake Spells Discovered

During excavations at Abusir, between Giza and Saqqara, archaeologists at the Czech Institute of Egyptology (CIE) found an ancient tomb with magic spells that protect the tomb’s occupant against snake bites. The tomb is dated to the  1st millennium BC.

The tomb was uncovered during excavations conducted in April and May, the Czech Institute of Egyptology (CIE) at Charles University in Prague, which led the investigations, announced Friday.

The archaeological site of Abusir is known for its extensive necropolis and pyramid complexes that date back to the Old Kingdom period (2686-2181 BC).

The newly discovered tomb is located in a western section of Abusir that served as a cemetery for high-ranking officials and military commanders from ancient Egypt’s 26th and 27th dynasties.

“It is a richly decorated shaft tomb of medium size, whose owner, a certain Džehutiemhat, held the office of the royal scribe,” explains Ladislav Bareš, who has been coordinating the research of Abusir shaft tombs for a long time.

Analysis of bones recovered from the tomb has determined that Djehutyemhat died at a relatively early age of about 25 years, showing signs of some kind of “occupational disease” (spinal wear), possibly due to sedentary work. He suffered from acute osteoporosis.

A tomb that is approximately 3000 years old. Photo: FF.Cuni.cz.
A tomb that is approximately 3000 years old. Photo: FF.Cuni.cz.

The tomb is a medium-sized shaft tomb adorned with an array of inscriptions, artwork, and texts. Notably, its northern wall features a series of spells designed to safeguard against snake bites. During this era, venomous snakes were a constant threat, and these spells were crucial for protection. Interestingly, the spells also depict snakes as powerful guardians of the deceased and their mummy.

“The snakes mentioned in these magical texts were a potential danger and could serve as powerful protectors of the deceased and his mummy,” the scientists noted.

Renata Landgrafova, director of the Czech Institute of Egyptology and an expert on ancient Egyptian language and texts, noted that the southern and western walls of the tomb were painted with drawings of sacrificial rituals and a long list of victims.

Image of deities on the walls of the tomb. Photo: FF.Cuni.cz.
Image of deities on the walls of the tomb. Photo: FF.Cuni.cz.

The southern and western walls of the burial chamber, hidden almost 50 meters below ground level, are decorated with ritual offerings, and the ceiling displays intricate depictions of the sun’s journey across the sky, accompanied by hymns to the celestial body.

A large stone sarcophagus, adorned with hieroglyphic inscriptions and depictions of gods, sits at the center of the burial chamber. Some of these inscriptions are excerpts from the Book of the Dead, a collection of ancient Egyptian funerary texts known for their spells and magical formulas.

The upper side of the sarcophagus lid is decorated with three columns of hieroglyphic text with the liturgy of the 178th chapter of the Book of the Dead, which consists of excerpts from much older texts of the pyramids. These texts were thought to guide and protect the deceased in the afterlife.

Image of deities on the walls of the tomb. Photo: FF.Cuni.cz.
Image of deities on the walls of the tomb. Photo: FF.Cuni.cz.

The sarcophagus also features images of goddesses Isis and Nephthys, along with accompanying texts providing protection to the deceased. The presence of Imentet, the goddess of the West, adds a symbolic layer of meaning to the tomb.

The tomb’s magical texts and inscriptions served a profound purpose. They were intended to ensure a smooth and secure journey into the afterlife for the dignitary, Djehutyemhat. This discovery not only sheds light on the individual and their role in this turbulent period but also on the fascinating beliefs and rituals of ancient Egyptians during the 6th to 5th centuries B.C.

CZECH INSTITUTE OF EGYPTOLOGY FF UK

Cover Photo: CZECH INSTITUTE OF EGYPTOLOGY FF UK

Related Articles

Lost sketches by Leonardo Da Vinci show that he understood gravity long before Newton

19 February 2023

19 February 2023

Leonardo da Vinci’s centuries-old sketches show that he may have understood key aspects of gravity long before Galileo, Newton, and...

8,000-year-old Musical Instrument found in northwest Turkey

4 July 2021

4 July 2021

Archaeologists in northwestern Turkey’s Bilecik on Tuesday discovered a musical instrument that dates back to an estimated 8,000 years. During...

Advanced imaging techniques reveal secrets of sealed ancient Egyptian animal coffins

21 April 2023

21 April 2023

Researchers from the British Museum have gained valuable insight into the contents of six sealed ancient Egyptian animal coffins using...

First Trilobite Fossil Amulet from Roman Early Empire (1st–3rd Century CE) Found in Spain

22 July 2025

22 July 2025

In a discovery that may reshape our understanding of how ancient Romans perceived the natural world, archaeologists have uncovered a...

In western Turkey, inscriptions and 2,500-year-old sculptures were found

11 July 2021

11 July 2021

Two 2,500-year-old marble statues and an inscription have been found during excavations at the ancient city of Euromos, in Turkey’s...

Sensational find in Ephesus: more than 1,400-year-old district discovered

29 October 2022

29 October 2022

During this year’s excavations at Ephesus in Turkey, archaeologists from the Austrian Academy of Sciences (AW) discovered an incredibly well-preserved...

A 4000-Year-Old Seal Found in the prehistoric coastal site of Kalba on the Gulf of Oman

5 April 2024

5 April 2024

Archaeologists discovered a Gulf-type seal made of soft stone dating to the end of the third millennium BC at Kalba,...

3 mummified skeletons were found in Iznik, western Turkey

8 October 2021

8 October 2021

Archaeologists discovered mummified skeletons dating from the 2nd century A.D. within two sarcophagi at the Hisardere Necropolis in Bursa’s Iznik...

The mythical hero of Troy and Rome Aeneas’s peerless mosaic discovered in Türkiye

11 May 2023

11 May 2023

A large mosaic depicting the legendary Trojan hero Aeneas, the protagonist of Virgil’s epic poem “The Aeneid” and the ancestor...

Archaeologists found gold coins from the time of Justinian the Great in Northern Bulgaria

3 September 2024

3 September 2024

Archaeologists have discovered five gold coins dating from the reign of Justinian the Great (483-565) in Debnevo, the largest village...

Polish archaeologists discover papyruses containing a list of Roman centurions at Berenike

23 May 2024

23 May 2024

Papyruses with lists of Roman centurions stationed in Egypt were found by Polish archaeologists in Berenike. These unique documents were...

Archaeologists have discovered the origins a Herefordshire Stone Age monument

22 August 2021

22 August 2021

Archaeologists have finally uncovered the mysterious origins of Arthur’s Stone, named after the mysterious legends of King Arthur, who inspired...

3500-year-old ceramic oven discovered in Turkey’s Tepecik Mound

24 August 2021

24 August 2021

A 3,500-year-old ceramic oven was unearthed in Tepecik Mound in the Çine district of Aydın, in western Turkey. Tepecik Höyük,...

9th-Century Slave-Built Large-Scale Agricultural System Discovered in Southern Iraq

3 June 2025

3 June 2025

A recent archaeological study has unveiled compelling evidence of a vast agricultural infrastructure in southern Iraq, believed to have been...

Failed Mongol fleet may actually land in Japan after 800 years

18 July 2023

18 July 2023

A  recent shipwreck was found off the coast of Japan this year and identified as part of a Mongol fleet...