A rare 4,000-year-old limestone relief depicting the seasons of the ancient Egyptian calendar is missing from Egypt’s famous Saqqara necropolis. Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities reported the theft in a statement on Sunday.
A British mission has been conducting archaeological work at the Fifth Dynasty tombs at Saqqara, outside Cairo, which date from 2500 to 2350 BC. The tomb belonged to Khenti Ka, a high-ranking official who held the titles of Priest of the Goddess Maat and Supervisor of the Royal Palace.
The missing 16 x 24-inch relief depicts the three ancient Egyptian seasons of Akhet (flood), Peret (growth), and Shemu (harvest). It appeared to have been cut from the tomb wall with a chainsaw, local media reported.
“It is not just a decorative artifact but has deep symbolic meaning in ancient Egyptian beliefs related to life cycles, agriculture and fertility, suggesting that whoever stole it understood its true value and scholarly significance,” said archaeologist Abu Deshish. cbs news.
Since the disappearance of the relief, an archaeological commission has been established to inventory all the contents of the tomb. According to the ministry, “all necessary legal measures have been taken and the entire incident has been handed over to the prosecutor’s office for investigation.”
The mastaba-style tomb complex was originally discovered in the 1950s but was sealed and used as storage space until it was reopened in 2019. Since its reopening, Saqqara has made many noteworthy discoveries, most recently the tomb of an ancient Egyptian prince and the tombs of pharaonic doctors and “magicians.”
The theft comes just a week after an employee at Cairo’s Egyptian Museum stole a 3,000-year-old gold bracelet that once belonged to a pharaoh. It was found to have been melted down and sold for just $4,000.
