1,700-Year-Old Tomb with Greek Elegy Unearthed in Egypt's Dakhla Oasis
At the Bir al-Shaghala necropolis in Dakhla Oasis, archaeologists from Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities have unearthed a mud-brick tomb containing a 19-line ancient Greek elegy and exceptional funerary art. This tomb, dating back to the late third or early fourth century C.E., was the final resting place of Pisechtes and his spouse. The elegy, carved on a stela, expresses grief for Pisechtes and includes a poignant address from his son Sarapion: 'Listen, father!' Classicist Angelos Chaniotis emphasizes the poem's literary merit. The tomb also showcases hieroglyphic inscriptions, a winged sun disc, and a distinctive scene from the Amduat, along with grave goods such as a sandstone offering table and a bronze coin from Roman emperor Constantine. Excavations conducted since 2002 have underscored the cultural diversity of the area.
Key facts
- Archaeologists discovered a 1,700-year-old mud-brick tomb at the Bir al-Shaghala necropolis in Egypt's Dakhla Oasis.
- The tomb belonged to Pisechtes (or Psychtis), possibly a judge, and his wife, and dates to the late third or early fourth century C.E.
- A 19-line ancient Greek elegy on a stela mourns Pisechtes, with his son Sarapion saying, 'Listen, father!'
- The tomb entrance, at the bottom of a 14-step staircase, has hieroglyphic inscriptions, a winged sun disc, two cobras, and a reed-bundle carving.
- A scene from the seventh hour of the Amduat above the door is the first of its kind found at Bir al-Shaghala.
- Grave goods include a sandstone offering table, purification basin, pottery, and a bronze coin of Roman emperor Constantine.
- Excavations at the necropolis have been ongoing since 2002.
- The tomb may have been reused, with a later mud-brick chapel and four-columned shrine added.
Entities
Artists
- Pisechtes
- Psychtis
- Sarapion
- Angelos Chaniotis
- Hisham el-Leithy
- Constantine
- Cleopatra
- Colin Hope
- Ra
- Apophis
- Meilan Solly
- Owen Jarus
- Garry Shaw
Institutions
- Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
- Supreme Council of Antiquities
- Institute for Advanced Study
- Live Science
- Royal Collection Trust
- Monash University
- Art Newspaper
- Smithsonian magazine
- Varia
Locations
- Dakhla Oasis
- Egypt
- Western Desert
- Bir al-Shaghala
- Mothis
- New Jersey
- Australia
- Spain
- Sardinia