Archaeologists Discover a 3,200-Year-Old Tomb Possibly Linked to Ramesses III

A 3,200-year-old tomb has been found in northeastern Egypt. Researchewr believe that it may have belonged to a military commander who served during the reign of Ramesses III. Tthe location of the discovery was at the site known as Tell el-Maschuta. It was confirmed by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. The mud-brick tomb consists of a burial chamber along with three adjoining rooms. Among the artifacts found inside, a gold ring bearing the name of Ramesses III and a collection of bronze arrowheads have drawn particular attention. Other objects recovered include an ivory box and pottery vessels with inscriptions.

Artifacts Suggest Reuse of the Tomb

According to the ministry's statement, some of the inscriptions on the pottery refer to Horemheb, a pharaoh who ruled between 1323 and 1295 B.C. Before becoming king, he was known for his military background. It is still not clear why his name appears on the artifacts. One possibility is that burial items from an earlier period were reused. Despite this, the presence of objects linked to Ramesses III has led experts to believe that the tomb was used during his reign, which lasted from around 1184 to 1153 B.C.

Experts Call for More Analysis

Speaking to Live Science, Anthony Spalinger, professor emeritus at the University of Auckland, said that further study of the inscriptions is necessary to have more details about the individual buried there. Egyptologist David Warburton from Northeast Normal University in China also pointed out that without titles in the inscriptions, it is difficult to confirm whether the person was a military commander. Meanwhile, Aidan Dodson, an Egyptology professor at the University of Bristol, suggested that the tomb may have been built during Horemheb's reign and later reused during the time of Ramesses III and the Twenty-second Dynasty.