Khuwy tomb, one of the 10 most important archaeological discoveries in 2019

CAIRO – 7 December 2019: Archaeology Magazine chose Khuwy tomb which was uncovered in Saqqara as one of the most ten important discoveries in the world in 2019.

Khuwy tomb is a unique located in Saqqara area. The tomb belongs to a man named Khuwy who was one of the nobles living in the era of the fifth dynasty in the Old Kingdom.

Khoy tomb was discovered by Egyptian mission headed by Professor Mohamed Megahed.

The mission uncovered this tomb while documenting the collection of pyramids that belong to King Djedkare Isesi who was the eighth and penultimate ruler of the Fifth Dynasty of Egypt in the late 25th century to mid-24th century BC, during the Old Kingdom.

Khuwy's tomb consists of a superstructure with an L-shaped offering room, which was decorated with reliefs. Only the bottom part of this decoration is preserved, as the white limestone blocks of the other parts were re-used in the construction of other buildings.

The design of the north wall and the entrance of the cemetery is simulated from the design of the royal pyramids of the Fifth Dynasty.


This design was first applied inside tombs of individuals, not kings of that period.
That part of the tomb starts with a descending corridor, which leads to a vestibule. An entrance in its southern wall gives access to a decorated antechamber.
Its decoration represents the tomb owner sitting in front of the offering table on the south and north walls. Moreover, an offering list was depicted on the east wall and the palace-façade on the west wall.


Khuwy tomb houses as well another room that contains the remains of a completely destroyed coffin that was made of white limestone. This room was used as a burial chamber.

The Egyptian mission headed by Professor Mohamed Megahed was able to uncover Khuwy’s human remains between the stones, as well as oils and resin remnants used by ancient Egyptians in the embalming.

After discovering the tomb, Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities Khaled Anany perambulated Khoy tomb accompanied by 54 foreign ambassadors and representatives.


Veteran Egyptian actress Yousra visited the tomb with Anany and the foreign ambassadors and expressed her strong admiration with this unique tomb.