Tomb Of Ken-Amun, Royal Scribe, Unearthed In Egypt

Tomb Of Ken-Amun, Royal Scribe, Unearthed In Egypt

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Analysis by Rossella Lorenzi Apr 14, 2010
The elaborate burial tomb of an ancient royal scribe has been unearthed near Ismailia, 75 miles (120 kilometers) east of Cairo.

Dating to the 19th Dynasty B.C (1315-1201 BC), the burial is the first ever Ramesside-period tomb uncovered in Lower Egypt, Dr. Zahi Hawass, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said on Wednesday.

Built of mud bricks, the tomb consists of a rectangular room with a domed ceiling made of stone, and a deep square-shaped shaft. Inside the tomb, Egyptian archaeologists found a large limestone sarcophagus covered with inscriptions.

“It belonged to Ken Amun. He was the overseer of the royal records during the 19th Dynasty,” Dr. Mohamed Abdel Maqsud, the supervisor of the Department of Antiquities of Lower Egypt, said in a statement.

Indeed, the tomb’s walls were inscribed with the titles of the deceased and the names of his wife, Isis. The inscriptions revealed she was a singer of the god Atum.









Beautifully decorated, the tomb features scenes from the Book of the Dead, culminating with the famous vignettes from Chapter 125, which depict the critical judgment ceremony.

Called "Weighing of the Heart," this symbolic judgment involved weighing and comparing the deceased’s heart to a feather of Maat, goddess of Justice, Truth and Order.

If the heart is lighter than the feather, the deceased is judged worthy the company of the gods. If it fails, the heart is devoured by the crocodile-headed monster Ammit and the deceased is condemned to an existence between worlds.

Other important scenes in the tomb include a depiction of the goddess Hathor in the shape of a cow, as she emerges from the Delta marshes, as well as a scene of the four sons of Horus -- Imsety, Duamutef, Hapi and Qebehsenuef.

These were believed to protect the stomach, liver, intestines and lungs of mummified bodies.








“The scenes and titles in the tomb show that Ken-Amun, who in charge of keeping the royal records, was an important man,” Maqsud said.

According to Dr. Hawass, the finding will help provide information about the history of the Delta and the relationship between this area and the eastern border of Egypt.

While conservation and restoration work will begin at the tomb, excavations will continue at the site. Indeed, 35 other Roman-period tombs have been uncovered nearby.

Picture: Ken Amun's tomb in Tell el-Maskhuta; scenes from the Book of the Dead, Chapter 125; a group of women mourning Ken-Amun. Courtesy Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities


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