A 5,000-year-old queen's tomb has been excavated in Egypt. She could have been the first female pharaoh
Miscellaneous / / October 20, 2023
The burial is literally strewn with luxurious items and hundreds of jugs of dried wine.
New excavations of a tomb at Abydos in Egypt showed, that the queen buried in it could be the first ruler of Ancient Egypt. However, some experts disagree with this conclusion.
We are talking about the grave of Meret-Neit, which was discovered back in 1900. Research into the luxurious tomb is still ongoing. The monumental square complex also includes the burials of 41 courtiers and servants.
Now it turns out that her tomb is literally strewn with rich objects and hundreds of jars with well-preserved grape seeds. Analysis of these wine remains showed that they were approximately 5,000 years old. Such luxurious decoration may indicate the former power of the buried person.
This is also evidenced by various inscriptions inside the tomb. Judging by them, during her lifetime the woman played an important role in the life of the country and held various government positions.
The name Meret-Neith means “beloved of the goddess Neith.” It is believed that she was the wife of Jet, the third king of the first dynasty of ancient Egyptian rulers, and the mother of his heir. Earlier, a rare list of Egyptian rulers was discovered in the tomb of her son in Saqqara. It also contains her name, followed by the title “mother of the king.” It is possible that she ruled as regent when her son, the future pharaoh, was still small.
The very fact that her name was added to the list of kings indicates her importance. No other queen of the early period enjoyed so many royal privileges. Meret-Neith was the first female pharaoh in history.
Jean-Pierre Patznik
Egyptologist from Sorbonne University (France)
Other scientists are not so sure. Women rarely ruled in ancient Egypt, especially so early, they argue. Archaeologists believe that only further study of the tomb complex will help to find out for sure, so they will continue excavations.
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