A joint mission of Egyptian and European archaeologists has announced the discovery of a private estate belonging to a high-ranking royal scribe from the 12th Dynasty. Located in the fertile Faiyum Basin, the villa features mud-brick walls decorated with vibrant geometric patterns and a unique private library room. Within this room, excavators found a ceramic chest containing five intact papyrus rolls, which appear to be a mix of literary compositions and personal correspondence regarding irrigation projects.
The villa's layout includes a central courtyard with a small lily pond and a specialized workshop for preparing reed pens and ink. Analysis of the inkwells found on-site revealed traces of high-quality soot and gum arabic, indicating the scribe's proximity to the royal court. This discovery provides an unprecedented look at the domestic life and intellectual pursuits of the bureaucratic elite during Egypt’s Middle Kingdom.