A joint Egyptian-International mission in Saqqara has revealed the unlooted tomb of an 18th-Dynasty official designated as the "Overseer of Foreign Silks." The burial chamber contains exceptionally preserved rolls of silk and fine linen, along with several papyrus documents detailing trade contracts with maritime merchants from the Indian Ocean region. This discovery pushes back the timeline of organized silk trade in Egypt by several centuries.
The tomb is decorated with vibrant murals depicting large seagoing galleys and the exchange of exotic goods, including spices and gemstones. Archaeologists believe the occupant, a man named Hery-Baal, served as a primary diplomatic link between the New Kingdom pharaohs and distant eastern trading hubs.