A joint Egyptian-French mission in the Wadi el-Hudi region has announced the discovery of an unlooted tomb belonging to a Royal Gemstone Prospector from the Middle Kingdom. The burial site, located near ancient amethyst and beryl mines, contains a rare assemblage of mining tools and a leather satchel containing rough beryl stones intended for the Pharaoh's workshop in Thebes.
The tomb features vivid hieroglyphic inscriptions detailing the prospector's hazardous journeys into the desert and his successful discovery of new mineral veins. This find is significant as it provides physical evidence of the logistical scale of state-sponsored mining expeditions under the 12th Dynasty and the specific social status held by those who secured the Empire's luxury materials.