IttiHaas Chronicle
archaeology

Intact 18th-Dynasty 'Director of the Royal Scribes for Desert-Mine Logistics' Tomb Uncovered in Saqqara with Rare Malachite-Inlaid Ink-Wells

📅 April 10, 2026 📰 Cairo Heritage Times
Intact 18th-Dynasty 'Director of the Royal Scribes for Desert-Mine Logistics' Tomb Uncovered in Saqqara with Rare Malachite-Inlaid Ink-Wells

A mission led by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has unveiled the pristine tomb of a high-ranking official named Amenhotep-Ra, who served as the 'Director of the Royal Scribes for Desert-Mine Logistics' during the reign of Thutmose III. The burial chamber features vibrant wall paintings illustrating the complex supply chains required to transport turquoise and copper from the Sinai Peninsula to the capital at Memphis.

Among the funerary offerings, researchers discovered a set of rare malachite-inlaid ink-wells and a portable drafting kit. These artifacts highlight the administrative sophistication of the New Kingdom, demonstrating how specialized scribes managed labor rotations and security details for hazardous mining expeditions in the Eastern Desert.

Original source: Cairo Heritage Times