IttiHaas Chronicle
archaeology

Intact 18th-Dynasty 'Master of the Royal Scribes for the Red Sea Maritime-Logistics' Tomb Unveiled in Saqqara Featuring Rare Charts of the Sinai Coastline

📅 April 11, 2026 📰 Egypt Independent
Intact 18th-Dynasty 'Master of the Royal Scribes for the Red Sea Maritime-Logistics' Tomb Unveiled in Saqqara Featuring Rare Charts of the Sinai Coastline

Egyptian authorities have announced the discovery of a pristine 18th-Dynasty tomb at the Saqqara Necropolis belonging to a high-ranking official named Amenhotep-Sa-Iny. The title inscribed on the false door identifies him as the "Master of the Royal Scribes for the Red Sea Maritime-Logistics," a role previously undocumented in such detail. The tomb contains remarkably well-preserved reliefs depicting the complex coordination of maritime expeditions to the Land of Punt.

The most significant find within the burial chamber is a series of painted papyrus charts found inside a sealed copper tube. These documents represent some of the earliest known nautical maps of the Sinai coastline, marking specific turquoise-mining outposts and freshwater wells. Minister of Tourism and Antiquities stated that the discovery provides a "masterclass in New Kingdom administrative science," illustrating how the pharaohs managed long-distance trade routes through a dedicated bureaucratic class.

Original source: Egypt Independent