When you purchase through links on our web site , we may earn an affiliate commission . Here ’s how it works .
Ancient Eyes
paint eyes decorate the cedar tree casket of Sattjeni , an important figure in the 12th Dynasty ( 1950 - 1775 B.C. ) Egyptian townspeople of Elephantine . Sattjeni was the 2nd daughter of Sarenput II , the governor of Elephantine . Sarenput II had no survive male successor , so the line passed to Sattjeni and her older sister Gaut - Anuket . Gaut - Anuket conjoin a local official name Heqaib , who subsequently became Elephantine ’s governor ; soon after , presumably after Gaut - Anuket ’s death , Sattjeni married Heqaib . Two of her sons would go on to become governor ( Heqaib III and Ameny - Seneb ) .
Sattjeni’s coffin
hieroglyphic paint on the casket of Sattjeni . This ancient Egyptian materfamilias was mummified , wrapped in linen paper and placed in two cedar tree casket made from Natalie Wood spell from Lebanon . The outer coffin had decay significantly when archaeologists opened Sattjeni ’s tomb this class , but the inner casket was in nearly - perfect condition . The reason why is unknown , say digging leader Alejandro Jiménez - Serrano , an Egyptologist at Universidad de Jaén in Spain , but it ’s potential the inner coffin was treat with some sort of preservation gist that archeologist have yet to detect . [ understand full tarradiddle on Sattjeni ’s grave ]
Uncovering a coffin
The coffin of Sattjeni in her tomb . Sattjeni was laid to remain in the burial site at Qubbet el - Hawa , across the Nile River from Aswan . At least 100 grave are in this necropolis , say Jiménez - Serrano , and about 80 of those have been amply excavate . The burying ground was used to bury non - imperial official of the nearby township of Elephantine , some of whom have luxuriant and write in code grave that reveal their family relationships . In 2014 , the excavation led by Jiménez - Serrano also discovered the grave of Heqaib III , Sattjeni ’s son and a regulator of Elephantine . Heqaib III ’s mummy was found with its paint mask mostly intact . [ Read full narration on Sattjeni ’s grave ]
Mask of a lady
The remains of the burying mask of Sattjeni . Though not royal , Sattjeni was part of a powerful and prominent family who claimed an association with the ram - maneuver god Khnum . Sattjeni had dynastic rights in Elephantine , the Nile island town nearby Qubbet el - Hawa , and her husband and sons would take on the role of governor of the town as well as overseers of Khnum ’s priest . [ Read full story on Sattjeni ’s tomb ]
Tomb Discovery
Sattjeni ’s tomb was found at the end of a irradiation first discover in 2013 . In the 2016 field time of year , Jiménez - Serrano and his team unearth this shaft with jump on expectancy . Here , an archaeologist grovel into the tiny aperture that allows entry into the tomb . The first glimpse inside the tomb uncover hieroglyphics , Jiménez - Serrano said , which turn out to be beautify Sattjeni ’s coffin . [ Read full story on Sattjeni ’s grave ]
