Ancient Pharaonic painting vanishes from famed Saqqara necropolis in Egypt
The priceless artwork disappeared from an ancient tomb notable for its written curse warning intruders
A limestone pharaonic painting has gone missing from Egypt’s famed Saqqara necropolis, becoming the latest artefact to disappear in a country known for its rich and lengthy history.
The painting was in the tomb of Khentika in the Saqqara necropolis outside Cairo, Mohamed Ismail, secretary general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said on Sunday. The mastaba tomb was found in the 1950s and has not been opened since 2019.
Ismail’s statement said prosecutors were investigating the circumstances of the painting’s disappearance and did not give further details.
Egyptian media reported the painting exhibited the ancient Egyptian calendar that divided the year into three seasons mirroring the Nile River’s ebb and flow. It included the flooding season, Akhet, the planting season, Proyat, and the harvest season, Shomu.
The tomb dates to the sixth dynasty of the ancient Old Kingdom - roughly from around 2700 BC to 2200 BC.
Cairo 24 news outlet reported that a British mission working in the tomb discovered the painting was missing in May.