Egypt continues to be the cradle of mysteries, and no matter how much we think we already know everything about this civilization, there is always something that appears and leaves us fascinated. And it’s that, it seems that every grain of sand in Egypt hides a bit of history, and yes! The sands have kept secrets for millennia, an incredible piece of information that has sparked astonishment and curiosity across the academic world: the ground of Tell el-Maschuta, in the northwest of Egypt, holds a tomb over 3,000 years old that has been recently discovered. Researchers believe this tomb may have belonged to one of the most important commanders during the reign of Ramses III. Who was the man who owned it? And what role did he play in one of the most tense periods in the history of the Nile? Here’s everything we know so far.
A buried gem
More than 3,000 years old, a mudbrick tomb with a central funerary chamber and three adjoining rooms. Inside, a gold ring bearing the name of Ramses III, the last great pharaoh of the 20th dynasty. But that’s not all, bronze arrowheads, an ivory chest, and decorated vessels with some inscriptions, all indicating that the deceased held a very high status.
What can we say about the ring?
The ring is probably one of the most important objects from this discovery, bearing a royal cartouche engraved with the name of Ramses III. These types of jewels not only symbolized prestige, but also a close relationship with the pharaonic court, and possibly with Ramses himself. So we are looking at the tomb of a very important person.
Defending the empire
Probably, and if we focus on Egypt’s map, the choice of being buried in Tell el-Maschuta (formerly known as Tel Roud) was not random. This territory, which borders the frontier, was a crucial fortified area to stop the incursions of the feared Sea Peoples, who threatened to destabilize order in the region. During his reign, Ramses III managed to repel these threats through a dual military strategy: land defense and naval ambushes in the Nile Delta, being the only people to resist those attacks.
The military legacy of Ramses III
If there’s one thing we know about Ramses III, it’s that his battles marked the military history of ancient Egypt, especially the Battle of the Delta in 1175 B.C. As we mentioned earlier, after the collapse of other civilizations, the Sea Peoples advanced through the Nile, but Ramses III managed to stop them. That’s why it’s not far-fetched to think that the tomb of this general or commander may have played an incredible role in these kinds of battles, organizing troops or leading in the Sinai.
One of the first documented amphibious wars, it allowed the empire to survive when many other civilizations were collapsing. If the man buried in this tomb participated in that defence then he was not only a witness to one of the tensest episodes of the Late Period, but also a silent protagonist in its survival.
The other objects
All the objects found at this site have been examined, especially vessels that mention Horemheb, another pharaoh with a military past. This could be understood as a symbolic act of linking the deceased to more prestigious leaders from the past, as it wouldn’t be the first time that ancient objects were reused to dignify a burial.
Another important detail to mention is that the tomb appears to have been reused in later periods. Remains of a skeleton covered in cartonnage (a mixture of linen and plaster common in Greco-Roman Egypt) were found.
Beyond the pharaohs
The history of Egypt is often rewritten with the names of kings, but what happened to the anonymous men who upheld the dynasties by leading the armies? Well, this discovery reopens those investigations. What else don’t we yet know about Egypt?