A newly studied Theban tomb (209) in Egypt's western necropolis reveals how burial practices evolved from the 25th Dynasty through the Ptolemaic period, showing a shift from individual elaborate burials to reused, densely packed interments. Researchers used an archaeothanatological approach to analyze 16 mummified individuals, a mummified dog, and disarticulated remains of at least four more people, finding evidence of intentional burial practices rather than chaotic accumulation over centuries.
Background
Egypt's Theban necropolis contains over 400 tombs spanning millennia of history. The tomb of Nisemro, a Nubian-origin high official, was situated in a flash-flood-prone area of Wadi Hatasun, making it a uniquely stratified archaeological site.
- Source
- Ars Technica
- Published
- Aug 18, 2026 at 12:00 PM
- Score
- 6.0 / 10