Vincent Oeters

During the 2009 field season of the joint mission of the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden (National Museum of Antiquities) at Leiden, the Netherlands and Leiden University (Faculty of Humanities, Department of Egyptology) a small Ramesside tomb-chapel was unearthed in the New Kingdom necropolis at Saqqara (1550-1070 BC), south of the causeway of Unas. The tomb-chapel belongs to a man named Tatia, Priest of the front of Ptah and Chief of the Goldsmiths. By studying the reliefs as well as the architecture and by comparing the tomb with other Ramesside tombs at Saqqara and elsewhere an attempt was made to establish a more precise dating of the monument. Recent research has resulted in new insights on Tatia and his career, signs of private devotion and familial relationships. It appears Tatia was a relative of two other well-known New Kingdom officials, one whose important tomb was also built at Saqqara, the other a vizier and ‘High Priest of Amun’ in Thebes.

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