Construction methods and multi-period burials revealed at Djebel Taya / Gebel Taya, Minya

June 29, 2026Excavation

Inscription

Source: Pyramid Building Missing Link? 5,000-Year-Old Major Discovery in Egypt! by Ancient Architects

Djebel Taya / Gebel Taya in Minya spans multiple eras of Egyptian history. One First Dynasty tomb shows stone reuse, oxide lines preserving ancient cutting traces, and built-in wooden wall supports. The site also yielded crouched pre-dynastic burials in plant mats, Naqada 2 and 3 pottery, Late Period graves, and wooden coffin remains.

Key facts

Parts of the first tomb were damaged with stone removed and reused elsewhere
Oxide lines on stone surfaces linked to ancient cutting and extraction techniques were preserved
Large wooden supports built into the structure, some extending across the full length of walls and others at separate reinforcing sections
The second tomb is adjacent to the first and similar in plan, with much of the stone still intact
A pre-dynastic cemetery at the site contained individuals buried in a crouched position wrapped in plant mats
Pre-dynastic Naqada 2 and Naqada 3 pottery vessels were recovered
Late period graves include both individual and collective burials
Remains of wooden coffins were found at the site
The site contains burials spanning multiple periods of Egyptian history