Archeologists have uncovered one of the most intriguing figures yet from ancient Egypt – about 4,000 years after his lifetime.

Teti Neb Fu, a physician and royal doctor, held prestigious тιтles such as chief palace physician, priest and ‘magician’ in ancient Egypt, experts say.

His tomb and sarcophagus have been freshly uncovered in Egypt’s historic Saqqara burial site, about 25 miles southwest of capital Cairo.

The inside walls of the tomb feature stunning artworks, depicting Egyptian pottery, jewellery, hieroglyphics and more.

Archeologists say the resting place dates back to the reign of King Pepi II – meaning Teti Neb Fu lived and died about 4,000 years ago.

King Pepi II became king at an early age during the sixth dynasty of ancient Egypt, between 2305 and 2118 BC.

‘This incredible find adds to Saqqara’s rich legacy as one of Egypt’s most significant archaeological sites,’ said Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities in a Facebook post.

‘The tomb is adorned with stunning carvings and vibrant artwork, including a beautifully painted false door and scenes of funerary offerings.

A joint French-Swiss archaeological mission has uncovered the mastaba tomb of a royal physician named ‘Teti Neb Fu’ in the southern part of Saqqara

Dating back to the Old Kingdom during the reign of King Pepi II, the tomb is adorned with stunning carvings and vibrant artwork

Excavations in this area of Saqqara began in 2022 to unearth the graves of state employees for King Pepi who are buried near him and his wives, officials said.

Teti Neb Fu’s tomb is a ‘mastaba’ – a rectangular superstructure with a flat roof typically constructed of limestone or mudbricks.

As well as the tomb, the team discovered a stone sarcophagus within that has inscriptions bearing the physician’s name and тιтles.

According to his sarcophagus, тιтi Nab Fu was given the noble тιтles of ‘chief dentist’ and ‘director of medicinal plants’.

Teti Neb Fu was also called a priest and the ‘magician’ of Serket (the goddess of healing venomous stings and bites in Egyptian mythology).

This suggests Teti Neb Fu was an expert in treating injuries from poisonous scorpions or snakes, gaining a ‘magical’ reputation as a healer.

Because of his burial location in Saqqara – a revered village and burial site – researchers knew тιтi Nab Fu would have been important.

But his тιтles inscribed on his sarcophagus reveal more about this man, who was not known until now.

Inside walls of the tomb feature stunning artworks, depicting Egyptian pottery, jewellery and more

Despite evidence of ancient looting, the tomb’s walls remain intact, offering a rare glimpse into daily life and cultural practices during the Old Kingdom

The ministry says: ‘This incredible find adds to Saqqara’s rich legacy as one of Egypt’s most significant archaeological sites’

Serket was the goddess of healing venomous stings and bites in Egyptian mythology. Serket is often depicted as a woman with a scorpion gracing her crown. In ancient Egypt, scorpions were a symbol of death due to their ability to quickly sting and kill victims with venom