A New Riddle in Saqqara.. Investigations into the Disappearance of a Rare Pharaonic Painting Following the Incident of the Golden Bracelets

The archaeological circles in Egypt are experiencing a state of controversy following reports of the disappearance of a rare archaeological painting from one of the pharaonic tombs in the Saqqara archaeological area, just days after the incident of the theft of golden bracelets from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir.

Local reports – including the Cairo 24 website – stated that inventory work is still ongoing to confirm the loss of a limestone archaeological painting belonging to the tomb of Khentika, located in the Teti cemetery in Saqqara, which is used as a storage for archaeological pieces.

According to initial information, the painting is believed to depict three scenes of daily life during the Old Kingdom, measuring approximately 40×60 centimeters, and is considered one of the rare pieces similar to the famous Mereruka painting.

Estimates suggest that the disappearance may have occurred more than two months ago, but discussions about it have only recently begun to circulate. A source from the Supreme Council of Antiquities stated that the relevant authorities are currently conducting a comprehensive inventory of the storages, confirming that "it is impossible to ascertain any disappearance before the completion of the inventory and full documentation process".

These developments come less than a month after the case of the golden bracelets that shook public opinion in Egypt, following the arrest of a restoration employee at the Egyptian Museum who stole a rare bracelet over 3,000 years old, before it was sold and melted down in a gold workshop to disappear forever.

The archaeological circles are awaiting the results of the ongoing investigation, amid calls to tighten security measures at archaeological sites and storages to protect Egypt's pharaonic heritage from repeated acts of tampering and theft.