Egypt tomb discovery reveals 16 mummies and a mummified dog

Archaeologists have discovered the remains of 16 mummified humans and a mummified dog within the third chamber of Tomb TT 209 in Egypt’s Theban Necropolis. The discovery, documented by a Spanish research team from the University of La Laguna, reveals a burial site that was used continuously for nearly 700 years, spanning from the Twenty-fifth Dynasty (approximately 754–656 B.C.E.) through the Ptolemaic period (ending around 30 B.C.E.).

While the arrangement of remains initially appeared chaotic, researchers determined the burials were part of a sophisticated and deliberate funerary practice. As the tomb reached capacity over the centuries, newer burials were layered over older ones, with some bodies positioned vertically to manage limited space. The mummified dog was found specifically placed on top of the remains of a man and a woman.

The findings, published in the journal Frontiers in Environmental Archaeology, provide insight into how burial customs evolved in practice compared to official religious texts. The tomb is part of a larger funerary complex located on the west bank of the Nile, opposite the ancient city of Thebes.