Archaeologists Discover Possible ‘Doorway To Afterlife’ In Ancient Egyptian Tomb

Last Updated:August 04, 2025, 17:09 IST

A team of archaeologists found a large, pink door in Prince Userefre's 4,000-year-old tomb in Cairo, which is believed to symbolically represent a "portal to the afterlife".

A large, pink door was discovered inside an ancient Egyptian tomb. (Photo: X)

A team of archaeologists have made a stunning discovery in an over 4,000-year-old Egyptian tomb, which has a large, pink door that is believed to symbolically represent a “portal to the afterlife".

According to LadBible, the tomb belongs to Prince Userefire, the son of King Userkaf, who ruled from 2465 to 2458 BC. The tomb in Cairo included inscriptions like “hereditary prince", “judge", and “governor", as well as “minister" and “chanting priest."

Ronald Lephoron, the Professor Emeritus of Egyptology at the University of Toronto, said this was the first time the Prince had been brought to the attention of Egyptologists. “Before this discovery, we didn’t even know he existed," he told The New Archaeologist.

The team discovered a large door in the catacomb, an underground cemetery consisting of tunnels and chambers. The 15-foot door does not open, but is believed to be a symbolic representation of a “portal to the afterlife".

“The joint Egyptian mission, led by the Supreme Council of Antiquities and the Zahi Hawass Foundation for Antiquities and Heritage, uncovered the tomb of Prince Userefre, son of King Userkaf, the first king of the Fifth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom, during the mission’s work in the Saqqara archaeological site, in addition to numerous important archaeological finds from this era and later periods," said the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

The ministry said it was the first time a false door made of pink granite of this magnitude had been found. “It measures four and a half meters in height and 1.15 meters in width," it added.

Notably, pink granite was rare as it had to be sourced from the Egyptian city of Aswan, which means it was designated for richer people, indicating Prince Userefre’s higher status.

According to Dr Melanie Pitkin from Cambridge University, the false doors allowed the ‘ka’ of the deceased people to move between the tomb and the afterlife. Ancient Egyptians believed that everyone had a “Ka", which was a vital component of their spiritual essence.

“Family members and priests would come to the tomb where the false door was standing and they would recite the name of the deceased and his or her achievements and leave offerings," Dr Pitkin said. “The ka of the deceased would then magically travel between the burial chamber and the netherworld. It would come and collect the food, drink, and offerings from the tomb to help sustain it in the afterlife."

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