Located in the Qubbet el-Hawa necropolis, the structure is oriented exactly at sunrise on the day of the winter solstice, allowing the sun’s rays to shine into the supposed resting place of the governor of the city of Elephantine. A team of researchers from the University of Malaga (UMA) and the University of Jaen (UJA) has discovered the oldest tomb in Egypt consistent with the winter solstice. Located in the Qubbet el-Hawa necropolis in Aswan, the tomb is perfectly oriented to the winter solstice sunrise, bathing the tomb with light and marking the final resting place of the governor of the city of Elephantine, who lived in the late twelfth dynasty. , around 1830 BC.

This alignment with the solstice allowed the tomb to follow the solar cycle perfectly, connecting it to the concept of rebirth. The winter solstice symbolized the beginning of the victory of light over darkness, while the summer solstice coincided with the beginning of the annual floods of the Nile; both events had great symbolic significance in relation to the resurrection of the deceased monarch.

This article recently published in a prestigious scientific journal Mediterranean Archeology and ArcheometryThe researchers explain that to achieve perfection in orientation, the Egyptian architect used a two-cubic pillar about a meter long, a square shape, and some robes with which he could perfectly calculate the direction and location of the funeral chapel. from the statue of the ruler.

In addition, they explain that the Egyptian architect not only achieved the ideal orientation, but also designed its volume with great precision, as determined in a previous article published by UJA in 2020 and specifically signed by Professor Antonio Mozas. The present study showed that the volume of the tomb was perfectly calculated to avoid overlapping with any previous tomb.

Cataloged as number 33 and possibly commissioned by Governor Hekaib-ankh, this governor’s tomb was excavated by the UJA between 2008 and 2018. It has since been architecturally studied by various experts, including UMA architecture professor Lola Joyanes, who has been involved in this project since 2015 and has been working on her own research pipeline since 2019. This UMA researcher’s work in the necropolis encompasses everything related to architecture and landscape, including work through drawing and photogrammetry.

Andalusian scientists came to these conclusions thanks to the determination of the period when the tomb was built, which in ancient times allowed them to use special software (Dialux Evo) that reproduced the position of the sun relative to the horizon.

“This work shows that the Egyptians knew how to calculate the position of the sun and the direction of its rays to design their monuments. While Tomb No. 33 of Qubbet al-Hawa is the oldest example ever found, it is certainly not the only one,” the scientists say.