The Step Pyramid complex at Saqqara (Memphis necropolis), Egypt
Saqqara • North Saqqara plateau • 2nd Dynasty (Early Dynastic)

Second Dynasty Royal Tombs at Saqqara (Gallery Tombs) مقابر ملوك الأسرة الثانية في سقارة

Saqqara is best known for the Step Pyramid of Djoser (3rd Dynasty), but parts of the plateau also hide earlier royal funerary architecture. In the early 2nd Dynasty, several kings are widely linked to large subterranean “gallery tombs” at North Saqqara—underground corridors and storage chambers cut into the bedrock, with few (or no) surviving superstructures. This page explains what the gallery tombs are, how they are attributed (sealings, context, and debate), and how to understand them when you visit Saqqara today.

Quick facts Jump to details Sources

Note: the plan on this page is a simplified, not‑to‑scale diagram for orientation. For measured plans and excavation reports, use the publications in the Sources section.

Background photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) — “Saqqara, step pyramid of Djoser (6201557496)”.

Illustrative plan (Gallery Tombs A & B)

North Saqqara • Memphis necropolis
Djoser complex (3rd Dynasty) Unas causeway Gallery A Gallery B north 2nd Dynasty gallery tomb later monument

The “Gallery Tomb” labels (A, B…) are conventional modern names for major underground complexes at North Saqqara. Attributions to specific kings rely mainly on archaeological context and seal impressions, and some details remain debated.

Quick facts

A fast orientation: where these tombs are, who they’re linked to, and what makes them important.

Location

North Saqqara, part of the wider Memphis necropolis south of Cairo. The gallery tombs are underground and lie in areas later reused by monuments such as the Unas and Djoser complexes.

Period

Early 2nd Dynasty (Early Dynastic Period, roughly late 3rd millennium BCE). This is the era between the royal cemetery at Abydos (1st Dynasty) and the rise of stone pyramid complexes (3rd Dynasty).

Tomb type

Subterranean galleries: long corridors with many side chambers. Think “underground storerooms” for funerary equipment, cut into bedrock, with entrances that could be blocked and concealed.

Kings linked

Most commonly attributed to Hotepsekhemwy and/or Raneb (Nebra) (Gallery Tomb A), and Ninetjer (Gallery Tomb B). Attributions are based mainly on seal impressions and contextual evidence.

Why these tombs matter

The Saqqara gallery tombs show a major experiment in royal burial architecture: kings could create vast underground storage systems without the huge above‑ground footprints that later pyramid complexes made famous. They also reflect shifting political and religious geography—early 2nd Dynasty royal activity is strongly tied to the Memphis region, while some later 2nd Dynasty rulers were buried again at Abydos.

Visitor note

These underground galleries are not usually open as a standalone attraction. When you visit Saqqara, you’re mostly seeing later surface monuments—but understanding the hidden Early Dynastic layers gives the plateau a completely different depth.

Encyclopedic details

Use the tabs to navigate the article quickly.

What are the Second Dynasty “gallery tombs”?

In the early 2nd Dynasty, North Saqqara gained a set of large underground funerary complexes usually called gallery tombs. Unlike the mud‑brick mastaba superstructures that dominate 1st‑Dynasty elite cemeteries, these were primarily subterranean systems—long corridors and dozens (sometimes hundreds) of side chambers. The chambers likely stored funerary equipment, provisions, and ritual items, while access routes could be sealed and obscured.

Archaeologists commonly distinguish Gallery Tomb A (often linked to Hotepsekhemwy and/or Raneb) and Gallery Tomb B (often linked to Ninetjer). Because the complexes were later disturbed, attributions rely on a combination of seal impressions, stratigraphy, and the broader landscape history of North Saqqara. A key synthesis is provided by C. D. Reader’s discussion of North Saqqara’s Early Dynastic ritual landscape.

Big picture in one paragraph

Saqqara is the necropolis of Memphis, the power center of early pharaonic Egypt. During the 1st Dynasty, royal burials were concentrated at Abydos, but the Memphis region hosted major elite cemeteries. In the 2nd Dynasty, some royal burial activity appears to move into the Saqqara landscape in the form of extensive underground galleries. Later in the 2nd Dynasty, royal burials are again attested at Abydos for rulers such as Peribsen and Khasekhemwy, showing that the geography of royal mortuary practice was not fixed.

Architecture & plan

The gallery tombs are best understood as engineered underground landscapes. They usually begin with a descending entrance corridor, followed by a central passage with multiple side galleries. The intent was likely to create a secure space for burial and an enormous quantity of funerary goods. Because later digging, collapse, and reuse affect the remains, publications may differ slightly on reconstructions and measurements.

Gallery Tomb A (Hotepsekhemwy / Raneb?)

  • Often associated with the first 2nd‑Dynasty rulers based on seal impressions and context.
  • Characterized by a long corridor with multiple lateral storerooms (“galleries”).
  • Located within a later, heavily reused zone of North Saqqara; surface markers are minimal or lost.

Attribution is discussed in landscape syntheses and Early Dynastic architectural studies; see Sources.

Gallery Tomb B (Ninetjer?)

  • Frequently described as one of the largest Early Dynastic underground complexes at Saqqara.
  • Excavation reports describe a broad footprint and a very high number of chambers (well over 100 in many accounts).
  • Some interpretations see “palace‑like” organization in parts of the layout (a symbolic residence for the king).

For plans and discussion, see open references that include diagrams of the tombs and their corridors.

How do archaeologists reconstruct underground plans?

Plans are built from excavation trenches, mapped corridors, and carefully recorded chamber sequences. In areas where the galleries lie beneath later monuments, access can be limited, and old exploration notes may have to be checked against modern survey and excavation. That is why modern publications sometimes correct or refine earlier “clean” plans that were produced from partial access.

Finds & evidence

Because these complexes were heavily disturbed, the most informative finds are often those that can be tied to secure contexts: seal impressions, diagnostic pottery, and object groups that clearly belong to Early Dynastic funerary provisioning. Some key categories recur in reports and syntheses:

Seal impressions

Clay sealings can preserve royal names, estate names, and administrative titles. When sealings of a particular king are found in a gallery complex, scholars weigh whether they indicate ownership, reuse, or ritual deposition. In North Saqqara, seal evidence is central to attributing Gallery Tomb A and B to early 2nd Dynasty rulers.

Jars & provisioning

Reports frequently mention large quantities of jars (wine/beer), stone vessels, and storage containers. Even when robbed, patterns of vessel types and deposits help reconstruct how royal burial provisioning was organized during the Early Dynastic period.

Excavation history

North Saqqara has a long history of exploration, loss, rediscovery, and modern re‑excavation. Contemporary missions (including the long-running Leiden work in Saqqara) continue to clarify Early Dynastic layers beneath later New Kingdom and Late Period structures.

What remains debated?

Main debates include exact attribution, the degree to which layouts were intentionally “palace‑like,” and how the Saqqara royal burials relate to Abydos traditions. Good practice is to cite excavation reports and modern syntheses rather than relying on a single secondary summary.

How attribution works (quick method)

  1. Secure context: is the sealing/object in an undisturbed layer?
  2. Quantity & pattern: one stray sealing is weaker than repeated, patterned evidence.
  3. Stratigraphy: do the deposits predate later monuments above?
  4. Comparison: does the architecture fit other known royal features of the period?

Visiting Saqqara (with the gallery tombs in mind)

Even though the 2nd‑Dynasty gallery tombs are underground and not typically accessible, you can still “read” their presence in the landscape when you explore Saqqara. The plateau is layered: Early Dynastic burials, Old Kingdom pyramids, later shafts, monasteries, and modern excavations.

Suggested on‑site route

  • Djoser Step Pyramid complex: the best place to grasp the shift toward monumental stone architecture.
  • Unas pyramid area: a later Old Kingdom zone that overlaps parts of the North Saqqara landscape.
  • Nearby mastaba cemeteries: see how elite tomb forms evolve from Early Dynastic to Old Kingdom.
  • Imhotep Museum: useful for context and recent finds (when open).

Practical tips

  • Start early—Saqqara is large, and the desert sun can be intense.
  • Bring water, sun protection, and closed shoes (sand + rough ground).
  • If you want Early Dynastic context, consider a guide who is comfortable with archaeological layers, not only famous monuments.
  • Opening hours and access rules can change; check official sources or your hotel/guide before you go.

Where exactly are the galleries?

In short: North Saqqara, in areas that were reused and built over in later periods. Many descriptions place the main gallery complexes beneath or near later features associated with the Unas area and the Step Pyramid zone. Because these are archaeological rather than tourist-visible features, your best “map” is still the published plans and excavation reports listed below.

Sources & further reading

Below are open online references and standard print works that discuss the Second Dynasty at Saqqara, the North Saqqara landscape, and the key gallery tomb complexes.

Open / online references

  1. C. D. Reader (2017). An Early Dynastic ritual landscape at North Saqqara: An inheritance from Abydos (JEA 103). PDF: download.
  2. I. Regulski, C. Lacher, & A. Hood (season 2009 report). Preliminary report on the excavations in the Second Dynasty necropolis at Saqqara (JEOL 42). PDF: download.
  3. National Museum of Antiquities (RMO), Leiden — Excavation Saqqara (project overview). read.
  4. Leiden University / NVIC — The Leiden–Turin Excavations at Saqqara (project page). read.
  5. Open-access architectural overview with plans (includes figures of Hotepsekhemwy/Raneb and Ninetjer subterranean tombs): PDF.
  6. Encyclopaedia Britannica: Peribsen (notes Abydos tomb location). read.
  7. Encyclopaedia Britannica: Khasekhemwy (notes Abydos royal tomb; early stone masonry). read.
  8. Penn Museum (Expedition Magazine): The Search for Egypt’s First Kings (context on Abydos royal cemetery and enclosures). read.
  9. Wikimedia Commons image used on this page (Step Pyramid at Saqqara, CC BY 2.0): source.

Standard print references

  1. Toby A. H. Wilkinson. Early Dynastic Egypt. Routledge.
  2. Ian Shaw (ed.). The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt. Oxford University Press.
  3. Barry J. Kemp. Ancient Egypt: Anatomy of a Civilization. Routledge.
  4. Aidan Dodson. The Royal Tombs of Ancient Egypt (for broader mortuary context).
  5. Site-wide context: UNESCO documentation and major Saqqara excavation publications for specific sectors.

Recommended citation format

“Second Dynasty Royal Tombs at Saqqara (Gallery Tombs).” Egypt Lover, updated 2026-02-13. https://www.egyptlover.com/tomb-dynasty2-saqqara.html

Last updated: 2026-02-13

Rights note: This page is an original summary and commentary written for educational purposes. It links to third‑party resources and does not reproduce copyrighted book chapters. Where images are used, we prefer open licenses and provide source links.

FAQ

Common questions about the Second Dynasty gallery tombs at Saqqara.

Usually, no. The gallery tombs are underground archaeological complexes and are not normally managed as open tourist spaces. Saqqara’s visit program focuses on surface monuments (Step Pyramid, pyramid fields, mastabas, museums). If access rules change, it’s best to rely on official announcements or an on‑site guide.
The short answer is: politics and tradition can shift. Early 2nd‑Dynasty evidence suggests strong royal mortuary activity in the Memphis/Saqqara region, but later kings such as Peribsen and Khasekhemwy are securely tied to Abydos. Scholars debate whether this reflects regional power balances, religious choices, or practical administration.
It’s a convenient label for an underground structure built as a main corridor with many side chambers—like a long hallway with storerooms branching off. In the Early Dynastic period, these chambers likely held funerary goods and provisions, while the burial space and access routes were designed for security and controlled ritual use.
Strongest when multiple lines of evidence agree: seal impressions in secure contexts, architectural dating, and clear stratigraphy. Because North Saqqara was reused and disturbed many times, careful excavation reports matter. On this page we use phrasing like “often attributed to” to reflect that scholarly caution.