4,100-year-old Egyptian tomb belongs to royal courtier with unique life-saving skill

Got a plague of serpents? Call this guy.

Swiss-French archaeologists have uncovered the 4,100-year-old tomb in Egypt that belonged to a royal physician with a very special skill: protecting them from venomous bites and stings.

According to a translated French blog post, scientists discovered the final resting place of the ancient toxicologist Tetinebefou in Saqqara, a repository known for housing a treasure trove of burial grounds from antiquity, Jam Press reported.

Though grave robbers had plundered the tomb, researchers were able to study the paintings and hieroglyphics that adorned the site’s walls, according to Live Science.

Depictions of containers emblazoned on the tomb’s walls. “He was certainly the main physician at the royal court, so he would have treated the pharaoh himself,” Philippe Collombert, leader of the Swiss-French team that made the discovery. Jam Press/Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

While the tomb had been thoroughly pillaged, scientists were able to deduce the occupant’s vocation from the depictions adorning the walls (pictured). Jam Press/Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

These illustrations reportedly described the doctor’s job title and depicted vases, cases and other objects the medic likely used to treat the patients.

“He was a specialist in poisonous bites,” Philippe Collombert, leader of the Swiss-French team and an Egyptologist at the University of Geneva, told Live Science.

The scorpion venom specialist likely practiced during the time of Pepi II, who ruled from 2246 to 2152 B.C. Jam Press/Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

Tetinebefou’s official title was the “conjurer of the goddess Serqet,” the Egyptian Goddess of scorpions who protected those suffering from poisonous bites and stings.

Ancient Egypt had no shortage of venomous critters. One of the most notorious denizens is the fat-tail scorpion, which is so deadly that its victims can die within an hour of being stung.

“He was a specialist in poisonous bites,” Collombert said. Jam Press/Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

Arachnid detox was just one of several services occupied by this veritable Da Vinci of doctors.

Tetinebefou was also a “director of medicinal plants” — a title that was only seen in one other discovery from ancient Egypt — and chief dentist, another supremely rare title.

This antivenom vizier was an esteemed member of the pharaoh’s entourage. “He was certainly the main physician at the royal court, so that he would have treated the pharaoh himself,” said Collombert.

It’s unclear which exact royals Tetinebefou treated; however, the scorpion venom specialist likely practiced during the time of Pepi II, who ruled from circa 2246 to 2152 B.C.

This meant that he may have treated Pepi II himself and/or one or more of his successors, per the study.

The tomb itself was a marvel in and of itself, emblazoned with brightly-colored paintings of jars and abstract vases that belied its age.

“It’s easy to forget that they are 4,000 years old!” the team wrote in the blog.

Archaeologists are continuing to investigate Tetinebefou’s postmortem quarters, which they believe provide a “rare glimpse into daily life and cultural practices during the Old Kingdom,” per a Facebook post by the team.

“This incredible find adds to Saqqara’s rich legacy as one of Egypt’s most significant archaeological sites,” they wrote.