Dr Vasko Dobrev's Hunt for the Tomb of Pharaoh Userkare at Saqqara South

According to our historical knowledge we are missing four kings of the Sixth Dynasty, in particular the one who is between Teti and Pepi I - number two is missing. So, where could this number two could be?

Most probably in Saqqara, because all the other kings of the Sixth Dynasty are in Saqqara. The site of Saqqara is, in fact, the necropolis of the capital of Egypt - Memphis. In fact, Saqqara itself is a necropolis, where we have tombs from all the Egyptian dynasties; from the first until the last. All the periods – the Old Kingdom, the Middle Kingdom, the New Kingdom, the Late Period – are there. So this is the richest necropolis in all Egypt - it's exceptional.

Teti, the first king of the Sixth Dynasty, has been assassinated. It's an enormous thing. Could you imagine: the King of Egypt, the Son of Ra, the son of the solar god; he's been assassinated by a priest. It is a revolution! I mean, for that moment. The country is floating, something happens. Then comes Userkare to bring peace. We have to find this king, otherwise we cannot continue to extend the history of the Sixth Dynasty. And that's why I have started there.

The plateau I've chosen to excavate is big enough to take a pyramid about 80x80 meters, a temple about 60x80 meters. When we went there, the other argument – if there's a pyramid of the king from the Sixth Dynasty, there must be a necropolis around, the king is never alone. So the question is “Is there a necropolis from the Sixth Dynasty there?”

We cleaned the walls, then we tried to clean the complete wall in order to make a plan. There was a small pit cut in the mountain, and slowly-slowly we cleaned it, and then we came down a beautiful relief. This is from the Old Kingdom, from the Sixth Dynasty, no doubt. It is about 15 hectares of plateau, of area to excavate. In this area, we have excavated one fifth of one hectare.

This chapel represents evolution of the life, and out is death. What is very interesting, is this text. This text is addressing us directly, it is called 'Appeal to the living'. Because he knew that people would come, would bring their offerings here. And he's presenting himself, saying that he is beloved by Anubis, beloved by Osiris, beloved by the king. What is very interesting is that he didn't say which king. We're here in the place we have a king.

In this one fifth of one hectare we have already about 15 tombs from the Sixth Dynasty. From the whole: from the beginning, the middle and the end of the Sixth Dynasty. You never know with archaeology. You search for somebody and find somebody else. It's very often the case. It's only Howard Carter who succeeded something very clear: he was looking for Tutankhamun and he found Tutankhamun. It's a good example. But it happens once per century. So that was for the twentieth century. We are now in the twenty-first century, we can make it again. Who knows?

It is difficult, because when you start new things, you always have arguments against it: people don't want to move, people don't want new things. All new discoveries have been always attacked. You almost burnt – oh, you burnt – Giordano Bruno because of the new things. Galileo was okay. If I was Galileo, I have to say today: “No, there is no Userkare in this place! It doesn't turn!”