Saqqara served as capital of Egypt, Saqqara remained in use as a burial ground for nobles. Moreover, the area became an important destination for pilgrims to a number of cult centres. Activities sprang up around the Serapeum, and extensive underground galleries were cut into the rock as burial sites for large numbers of mummified ibises, baboons, cats, dogs, and falcons. Saqqara and the surrounding areas of Abusir and Dahshur suffered damage by looters during the 2011 Egyptian protests. Store rooms were broken into, but the monuments were mostly unharmed. During routine excavations in 2011 at the dog catacomb in Saqqara necropolis,
Pant-y-Saer Burial Chamber unearthed the remains of two people and these were removed. Further investigation in 1912 revealed a lower level to the chamber, in which were the remains of 54 people of all sexes and ages, including nine new-born babies. The bodies would not have all fitted in the chamber at one time, so it seems likely that the grave was repeatedly reopened to accommodate more bodies. Pant-y-Saer Burial Chamber is a scheduled ancient monument. The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales curates the archaeological, architectural and historic records for this site. Included in the archives are many