Ancient Egyptian necropolis unveils more stunning finds Technical News
A remarkably well-preserved Egyptian sarcophagus has been unearthed in ancient mummification workshops and tombs near the capital, Cairo.
Painted in bright blue, yellow and maroon designs, the coffin was found in the pharaonic necropolis of Saqqara, part of the ancient Egyptian capital of Memphis, a Unesco World Heritage Site.
Alongside the sarcophagus, archaeologists found stone beds, clay pots, baking soda – one of the main ingredients used in mummification – and ritual vessels.
Unveiling the spectacular find, Mostafa Waziri, secretary-general of the Supreme Antiquities Council, said the workshops had been used to mummify humans and sacred animals.
They are believed to date from the 30th Dynasty of Pharaohs (380 BC to 343 BC) and the Ptolemaic period (305 BC to 30 BC).
The tombs found nearby date back much further. One belongs to Ne Hesut Ba of the Old Kingdom 5th dynasty 4,400 years ago and the other Men Kheber of the Late Kingdom 18th dynasty 3,400 years ago. Both men were priests.
Inscriptions about cultivation, hunting and other everyday activities were found on the walls of Ne Hesut Ba’s tomb, while Men Kheber’s tomb had “engraved scenes showing the deceased in various positions,” officials said.
In January, archaeologists found 4,300-year-old statues of Egyptian priests, officials and servants at Saqqara, while last year the necropolis unveiled a “dream find” in the sarcophagus of Ptah-em-wia, treasurer to King Ramses II – also known as Ramses the Size.
The Egyptian government has been heavily promoting new archaeological finds to the international media and diplomats in recent years. She hopes such discoveries will help attract more tourists to the country in a bid to revitalize an industry that has suffered since the 2011 Arab Spring, further impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic and the Ukraine war.
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