Archaeologists Find Five Ancient Egyptian Royal Tombs Still In Intact

Egyptian archaeologists have just discovered five tombs of an ancient Pharaoh. (photo: Twitter Doc @TourismandAntiq)

JAKARTA - Egyptian archaeologists have just discovered five ancient Pharaoh tombs located at the Saqqara archaeological site south of Cairo. The tomb is the latest in a series of important discoveries in the area.

Saqqara is the sprawling burial ground of the ancient Egyptian capital, Memphis. Today the area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to more than a dozen pyramids, animal burial sites and ancient Coptic Christian monasteries.

According to Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the five tombs were excavated earlier this month. These tombs date back to the Old Kingdom period spanning roughly from about 2700 BC to 2200 BC, as well as the First Intermediate Period, which lasted for more than a century after the Old Kingdom's collapse.

The head of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, Mostafa Waziri, said the five tombs were all in good condition and belonged to senior royal officials including regional rulers and palace overseers in ancient Egypt.

“The five tombs are well painted, well decorated. The digging didn't stop. We plan to continue our excavations. We believe that we can find more tombs in this area,” Waziri said.

One of the tombs belonged to a high-ranking official named Iry. A limestone sarcophagus and colorful decorations were found in the tomb.

The remaining tombs belonged to other members of the royal palace, including a maid of the royal house and a priest who was in charge of the king's appearance.

The walls are seen decorated with hieroglyphic inscriptions and images of sacred animals and afterlife objects used by the ancient Egyptians.

In January 2021, Egypt uncovered ancient treasures found at Saqqara, including more than 50 wooden sarcophagi dating back to the New Kingdom (16th to 11th centuries BC). It's a discovery that Egyptologist Zahi Hawass says is capable of rewriting history.

Egyptian authorities hope to inaugurate the new Grand Egyptian Museum near the Giza plateau later this year, after its opening was repeatedly delayed.

It is hoped the new museum, in addition to numerous archaeological discoveries in recent years, will help revive the country's vital tourism industry.

In recent years, Egypt has heavily promoted new archaeological finds to international media and diplomats in hopes of attracting more tourists to the country.

The sector has been hit by successive blows, including the 2011 uprising, the coronavirus pandemic, and now the shutdown of Russian and Ukrainian tourists, who make up the bulk of visitors to the country. This is quoted from IBITimes, Monday, March 21.