An excavation in an ancient Egyptian cemetery yielded surprising finds. The researchers discovered a colorful coffin, several mummified bodies, ornaments, amulets and more.
Excavation in an Ancient Cemetery in Egypt
According to Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, archaeologists discovered the cemetery at the Tuna el-Gebel necropolis, which is around 170 miles south of Cairo in Minya Governate. Among the many discoveries are a colorful casket reportedly belonging to the daughter of a high priest and preserved mummies.
The ancient Egyptian cemetery dates to more than 3,000 years ago or the New Kingdom (16th-11th centuries B.C.) of ancient Egypt. According to archaeologists, it served as a graveyard for high-ranking officials and priests at that time.
The cemetery, which has "many tombs" etched into the rock, was found during excavations that started last August in Tuna El-Gebel's Al-Ghuraifa neighborhood. At the site, hundreds of archaeological artifacts have also been discovered by researchers, including wooden and stone coffins, some of which held mummies, amulets, decorations, and funeral figures.
A vibrant, etched casket belonging to the daughter of a high priest of the ancient Egyptian god Djehuti, also known as Thoth, is one of the cemetery's most noteworthy discoveries. This god, frequently pictured as a man with an ibis or monkey for a head, was an important figure in ancient Egyptian mythology and had a number of prominent roles. For instance, Thoth is thought to have represented the sun god Ra and is credited with developing the art of writing.
A set of "ushabti" sculptures and two wooden boxes housing the high priest's daughter's canopic jars were found next to her coffin. The lungs, liver, intestines, and stomach were among the organs removed from the deceased during mummification, and they were kept in canopic jars by the ancient Egyptians in order to be preserved for the afterlife.
Comparatively, ushabti statues were figurines used in ancient Egyptian burial rituals that were buried in tombs with the hope that they would serve the deceased in the hereafter.
Another intriguing discovery was uncovered by archaeologists at the New Kingdom cemetery - a complete and well-preserved papyrus scroll that is 42-49 feet long and contains information about the Book of the Dead.
The Book of the Dead is a collection of funerary manuscripts from ancient Egypt that were buried in tombs and include spells or magic formulas. These writings were believed to safeguard and support the departed in the afterlife. They were typically written on papyrus, a substance that is comparable to thick paper and was once utilized as a writing surface.
Previous Necropolis Findings
Prior to the recent excavation, several findings were already excavated in the necropolis. Last year, they unearthed a pink coffin where a high-ranking Egyptian aristocrat named Ptah-em-wia, who oversaw the treasury under Ramses the Great, was buried. The up to 3,300-year-old stone coffin was discovered in perfect form in its original tomb 23 feet below the Earth, inscribed on all sides with symbols, hiéroglyphs, and titles.
Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities also announced last year that they discovered mummies with golden tongues in their mounts in the Qewaisna Necropolis. It is believed that the deceased's actual tongues were replaced with the gold piece during embalming so they might communicate with Osiris in the afterlife. Osiris is one of the most significant gods of ancient Egypt and is known in Egyptian mythology as the "Lord of the Underworld" and "Judge of the Dead."
A tunnel found beneath the Taposiris Magna Temple, however, may have been the most significant find of 2022. According to experts, this tunnel may lead to the long-lost tomb of Cleopatra, one of history's most illustrious queens.
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