The excavation chief announced Thursday that a team of archaeologists has found the “oldest” and “most complete” mummy ever discovered in Egypt. It is believed to be the remains of a man named Hekashepes. Archaeologists have found a 4,300-year-old mummy from the country’s Fifth and Sixth Dynasties, spanning 2500 BC, in an ancient tomb near Cairo. To 2100 BC, the Minister of Antiquities said in a statement.
“I poked my head inside to see what was inside the sarcophagus: a beautiful human mummy completely covered in layers of gold,” Hawass told reporters at the excavation site.
A century-old mummy was found at the bottom of a 15-metre-long well next to a stepped pyramid in the Saqqara Necropolis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A “great masterpiece of architectural design”, Saqqara is located in Memphis, the first capital of ancient Egypt. Hawass said several “important archaeological discoveries” had been made, including the tombs of Mary, the “keeper of secrets” in the royal palace, and Khnum-jed-ef, priest of the Unas pyramid complex. Numerous statues of gods, amulets, household appliances and stoneware were also found.
“This discovery is very important because it connects the kings with the people who lived around them,” said Ali Abu Deshish, another archaeologist on the excavation team, according to BBC News. It comes just a day after another team of archaeologists discovered the ruins of another ancient city south of Cairo called Luxor. Earlier this week, scientists “digitally unpacked” a 2,300-year-old “golden boy” mummy using CT scans.
The scan has revealed new information about how ancient mummies used precious amulets to protect the dead. A number of major archaeological discoveries have been made in Egypt in recent years, which are celebrated as part of the growing effort to develop the country’s tourism industry. The industry has been hit by travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as growing political unrest in the country since 2011.
Source: Port Altele
