Egypt unearths 3,400-year-old cemetery from New Kingdom era packed with ancient treasures

The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced the discovery of a 3,400-year-old ancient cemetery from the New Kingdom era at the Tuna El-Gebel necropolis in the southern Minya governorate.

These burial grounds belonged to high-ranking officials and priests of ancient Egypt, according to Mostafa Waziri, the Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities.

Waziri said the excavation, led by an Egyptian archaeological team, has unearthed a large number of rock-cut tombs and hundreds of other archaeological finds in the Al-Ghuraifa region.

“The discovery of a new kingdom cemetery in the fifteenth nome of Upper Egypt is a premiere.”

Waziri indicated that these grounds were traditionally known for old and middle kingdom burials. This discovery follows seven years of excavation efforts in the area.

Many uncovered artefacts include a well-preserved papyrus measuring around 16-18 metres in length. Preliminary studies suggest the text pertains to the Book of the Dead. Also found was a colourfully engraved wooden coffin belonging to a daughter of the high priest of Djehuti, an ancient Egyptian god.

The archaeological team, which has been exploring the Al-Ghuraifa region since 2017, also unearthed a variety of trinkets, jewellery, stones, mummified wooden coffins, and small engraved figures called Ushabti, crafted from clay and wood.

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