New Discovery, Minya: 26th Dynasty Cemetery Uncovered in Egypt's Minya

The new discovery has yielded a large cache of figurines and a fully preserved mummy. Written By/ Nevine El-Aref.

In the middle of the desert, six kilometres south of Tuna Al-Gabal archaeological site, Egyptian and international media gathered to witness the announcement of a new discovery.

Five showcases displaying the artefacts uncovered from burial sites in the cemetery were guarded by inspectors. Minister of Antiquities Kaled El-Enany, who was on site, announced the discovery of a 26th Dynasty cemetery that consists of a large number of burial shafts.

The discovery was made out by an Egyptian mission led by Mostafa Waziri, secretary general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), who started excavations at end of 2017.

“Excavation work is scheduled to last for five years in an attempt to uncover all the burials of the cemetery,” El-Enany told Ahram Online. He explained that the discovery is still fresh, and many more are to come as excavation continues.

Waziri said that in the last three months the mission has discovered a group of tombs and burials that belong to priests of the ancient Egyptian god Thoth, the main deity of the 15th nome and its capital Al-Ashmounein.

One the discovered tombs belongs to a high-priest of god Thoth, “Hersa-Essei”. The tomb houses 13 burials in which was found a large number of ushabti figurines carved in faience. A collection of 1,000 figurines are in a very good state of conservation while other statuettes were found broken in pieces.

“Restorers are now busy collecting all of the parts for restoration,” Waziri pointed out. He continued that four canopic jars made of alabaster with lids bearing the faces of the four sons of the god Horus were also unearthed. 

They are in a very good state of conservation and still contain the mummified inner organs of the deceased. The jars are decorated with hieroglyphic texts showing the name and titles of its respective owner.

The mummy of high-priest “Djehuty-Irdy-Es” was also found.  The mummy is decorated with a bronze collar depicting the god Nut stretching her wings to protect the deceased according to ancient Egyptian belief. It is also decorated with a collection of blue and red precious beads as well as bronze gilded sheets, two eyes carved in bronze and ornamented with ivory and crystal beads.

Four amulets of semi-precious stones were also found on the mummy. It is decorated with hieroglyphic texts, one of which is engraved with a phrase saying: "Happy New Year.”

The mission has also unearthed 40 limestone sarcophagi of different shapes and sizes, some of them with anthropoid lids decorated with the names and different titles of their owners. 

Another family tomb was uncovered in the cemetery, Waziri said. It houses a collection of gigantic sarcophagi of different shapes and sizes, ushabti figurines bearing the names of their owners who were priests of the gods during their time. Other funerary collections showing the skills and art tastes of the ancient Egyptians were also found.

Al-Gurifa site was subject to an attempt at illegal excavation in 2002, a matter that led the SCA at the time to start comprehensive excavation work on site in 2002 and 2004 under the supervision of archaeologist Atta Makram.  In 2004, the site was declared an archaeological site under the guard of the SCA. In 2017, excavation work resumed to uncover the part of the cemetery of the New Kingdom and Late Period.

The cemeteries of the Old Kingdom, First Intermediate Period and the Middle Kingdom were on the east bank of the Nile in Al-Sheikh Saad and Eeir Al-Barsha area.  The Ptolemaic period of the cemetery was on the west bank of the Nile at Tuna Al-Gabal.

Source: Ahram Online

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New Discovery, Al-Alamein: 1st Century Tomb Discovered in Northern Egypt's Al-Alamein

An Egyptian archaeological mission working at an archaeological site in Al-Alamein on the northern coast has discovered a rock-hewn tomb that dates to the first and second centuries AD. Written By/ Nevine El-Aref.

The discovery was made during an archaeological survey carried out ahead of infrastructure work in New Alamein City.

Naema Sanad, director-general of the Marina archaeological site and head of the mission, told Ahram Online that the tomb contains of a staircase engraved in rock that leads to the main chamber of the tomb, whose walls hold a number of burial holes called “Locauli.”

Sanad says that the southern wall of the tomb is adorned with a Greek religious and artistic decoration called the “welfare horn,” which depicts a horn with a basin decorated with flowers and tree leaves. To the right of the tomb’s entrance is another chamber that was added during a later period.

Eman Abdel-Khaleq, senior inspector of the site, pointed out that the mission has discovered many artefacts in the tomb, including a collection of coins dating to the period when the tomb was built in addition to many pottery vessels and two lamps.

Source: Ahram Online

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New Discovery, Sharqiya: Ramses II Stelae Uncovered at San Al-Hagar Site

The newly discovered stelae

San Al-Hagar is a very distinguished archaeological site houses a vast collection of temples, among them temples dedicated to the goddess Mut, god Horus and god Amun. Written By/ Nevine El-Aref.

During work carried out at San Al-Hagar archaeological site in Sharqiya governorate with a view to develop the site into an open-air museum, archaeologists stumbled upon a stelae of 19th Dynasty King Ramses II.

Mostafa Waziri, secretary general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, told Ahram Online that the stelae is carved in red granite and depicts King Ramses II presenting offerings to a yet unidentified ancient Egyptian deity. 

Part of the development work & Waziri examining the stelae

He said that although several foreign missions have worked on the site, it has never been completely excavated and was neglected.

“This discovery encourages the Ministry of Antiquities to start a comprehensive development project at the site in order to rescue its monuments and transform it into an open-air museum,” Waziri added.

San Al-Hagar is a very distinguished archaeological site houses a vast collection of temples, among them temples dedicated to the goddess Mut, god Horus and god Amun. Several foreign missions, among them a French mission, have worked on the site since the mid-19th century.

Waadalla Abul Ela, head of the ministry's projects sector, explained that a project started a month ago aims to create a collection of concrete mastaba for the monumental blocks, statues and stelae that were laying on the floor of the temple.

 Source: Ahram Online 

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Short Story: A Year of Many Discoveries

Egyptian and foreign Egyptologists excavating at archaeological sites across Egypt have made more than 30 discoveries this year, reports Nevine El-Aref.

Coincidence has always played a major role in making new discoveries. Among the most famous examples are the uncovering of the tomb of the boy-king Tutankhamun on the west bank of the Nile at Luxor, the funerary collection of the Pharaoh Khufu’s mother Hetepheres, the Pyramids Builders’ Cemetery on the Giza Plateau, and the Valley of the Golden Mummies in the Bahareya Oasis.

This year, coincidence led to the discovery of more than 30 treasures, something which made the Ministry of Antiquities describe 2017 as “the year of discoveries”.

“It seems that our ancient Egyptian ancestors are bestowing their blessings on Egypt’s economy, as these discoveries are good for the country and its tourism industry,” Minister of Antiquities Khaled El-Enany told Al-Ahram Weekly.

He said that many new discoveries had been made. In the Gabal Al-Selsela area in Aswan, 20 tombs were discovered by a team from Lund University in Sweden, for example, while in Luxor an Egyptian-Japanese mission discovered the tomb of a royal scribe.

An Egyptian-German mission in Matareya outside Cairo made international headlines when it discovered fragments of a colossal statue of the Pharaoh Psamtick I.

An Egyptian mission from the Ministry of Antiquities discovered the inner parts of a pyramid from the 13th Dynasty, as well as the remains of a burial that would once have been inside the pyramid.

At the Tuna Al-Gabal archaeological site in Minya, a mission from Cairo University stumbled upon a cachette of non-royal mummies of men, women and children buried in catacombs eight metres below ground level in the desert neighbouring the local bird and animal necropolis.

“This discovery has changed our understanding of the Tuna Al-Gabal site,” El-Enany told the Weekly, adding that in Luxor several other important discoveries had been made. An Egyptian-European mission working at the Colossi of Memnon and the funerary temple of Amenhotep III had uncovered 136 statues of the goddess Sekhmet, most of which are life-size, as well as a beautiful alabaster statue of queen Tiye, wife of Amenhotep, carved on the side of a colossal statue of the king.

A team from Jaen University in Spain also discovered the tomb of an official in Aswan. A Spanish mission in western Thebes discovered the remains of a funerary garden, a first in the area’s history.

A mission from the Ministry of Antiquities stumbled upon the almost-intact funerary collections of Amenemhat, the goldsmith of the god Amun-Re, and of Userhat, chancellor of Thebes during the 18th Dynasty, in the Draa Abul-Naga Necropolis at Luxor. The mission also uncovered two yet-unidentified tombs that are particularly rich in their funerary collections.

“These finds are not only a matter of luck, but are the result of the hard work of archaeologists across the country working in sometimes very difficult conditions,” El-Enany said. “Antiquities are the soft power that distinguishes Egypt,” he added, remarking that news of new discoveries always catches the headlines and the attention of the whole world.

TOMB DISCOVERIES: Among these discoveries were the three major ones made by the Egyptian mission in the Draa Abul-Nagaa Necropolis on Luxor’s west bank, which provide a better understanding of the history of the Necropolis and the lives of the tomb-owners.

The tomb of Userhat housed a collection of ten well-preserved painted wooden coffins and eight mummies in various states of preservation, for example. A collection of more than 1,000 ushabti figurines and wooden masks were also uncovered alongside with skeletons, wooden anthropoid masks, figurines in faience, terracotta and wood and various clay pots.

Archaeologist Sherine Shawki, a specialist in osteology, told the Weekly that early studies carried out on the mummies and skulls had revealed that one of the individuals had been anaemic and probably suffered severe toothache while a second had undergone primitive surgery.

The tomb of the goldsmith houses a collection of stone-and-wood ushabti figurines of different types and sizes, mummies, painted and anthropoid wooden sarcophagi, and jewellery made of precious and semi-precious stones.....READ MORE.

Source: Al-Ahram Weekly

News, Cairo: Egyptian Museum Displays Works of Deir Al-Medina Artisans

The month-long exhibition, which marks the centenary of French excavations at Deir Al-Medina, opens on Thursday night. Written By/ Nevine El-Aref.

The Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square opens a temporary exhibition on Thursday night focused on the artisans of Luxor's Deir Al-Medina archaeological site.

Titled “The Artisans of the Pharaohs through their Artworks”, the month-long show also marks the centenary of French archaeological research, excavation and restoration at the site.

On show for the first time will be a collection of 52 artefacts discovered by the French mission at Deir Al-Medina, along with documents and photos from the archive of the Institut Français d’Archéologie Orientale (IFAO), Elham Salah, head of the museums sector at the Ministry of Antiquities, told Ahram Online.

The artifacts, she explains, reflect the daily life, the faith and the funerary rituals of the Deir Al-Medina artisans. Among the most important objects are a statue of Sanejem, lintels of kings Amenhotep I and II, as well as a painted limestone ostraca.

Source: Ahram Online

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News: Alexandria’s Eliyahu Hanavi Synagogue Not on UNESCO List of World Heritage in Danger - Ministry

Egypt’s Ministry of Antiquities has released a statement denying reports on social media that Alexandria’s Eliyahu Hanavi Synagogue has been placed on UNESCO’s List of World Heritage in Danger. Written By/ Nevine El-Aref.

The Jewish Synagogue

Yasmin El-Shazly, the General Supervisor of the Department of International Organisations for Cultural and the International Cooperation, said in the statement that the site was declared endangered by the World Monuments Fund, a non-profit NGO that is not part of UNESCO.

El-Shazly said that according to the rules and regulations of this fund, any person or entity can nominate any archaeological building to be placed on the list of this fund without a scientific study proving that the building is in danger.

“The Egyptian government gives equal importance to all its monuments and heritage sites, whether Ancient Egyptian, Jewish, Coptic or Islamic,” El-Shazly asserted.

El-Shazly said that the Egyptian government has allocated EGP 100 million to finance the restoration of the synagogue, which started in August and will last for eight months. El-Shazly added that this affirms the Egyptian government's keenness to protect and preserve the synagogue as part of Egypt’s heritage and identity.

Waadalah Abul-Ela, the head of the Projects Department at the antiquities ministry, said that the work on the synagogue aims to restore its architecture and fine decorative elements, as well as the lighting and security systems. The Eliyahu Hanavi Synagogue is located in Nabi Daniel Street in downtown Alexandria and is the oldest synagogue in the city.

It was originally built in 1354 but was partially destroyed by the Napoleon expedition in 1798 in order to build a defensive wall from the Kom El-Dikka area to the Mediterranean. In 1850, the synagogue was reconstructed with contributions from the royal family.

Source: Ahram Online

News: Antiquities Ministry Launches Initiative Promoting Museums, Sites at Egyptian Hotels

The ministry is hoping to promote Egypt's archaeological sites and museums via adverts and brochures in hotels. Written B/ Nevine El-Aref.

The ministry of antiquities is launching a new initiative in collaboration with hotels to promote museums and archaeological sites.

Elham Salah, head of the ministry’s Museum Department, told Ahram Online that the initiative started this week at one of Egypt's hotels, where a large advertisement was placed in the lobby.

The banner shows photos of the Museum of Islamic Art’s collection, its opening hours and a map of some of the country's archaeological sites. A collection of brochures about the museum will also be put in every room of the hotel.

"If the initiative proves success it will be extended to all hotels around Egypt," Salah said.

Source: Ahram Online

News: The Fight to Preserve Architectural Heritage of Egypt's Alexandria

Confronting the demolition of Alexandria’s historical building is a multi-layered task, argues prominent architect and founder of the Alexandria Preservation Trust Mohamed Awad. Written By/ Dina Ezzat.

The Zogheb palace, which was originally owned by a Syrian-Italian family and built
in 1877, and is one of the oldest buildings on Fouad street, is pictured in
Alexandria, Egypt Feb. 22, 2016. (Photo: Reuters)

A beautiful four-floor early 20th century apartment building is being knocked down on Fouad Street at the heart of Alexandria, much to the consternation of inhabitants who have lived through what was arguably the city’s belle époque.

Another apartment building overlooking the corniche of Alexandria, in El-Shatby neighbourhood, has also been evacuated in anticipation of a demolition that architectural heritage preservation activists are campaigning against on social media.

“I am not sure if the campaign will succeed,” lamented Mohamed Awad, the prominent architect who has dedicated years to the preservation and documentation of the architectural heritage of Alexandria’s city centre.

Awad told Ahram Online that the problem is that neither building had ever been put on the list of historic buildings that he helped compose during his days as the head of the Alexandria Preservation Trust (APT).

The list includes 1,135 buildings – 33 of which have exquisite architectural decoration – 63 zones, and 38 streets. Fouad Street, at the very heart of the city centre, is obviously on the list.

However, in the technical sense, preserving a historic street would not necessarily involve a prohibition on knocking down all its old buildings – especially if the owners of the building manage to provide municipal authorities with a valid reason for the demolition.

According to Awad, this reason could be a technical argument, such as fears about the building's possible collapse, or just a "sufficiently convincing argument" that the owner needs to replace a four-floor building that has two apartments on each floor with a higher structure that can accommodate more apartments.

Since he started his work as head of the APT over 40 years ago, Awad has seen the demolition of numerous historic buildings in Alexandria, notable for their architectural value, the events they witnessed or the inhabitants they had accommodated.

Awad particularly laments the demolition of Villa Aghion in 2014. The villa was constructed in the early 1920s by prominent French architect Auguste Perret, “whose gems in France are protected by UNESCO.”

Awad also grieves over the fate of the Villa Cicurel, which was demolished in 2015 and carried the name of one of the most prominent Jewish families of early 20th century Egypt, who owned an elegant department store chain. The villa was constructed in the early 1930s by two prominent French architects; Leon Azema and Jacques Hardy.

“These are just two examples, but we have seen other historic buildings demolished despite being included on the preservation list and despite elementary court rulings [against the demolition],” Awad said..... READ MORE.

Source: Ahram Online

News, Alexandria: Restoration of Alexandrian Jewish Synagogue is Underway - Antiquities Ministry

Restoration of the synagogue is expected to take 8 months and cost EGP 100 million. Written By/ Nevine El-Aref.

The Jewish Synagogue

Restoration work is beginning at the Eliyahu Hanavi Synagogue in Alexandria now that the required archaeological, engineering and scientific studies have been completed, Mohamed Abdel Aziz, director general of the Historic Cairo Rehabilitation Project, told Ahram Online.

Abdel Aziz said that Arab Contractors and Orascom Construction, assigned to the task by the Armed Forces Engineering Authority, are now on site to install all the required equipment in order to prepare the site for restoration.

He said that the restoration work is being executed under the supervision of the antiquities ministry and will take eight months. The budget of EGP100 million is being provided by the Egyptian government.

According to Abdel Aziz, the government has allocated EGP 1.27 billion to complete eight restoration projects: the Jewish synagogue and the Greco-Roman Museum in Alexandria; the Development of the Giza Plateau; the restoration of King Farouk’s resthouse in the plateau; the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Fustat; Baron Empain Palace in Heliopolis; Mohamed Ali Pasha Palace in Shoura; and Alexan Palace in Assiut.

“The antiquities ministry is keen to restore all Egypt's archaeological sites, including Jewish, Coptic and Islamic sites, which represent the country's heritage,” Abdel Aziz said.

Waadalah Abul-Ela, the head of the Projects Department at the ministry, said that the restoration work at the synagogue aims to restore the synagogue's architecture and fine decorative elements, as well as the lighting and security systems.

The Eliyahu Hanavi Synagogue is located in Nabi Daniel Street in downtown Alexandria and is the oldest synagogue in the city.  It was originally built in 1354 but was subjected to destruction by the Napoleon expedition to Egypt in 1798, in order to build a defensive wall from the Kom El-Dikka area to the Mediterranean. In 1850, the synagogue was reconstructed with contributions from the royal family.

Source: Ahram Online

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News, Alexandria: Restoration Work Begins On Alexandria's Angi Hanem Mosque

Engineers and archaeologists are fixing structures damaged by rainwater that entered through a leaky roof. Written By/ Nevine El-Aref.

Restoration Work on he Roof

The historic Angi Hanem Mosque in Alexandria is undergoing major restoration work to repair damage caused by rainwater passing through the roof and walls, according to the Ministry of Antiquities.

The 19th-century mosque in the Mohamram Bek area of Alexandria is closed to worshippers until the work is finished, with the ministries of antiquities and endowments cooperating on the project.

Mohamed Metwalli, head of antiquities for Alexandria and the North Coast, told Ahram Online that the mosque is in a very bad condition due to rainwater leaking through the roof and walls.

Scaffolding has been erected, with archaeologists and engineers from the antiquities ministry working to fix leaks and restore damaged structures.

The Minaret Before & After Restoration

Metwali explained that restoration work on the minaret was already complete, while damaged wooden beams in the ceiling would be replaced and cracks on the walls repaired.

The mosque's roof, which had been leaking, would also be waterproofed in order to keep the rain out.

The Angi Hanem Mosque was built during the late 19th century and includes fine examples of Ottoman architecture. It was named after Angi Hanem, the wife of Mohamed Saeed Pasha, ruler of Egypt.

In 2008, the mosque was put on Egypt's list of Islamic and Coptic monuments due to its age and architectural features.

It includes a rectangular middle hall with four arcades that run in parallel with the sanctuary wall. It also has a pulpit and a prayer hall for women, with a door leading to the mosque's wooden minaret.

Source: Ahram Online

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Short Story: Not Out of Africa?

Recent DNA analysis apparently showing that the ancient Egyptians were more Levantine than African has created controversy among Egyptian archaeologists. Written By/ Nevine El-Aref.

Early this week, scientists and researchers from the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History at the University of Tubingen in Germany revealed that the ancient Egyptians were genetically related to ancient Turkey and the Levant and not as African as had previously been thought.

The results were published in the journal Nature Communication after a DNA analysis on 151 Egyptian mummies from a period lasting from 1388 BC to 426 CE when Egypt become a province of the Roman Empire had been conducted.

The mummies came from an area named Abusir Al-Meleq, an ancient community in the middle of Egypt, and the DNA samples were extracted from the bones, teeth and soft tissues of the mummies.

Johannes Krause, a paleogeneticist from the University of Tubingen who made the study, told the US newspaper the Washington Post that the major finding was that “for 1,300 years, we see complete genetic continuity”. Despite repeated conquests of Egypt by Alexander the Great, the ancient Greeks, Romans, Arabs and Assyrians, the ancient Egyptians showed little genetic change. “The other big surprise,” Krause said, “was that we didn’t find much Sub-Saharan African ancestry.”

Comparing of the results was done with modern Egyptians and Ethiopians, and the results showed that the ancient Egyptians were closely related to people who lived along the eastern Mediterranean coasts and that they also shared genetic material with residents of the Anatolian Peninsula at the time and Europe. African genes were found in only 20 per cent of the material, and this was due to trade exchange.

In their paper, the researchers acknowledged that “all our genetic data were obtained from a single site in Middle Egypt and may not be representative for all of ancient Egypt.” In the south of Egypt, the authors wrote, Sub-Saharan African influences may have been stronger.

The study has triggered anger among several Egyptian archaeologists who have questioned the results. Egyptologist Zahi Hawass described the studies as “hallucinations” and told Al-Ahram Weekly that they were not accurate for several reasons.

The mummies that were subjected to the DNA tests dated to the Graeco-Roman period when the mummification process was very poor, he said. They also belonged to people who came from Italy or to Greeks who lived in ancient Egypt and not to native ancient Egyptians.

“How can the ancient Egyptians be genetically from Europe,” Hawass asked, adding that when the ancient Egyptians were busy building their civilisation Europe did not exist in civilisational terms.

“There is no scientific or archaeological evidence that could support such results,” Hawass said, adding that the only discovery that scientists think could indicate the origin of the ancient Egyptians was the Naqad Necropolis discovered by archaeologist Flinders Petrie which houses .... READ MORE.

Source: Ahram Online

News, Luxor: 3,000-Year-Old Nobleman's Tomb Discovered by Egyptian Archeologists

Eight mummies, along with sarcophagi, figurines and other artifacts, were uncovered in the vault.

Egyptian archaeologists have unearthed the 3,000-year-old tomb of a nobleman - the latest in a series of major discoveries of ancient relics. 

Discovered near the Nile city of Luxor, it contains the remains of Userhat, who worked as a judge in the New Kingdom from roughly 1,500 to 1,000 B.C.

The vault consists of an open court leading into a rectangular hall, a corridor and inner chamber, according to the country's Ministry of Antiquities.

In one of the rooms in the tomb, archaeologists found a collection of figurines, wooden masks and a handle of a sarcophagus lid. Excavation is continuing in a second chamber.

Earlier this year, Swedish archaeologists discovered 12 ancient Egyptian cemeteries near the southern city of Aswan that date back almost 3,500 years. In March, an eight-metre statue that is believed to be King Psammetich 1, who ruled from 664 to 610 BC, was discovered in a Cairo slum.

Hisham El Demery, chief of Egypt's Tourism Development Authority, said tourism was picking up and discoveries like the one at Luxor would encourage the sector. "These discoveries are positive news from Egypt's tourism industry, which is something we all really need," he said.

Tourism in Egypt has suffered in the aftermath of the mass protests that toppled former president Hosni Mubarak in 2011. Militant bomb attacks have also deterred foreign visitors.

Source: Independent UK

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New Discovery, Luxor: Big Discovery of A New Tomb in Luxor

Rumours has it that the minister of antiquities will announce this morning a discovery of a new tomb but the truth is; it is actually a previously known tomb that is now rediscovered.

Do you remember Spring 1995 when Dr. Kent Weeks was working on documenting the Theban tombs as a part of Theban Mapping Project.

Dr. Weeks was in KV5 which was known before as a small undecorated room but when Dr. Weeks noticed a small inscription, he decided to start working on clearing the debris and rediscovered the tomb as one of the largest tombs with more than 120 rooms and corridors cleaned so far.

Similar story here, the tomb which is supposed to be announced by the minister is tomb (-157-) in Dra Abu El-Naga.

Not TT157 though but (-157-) according to Friederike Kampp "Die Thabanische Nekropole" page number 708.

The tomb is located to the south of Tomb TT255 of Roy and it has a typical T-shape. A wide room then a corridor ends with a niche.

The Egyptian team of the ministry of antiquities has been working recently in the tomb which belong to a New Kingdom official called "Userhat" has discovered a large number of ushabtis, pottery and a number of wooden coffins as well as remains of a stelae and human remains.

More details and exclusive footage will be posted later.

Source: Luxor Times Magazine

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New Discovery, Luxor: Egyptian Archaeologists Unearth Tomb of 18th Dynasty Magistrate in West Luxor

An Egyptian archaeological mission in Luxor has announced the discovery of a major tomb in the city's west bank area dating back to the 18th Dynasty and containing priceless artifacts. Written By/ Ahram Online

The tomb of Judge Ou Sarhat of the 18th Dynasty in west Luxor

Mostafa Waziry, Director General of Luxor Antiquities, told reporters on Tuesday that the tomb, which was unearthed in the Zeraa Abu El-Nagaa necropolis, most likely belonged to the city's magistrate Ou Sarhat.

The New Kingdom funerary collection includes dozens of statues, coffins and mummies.

Minister of Antiquities Khaled El-Enany told Ahram Online that, despite the tomb's small size, it represents an important discovery due to the funery collection being largely in tact.

Waziry, who heads the Luxor archaeological mission, told Ahram Online that the tomb was first mentioned in the early 20th century but it had never been excavated before because its entrance was only located in March.

He said that, despite having been reused in the Late Period, the tomb still contains most of its original funery collection.

The contents include well-preserved wooden coffins decorated with coloured scenes, as well as wooden funerary masks and almost 1,000 ushabti figurines carved in faience, terra-cotta and wood. Also found was a collection of clay pots of different shapes and sizes.

The tomb is a typical example of a nobleman's resting place, Waziry said, with a t-shaped structure consisting of an open court leading into a rectangular hall, a corridor and an inner chamber.

Excavations continue to reveal the tomb's secrets, with an inner chamber containing a cachette of sarcophagi from the 21st Dynasty with mummies wrapped in linen. Experts are examining the mummies to discover the identities of the dead and the reasons for their deaths.

A nine-metre-deep shaft was also uncovered, connected to two rooms.

Source: Ahram Online

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New Discovery, Luxor: Archaeologists Unearth Statue of Queen Tiye in Egypt's Luxor

The discovery of the statue was made by the European-Egyptian mission, working under the umbrella of the German Archaeological Institute. Written By/ Nevine El-Aref.

A unique statue, possibly of Queen Tiye, the wife of King Amenhotep III and grandmother of King Tutankhamun, has been unearthed at her husband's funerary temple in Kom El-Hittan on Luxor's west bank. 

The exciting find was made by the European-Egyptian mission, working under the umbrella of the German Archaeological Institute.

Minister of Antiquities Khaled El-Enany who visited the site to inspect the discovery, described the staute as "unique and distinghuised". 

He told Ahram Online that no alabaster statues of Queen Tiye have been found before now. 

"All previous statues of her unearthed in the temple were carved of quartzite," he said.

Hourig Sourouzian, head of the mission said that the statue is very well preserved and has kept is colours well. 

She said the statue was founded accidentally while archaeologists were lifting up the lower part of a statue of king Amenhotep III that was buried in the sand.

"The Queen Tiye statue appeared beside the left leg of the King Amenhotep III statue," Sourouzian said. She added that the statue will be the subject of restoration work.

Source: Ahram Online

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