New Discovery El Minya "2" : Egyptian team uncovers ancient tomb of royal treasury supervisor in Minya.

An Egyptian archaeological mission working in the ​​al-Ghuraifah area in Minya Governorate has uncovered the tomb of a royal treasury supervisor named “Badi Est”.

Stone statues and other archaeological findings within indicated that the tomb was well-preserved.

The tomb consists of a burial well that is ten meters deep, leading to a large room with niches engraved in the rock and closed with regular stone slabs, said the Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities and Head of the Mission Mostafa Waziry.

Inside were two stone statues, one for Apis the bull god and the other of a woman, he added. A canopic vessel was also found, made of alabaster in the form of the four sons of Horus.

On the vessel, the titles and names of the deceased were engraved, Waziry noted.

He added that 400 blue and green Ushabti statues bearing the name of the deceased were also found, alongside six graves for his family members containing nearly a thousand faience statues and sets of utensils.

 Source:egyptindependent

News: Egyptian PM’s visit to archaeological site set to boost tourism.

Egypt is gearing up to open the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization later this year and the Grand Egyptian Museum in early 2021.

To promote these important events, Egyptian Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly made a historic visit to the archaeological site of Saqqara, located south of Cairo.

Madbouly inspected Oct. 19 the excavation works carried out by the Egyptian archaeological mission working in the Saqqara antiquities area. He visited the archaeological site and participated in the inspection works along with the members of the archaeological mission — a first in the history of the country. 

The visit boosted the morale of workers and led them to expedite the discovery of antiquities, artifacts and mummies dating back more than 2,500 years. 

Madbouly went down one of the three new burial wells that were found to inspect for himself the coffins that were discovered inside.

Zahi Hawass, an Egyptian archaeologist and former minister of antiquities, told Al-Monitor that Egypt is conveying a message to the world that it is interested in antiquities, culture and civilization.

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is to receive the royal mummies that will be transferred in a majestic procession to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in the ancient city of Fustat, now part of Cairo. The museum is set to display antiquities discovered in the Saqqara necropolis, home to thousands of mummies, statues and historical artifacts.

Starting next month, Egypt is set to inaugurate several archaeological museums. Chief among these is the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in the capital Cairo, the Sharm Museum in the southern Sinai Peninsula, the Royal Chariots Museum in Bulaq, the Kafr El-Sheikh Museum in the Nile Delta region and the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

Hawass said that for the first time in the history of Egyptian antiquities, a prime minister has visited an archaeological site and went down an 11-meter (36-feet) deep well to see such a discovery for himself.

This came after international agencies had reported the discovery in an area containing thousands of coffins with mummies and statues.

In early October, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Khaled al-Anani announced at a widely publicized event in the presence of local and international reporters that a huge archaeological discovery was made in the Saqqara area near the pyramids, containing wells with coffins of mummies, artifacts and statues dating back more than 2,500 years. 

Hawass stressed that Egypt is announcing to the world its interest in antiquities and culture.

The cost of the Grand Egyptian Museum has thus far exceeded $1 billion, he stated, adding that Egypt has spent millions of pounds to develop the Pyramids area, the Sohag National Museum, the Baron Palace and the Sharm Museum.

Yaman al-Hamaki, a professor of economics at the Faculty of Commerce at Ain Shams University, told Al-Monitor that Egypt is making great efforts to overcome the repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic on the tourism sector, which was generating about $1 billion per month. Cairo, she said, has resumed in July the flights to Sharm el-Sheikh, Hurghada and Marsa Alam on the northern coast, thus giving a boost to the tourism sector. These destinations are open areas where the necessary measures to stem the spread of the coronavirus are implemented.

Hamaki noted that Egypt is seeking to promote archaeological tourism through the large inauguration events that are scheduled in the coming period.

Egypt, she continued, is encouraging tourists to spend more time in Cairo by opening coffee shops, restaurants and hotels in the Pyramids area.

These projects, according to Hamaki, will play a major role in increasing the revenues generated by the tourism sector.

She said that Madbouly’s historic visit to the Saqqara necropolis was organized to promote to the world Egyptian archaeological tourism, as the country seeks to generate tourism revenues to the national economy as soon as the pandemic ends and the global situation stabilizes.

Amr Sidky, head of the parliamentary Tourism and Antiquities Commission, said that Egypt is putting itself on the global map of culture and civilization with the upcoming openings of the Grand Egyptian Museum and the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization and the development of the Baron Palace.

Add to this, she continued, other important archaeological discoveries, all of which are set to attract tourists to Cairo as soon as the coronavirus pandemic is over.

Sidky told Al-Monitor that Egypt is currently showing great interest in workers in the tourism and antiquities sector, which explains Madbouly’s visit to the Saqqara archaeological site, which encouraged Egyptian archaeologists to speed up new discoveries and promote them to various international media outlets so as to convey to the world a positive image of the country.

This will play an important role in reviving the tourism sector in the future and will be of great benefit to the Egyptian economy.

He stressed that while Egypt is currently boosting domestic tourism due to the decline of foreign tourism, the ongoing pandemic and the lockdowns in a number of countries, it is also working on improving infrastructure through the inauguration of these large museums.

Source:al-monitor

New Discovery, Sakkara: Archaeologists unearth 'huge number' of sealed Egyptian sarcophagi.

Archaeologists in Egypt have discovered another large cache of unopened sarcophagi in Saqqara, adding to the trove of almost 60 coffins recently recovered from the ancient necropolis.
Although full details are yet to be announced, authorities said in a statement that "a huge number" of wooden sarcophagi had been unearthed. The country's Tourism and Antiquities Minister Khaled El-Enany said on Instagram that the find amounted to "dozens" of coffins, adding that they have been "sealed since ancient times."
The collection of sarcophagi, stored in three newly discovered burial shafts, is believed to date back more than 2,500 years. Colored and gilded statues were also found in the tombs, a government press release said.
On Monday, El-Enany and Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly visited the site alongside secretary general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Mustafa Waziri. Photos released by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities show the trio being lowered into a shaft before inspecting painted coffins and a variety of other objects.

Officials said they believe the coffins contain senior statesmen and priests from the 26th dynasty, which ruled Egypt from 664 B.C. to 525 B.C.
The ministry said that further details of this month's discovery will be announced at a press conference at the site in "the next few weeks." Its announcement also revealed that Prime Minister Madbouly had produced a video in which he thanked the ministry and "expressed his great pride in the unique Egyptian civilization."
Although it is not yet confirmed what will happen to the newly discovered sarcophagi, some of those found earlier this year are set to go on display at the soon-to-open Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza. Upon its opening, the 5.2-million-square-foot structure will become the world's largest museum devoted to a single civilization.

 Source:cnn

New Restaurant , Giza : Egypt launches first tourist restaurant at Giza pyramid

The long-awaited project to develop the tourist services and facilities on the Giza Plateau is to begin operations in 2021.
This week saw the trial operations of the plateau’s first environmentally friendly electric bus and restaurant within the framework of the joint cooperation protocol signed in 2018 between the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) and Orascom Pyramids Entertainment to develop services on the Pyramids Plateau.
Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Khaled El-Enany and Naguib Sawiris, chairman and CEO of Orascom, witnessed the trial operation of the bus service that eventually will replace all other cars and buses on the site.
They announced the opening of “Nine Pyramids”, the first restaurant and lounge to be located within the Pyramids area, specifically on the southern side of the plateau that overlooks nine royal tombs and has a superb view.
The architectural part of the Giza Plateau Development Project was implemented by the Armed Forces Engineering Authority and is supported by funds from the government.
Preparations are underway to start operating the project, with the inauguration scheduled before mid-2021, El-Enany said.
Today, we announce the opening of the first touristic restaurant in the Panorama area of the Pyramids Plateau, without any major construction work in accordance with the requirements of the archaeological area.
This project is the first fruit of the protocol signed between the Supreme Council of Antiquities and Orascom Investment Holding that entails providing and operating services in this area and which was signed in December 2018,” he added.
The restaurant is built in a subtle wooden setting, with pillows scattered on the ground to emulate a Bedouin style.
Its unique location offers a view of the Pyramids. The project has mobile and self-cleaning toilets, and food and beverage services will be available in specified areas, as approved by the SCA.
The project is part of the ministry’s keenness to improve the quality of services provided to visitors to the area, one of the most important touristic destinations in the world.

El-Enany said that Egypt was developing its touristic and archaeological infrastructure, and that this would have a positive impact on Egyptian tourism.
With the completion of this development project, the increase in the capacity of

the Sphinx International Airport, and the inauguration of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) next year, the tourism map of Egypt would be transformed, he said.
“Our main objective, from the moment we embarked on the project of managing and operating visitors’ services at the Giza Plateau, was to upgrade the services provided such that they were up to the greatness of Egyptian civilisation and the magnificence of this historical site, while preserving the area from all forms of pollution and creating a fascinating experience for its visitors,” Sawiris said.
“We are happy to introduce these initial amenities and look forward to launching all the new services and features that will completely transform the visitor experience at the Giza Pyramids.”
Ashraf Halim, CEO of Orascom Pyramids Entertainment, said that to achieve the vision of transforming this unique site into a global archaeological tourist destination, robust cooperation has been undertaken with Egyptian and international consulting firms with expertise in similar projects.
These had developed engineering designs and architectural drawings in accordance with the international specifications commensurate with the archaeological site, he added.
He also said that in addition to the company’s commitment to providing all basic services at the highest level, electronic services would also be provided to visitors, including applications for prior reservations and to provide information about the archaeological site and its services.
He stressed that construction was underway in order to finalise the implementation of the project.

Source:ahramonline.

New Discovery, El Minya : Pharaonic tomb unearthed in Egypt.

Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has announced the discovery of an ancient pharaonic tomb in Minya province.

An Egyptian mission unearthed the tomb which is located in Tuna al-Gabal archaeological site in Minya, Xinhua news agency quoted head of the ministry's Supreme Council of Antiquities Mostafa Waziri as saying in a statement on Saturday.

He said that the 10-metre deep tomb belongs to a man who served as "supervisor of the royal treasury".

Waziri added that stone statues, coffins and other archaeological finds were found inside the tomb. Excavations are still ongoing to uncover more secrets and treasures of the archaeological site, Waziri noted, stressing that all artefacts found at the tombs were in a good state of preservation.

Egypt has witnessed several large-scale archeological discoveries in recent years in different parts of the country, including pharaonic tombs, statues, coffins and mummies. 

Source:tribuneindia

News, Giza: Prime Minister inspects progress of Grand Egyptian Museum.

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly on Saturday conducted an inspection tour of the Grand Egyptian Museum project at Giza.

He was briefed on the project’s recent construction work and the development of the surrounding areas.
Madbouly then addressed the workers, saying “You contribute towards building a scientific, cultural, and tourist monument, and the state is not only buildiing a museum, but also a grand compound of Egyptian civilization.”
The prime minister stressed that all preemptive measures against the coronavirus must be applied in all sites of the project, with full adherence to sterilization measures  so that workers are protected.
Minister of Tourism Khaled al-Anany presented a brief on the museum, set to be located on an area of 500,000 square meters.
He explained that the visitor path will begin by entering from the Cairo-Alexandria desert road to the museum’s main entrance in front of the Egyptian Obelisk Square. There, visitors will be greeted with the museum’s majestic façade and the “wall of the pyramids”  600 meters wide and 45 meters high.
The museum itself is made up of two main blocks, Anany said, namely the museum building on the left on an area of 92,623 square meters and the conference center on the right on an area of 40,609 square meters,connected by the entrance hall where the statue of King Ramses II is located.
The conference center will consist of a large multi-use hall for conferences and theater, and a 3D film theater with a capacity of 500 individuals, in addition to rest areas and a garden for VIP visitors, a cultural center containing ten classes, two halls for lectures and another hall for computers.
The project’s supervisor Atef Moftah said that engineering  work is over 97 percent complete, and construction has been completed at 100 percent.

Source:egyptindependent

New Discovery, Saqqara: Egypt reveals 59 ancient coffins found near Saqqara pyramids, many of which hold mummies

Egypt’s tourism and antiquities minster said on Saturday archaeologists have unearthed dozens of ancient coffins in a vast necropolis south of Cairo.

Khalid el-Anany said at least 59 sealed sarcophagi, with mummies inside most of them, were found that had been buried in three wells more than 2,600 years ago.

The Saqqara plateau hosts at least 11 pyramids, including the Step Pyramid, along with hundreds of tombs of ancient officials and other sites that range from the 1st Dynasty (2920 B.C.-2770 B.C.) to the Coptic period (395-642).

Mostafa Waziri, secretary general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said initial studies show that the decorated coffins were made for priests, top officials and elites from the Pharaonic Late Period (664-525 B.C.).  

The Saqqara discovery is the latest in a series of archeological finds that Egypt has sought to publicize in an effort to revive its key tourism sector, which was badly hit by the turmoil that followed the 2011 uprising. The sector was also dealt a further blow this year by the global coronavirus pandemic.

“I consider this is the beginning of a big discovery,” el-Anany said, adding that there is an unknown number of coffins that have yet to be unearthed in the same area.

He spoke at a news conference at the famed Step Pyramid of Djoser in Saqqara where the coffins were found. The sarcophagi have been displayed and one of them was opened before reporters to show the mummy inside. Several foreign diplomats attended the announcement ceremony.

He said archaeologists also found a total of 28 statuettes of Ptah-Soker the main god of the Saqqara necropolis, and a beautifully carved 35 cm tall bronze statuette of god Nefertum, inlaid with precious stones. 

The name of its owner, Priest Badi-Amun, is written on its base, he said.
Egyptian antiquities officials had announced the discovery of the first batch coffins last month, when archaeologists found 13 of the containers in a newly discovered 11 meter-deep (36 feet) well. 

El-Anany said the Saqqara coffins would join 30 ancient wooden coffins that were discovered in October in the southern city of Luxor, and will be showcased at the new Grand Egyptian Museum, which Egypt is building near the Giza Pyramids.

Source : USA Today

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