Two 2,500-year-old tombs discovered in Upper Egypt
Archaeologists have unearthed two 26th Dynasty tombs with human remains with golden tongues at El-Bahnasa (Oxyrhynchus) archaeological site in the Upper Egypt governorate of Minya, the Tourism and Antiquities Ministry said on Sunday.
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| Human remains found at the entrance to one of the tombs with a golden tongue [Credit: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities] |
The discovery was made during excavation work carried out by a Spanish archaeological mission from Barcelona University and IPOA, the ministry added in a statement.
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| Three golden tongue-shaped amulets found inside human remains dating back to the Graeco-Roman period [Credit: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities] |
At the entrance of the first tomb the mission unearthed two human remains with golden tongues, and inside the tomb a large limestone sarcophagus has been located with a female shaped lid. Early studies revealed that the tomb was previously opened during ancient times and plundered.
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| The woman's sarcophagus had been opened in ancient times [Credit: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities] |
The second tomb, located adjacent to the first, is intact and completely sealed, said Hassan Amer, Professor of Graeco-Roman department at the Faculty of Archaeology, Cairo University and the mission’s excavation director.
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| The sealed tomb contained a limestone male sarcophagus and four canopic jars [Credit: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities] |
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| The limestone male sarcophagus contained a mummy, which was in a good state of preservation [Credit: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities] |
It houses a limestone sarcophagus with a man shaped lid, two niches contain Canopic Jars as well as a collection of 402 green faience Ushabti figurines, amulets and beads.
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| Canopic jars found in the sealed tomb [Credit: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities] |
Excavations will continue to uncover more secrets inside these tombs along with studies to know more about the golden tongues.
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| Around 400 ushabti funerary figurines made of faience were found in the sealed tomb [Credit: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities] |
The mission has been working in El-Bahnasa area since 1992, led by Maite Mascort and Esther Pons Melado. Over these years several artefacts were found, including a collection of Saite, Graeco-Roman and Coptic eras.
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| Scarabs and amulets found in the sealed tomb [Credit: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities] |
El-Bahnasa was the capital of the 19th nome of the Upper Egyptian nomes, and is renowned for its Papyri with writings in Greek language, which are published in a number of volumes in Oxford. It had a wide fame in the Coptic and Islamic periods.
Author: Nevine El-Aref | Source: Ahram Online [December 05, 2021]
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