Discovery of +4000-years old wall leading to new tombs in Aswan

Dr. Mahmoud Affifi, head of the Ancient Egyptian antiquities sector at the ministry of antiquities, announced unearthing of a 2-meters high stone encroachment wall underneath the visitor's pathway in the northern part of Qubbet El hawa cemetery in Aswan which according to Dr. Affifi would probably mean the existence of undiscovered tombs in this site. 

The discovery was made during the excavations of Birmingham university's mission in cooperation with Egypt Exploration Society at Qubbet El Hawa (QHRP) directed by Dr. Martin Bommas.

The discovered wall was probably protecting the first level of the tombs in the area like the tombs of Harkhuf and Heqaib, the governors of Elphantine island in the Old Kingdom. 

Mr. Essam Nagy, co-director of the QHRP and director of the EES office in Cairo. The Egyptian co-director expressed his excitement as he lay out the project's future plan to follow the wall over its entire lengths in the coming field-seasons: “This find is likely to change our understanding of the ancient funerary landscape of Qubbet el-Hawa”.

Dr. Eman Khalifa, pottery specialist and team member of the mission, said "This cemetry was most likely used since the First Intermediate Period to Middle Kingdom based on dating the wall by dating the pottery used in the wall structure. The pottery contains parts dated to the time of Pepi II of 6th Dynasty  (ca. 2287-2184 B.C)

 Dr. Martin Bommas (Left) Mr. Nasr Salama (Right) 

Left to Right: Dr. Martin Bommas, Mr. Nasr Salama and Mr. Essam Nagy

Dr. Martin Bommas explaining the work done by the UoB in coooperation with EES mission  

Photos courtsey of MoA and EES

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