Exclusive photos: Pre-Dynastic tomb discovered in Hierakonpolis

As Luxor Times was the first to publish the news of the new discovery in Hierakonpolis earlier today, now we bring to you exclusive photos of the discovered objects in the tomb.

The discovery details as we published this afternoon

Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim announced a new discovery today. The discovery is a Pre-Dynastic tomb dates back about 500 years before King Narmer of 1st Dynasty. The tomb is in Kom Al Ahmar, Edfu in the site of Nekhen or Hierakonpolis.

A mummy of the tomb owner and an ivory statue were found by the mission directed by Dr. Renée Friedman in cooperation with the Ministry of Antiquities.

Ali Al Asfr, head of Ancient Egypt department, said that discovered ivory statue measures 32cm hight which could be representing the tomb owner with a beard or maybe one of the gods.

The initial examination of the mummy showed that the mummified person died at early age between 17 to 20 years old.

Dr. Renée Friedman said that there are also 10 ivory combs found in the tomb as well as a number of tools and weapons.

According to Dr. Friedman, the importance of this tomb that it still has its content which gives archaeologists the opportunity to know more on the rituals of this era. It also shows how much respect and appreciation they had in Pre-Dynastic time for their ancestors.

Photos are courtesy of Dr. Renee Friedman and MSA

Pre-Dynastic tomb discovered in Hierakonpolis

Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim announced a new discovery today. The discovery is a Pre-Dynastic tomb dates back about 500 years before King Narmer of 1st Dynasty.

The tomb is in Kom Al Ahmar, Edfu in the site of Nekhen or Hierakonpolis.

A mummy of the tomb owner and an ivory statue were found by the mission directed by Dr. Renée Friedman in cooperation with the Ministry of Antiquities.

Ali Al Asfr, head of Ancient Egypt department, said that discovered ivory statue measures 32cm hight which could be representing the tomb owner with a beard or maybe one of the gods.

The initial examination of the mummy showed that the mummified person died at early age between 17 to 20 years old.

Dr. Renée Friedman said that there are also 10 ivory combs found in the tomb as well as a number of tools and weapons. 

According to Dr. Friedman, the importance of this tomb that it still has its content which gives archaeologists the opportunity to know more on the rituals of this era. It also shows how much respect and appreciation they had in Pre-Dynastic time for their ancestors.

Egyptian heritage is under maximum security

Minister of Antiquities declares state of emergency to tighten the security measures in all sites and museums in Egypt in cooperation with Tourism and Antiquities Police in order to keep Egyptian heritage safe from any attempt to vandalise. The Minister said that no cars are allowed in sites or museums.

The measures includes maintenance to all security gates at sites to ensure they are functional.

Wooden sarcophagi and other antiquities to be repatriated from the USA

Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim said today "Ministry of Antiquities managed to prove Egypt's right to retrieve a number of antiquities dated back to different eras of the Egyptian history which were seized at New York City customs in 2011 while trying to smuggle them into the United States."

The Minister added " Once we were informed, legal procedures were taken in cooperation with the Egyptian embassy in New York and Ministry of Foreign Affairs to prove our right to repatriate them to Egypt. Now we are completing the process to receive the objects and bring them back in the near future."

The artefacts are; a wooden sarcophagus for a Lady dated to late period beside another Graeco-Roman coffin.

There are also a number of Middle Kingdom wooden boats statues beside a number of limestone statues, some of the dated to the Third Intermediate Period and others dated to Late Period.

Those objects are most likely to be found during illegal excavation at different sites.