Middle Kingdom Burial Shaft Discovered by Egyptian Archaeologists in Fayoum

The Egyptian archaeological mission working at Kom El Khelua necropolis in Fayoum directed by Dr. Aiman Ashmawi has discovered during their work started last month, a burial shaft to the east of Prince Waje’s Middle Kingdom tomb.  

Dr. Mostafa Waziri said “El Khelua is located at the far south of Fayoum about 40 km from the town. It is a Middle Kingdom necropolis and precisely the time of King Amenemhat III (1842-1799 B.C) and it was reused as a Christian settlement during Byzantine time.

Dr. Aiman Ashmawi said that the shaft leads to 3 burial chambers. The team found in them 40cm-torso of a sandstone statue of a person with his right arm across his chest. The findings include a middle part of basal statue measures 20 cm in height and a number of potteries besides 3 canopic jars covers but the jars themselves are smashed and inside one of them remains of the deceased.  

Dr. Ashmawi implied that it was probably robbed and reused as a burial in later times. 

Dr. Hany Abo ElAzm (Director of Middle Egypt Antiquities) said “The Tomb of Waje in a rock cut tome and it was discovered by the Italian mission of Pisa university in 1981 during an archaeological survey project. The mission discovered a limestone statue bearing the name of Prince Waje and it is currently in the storeroom in Kom Oshim in Fayoum.

#Egypt #Egyptology #Archaeology #Fayoum #MiddleKingdom #History

Several Mummies Discovered by Egyptian Archaeologist South of Cairo

Egyptian Archaeologists Discover Several Ancient Egyptian Burials south of Cairo

The Egyptian Archaeological mission directed by Dr. Mostafa Waziri, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, discovered several burials to the south east of the White Pyramid of King Amenemhat II in Dahshur, 22 miles south of Cairo.

Dr. Waziri said that the mission started working at the site in August 2018 and discovered several burials contain 8 limestone coffins, inside the coffins there are mummies with cartonnage. Three of them are in a good state of preservation and they are dated to the Late Period.

Dr. Waziri added that the sarcophagi are now stored in storerooms for restoration and they will be included in the museum display plans for the several museums being established by the Ministry of Antiquities in Egypt.

#Egypt #Cairo #Pyramid #Mummies #Sarcophagi #Cartonnage  #Archaeology #Egyptology #Mummy #TheMummy

Egyptian Archaeologists Unearth More of Re Temple in Old Heliopolis

The Egyptian archaeological mission of Ain Shams university directed by Dr. Mamdouh ElDamaty successfully discovered two limestone blocks at the northern part at the site of Arab El-Hisn in old Heliopolis, modern Matariya.

Dr. Mamdouh El-Damaty said “The discovered blocks bear the inscriptions of Ramses II’s architect who is called “Amen-Mapet””

The architect was one of most famous architects of Ramses II’s reign and he is the father of architect who overseen the building of Luxor temple. 

Dr. ElDamaty added “The text discovered shows the this architect was the overseer of building of the festival palace and Ramses II chapel which the mission discovered earlier this season. The inscriptions also mention the titles of the architect including “Overseer of all of King Ramses II work” and “Chief of police or Medhay in the south”.

According to Dr. ElDamaty, Architect “Amen-Mapet” overseen the  building of northern stature of Ramses II where the blocks were discovered as well as a limestone wall with an entrance in the middle of it leading to a mud brick floor. 

The wall was separating two court yards behind the statues which not all their features are discovered yet. What was discovered so far reveals an important part of the temple of Re in old Heliopolis and the mission will continue their work in March and April 2019 to reveal more of the site’s architecture elements. 

#Egypt #Archaeology #Egyptology 

3500-year Burial of a Pregnant Woman Discoered in Aswan

The Egyptian-Italian archaeological mission working in Kom Ombo, Aswan discovered a burial of a pregnant woman. 

Dr. Mostafa Waziri said “Almost-intact burial was discovered in a cemetery was used by nomads who came to Egypt through the desert from south Nubia during the second intermediate period (1750-1550 B.C).”

According to Dr. Waziri, the preliminary studies show that at the time of her death, the woman was about 25 years old and she was very close to her due date.

He added that the baby’s skeleton was found in his mother pelvic area and the fetus had already settled in a ‘head-down’ position, hinting to the possibility that both mother and child may have died during childbirth. 

Preliminary analysis of the mother’s remains has revealed a misalignment in the woman’s pelvis, most likely the result of a fracture that had healed incorrectly. It is possible that this abnormality had caused problems during labour leading to the pair premature death.

The mother’s skeleton was resting in a contracted position and was wrapped in a leather shroud. Two pottery vessels accompanied her on her journey to the afterlife: one was a small Egyptian jar, beautifully made and worn down by years of use; the other was a fine bowl with a red polished surface and black interior, produced by these nomadic communities following a Nubian style.  

Dr. Waziri  mentioned that the mission was also found  an unexpected offering  in the grave, consisting of many unfinished ostrich eggshell beads and blank fragments. The reason behind this offering is unclear; it is possible that in life she was a well-regarded beadmaker and her family placed such large amount of unworked material in the grave to honour her memory.

#Egypt #Egypology #Archaeology 

#Egypt #Aswan #Egyptology #Archaeology 

Czech Archaeologists Discover The Keeper of the Secret’s Tomb

The Czech mission directed by Dr. Miroslav Barta discovered a huge tomb of limestone and mud brick dated to the middle of the 5th Dynasty to the era of King Nyuserre (Nyuserre Ini).

Dr. Mostafa Waziry told Luxor Times that the tomb belongs to a person called “Ka Ir Is” who held several titles during the 5th Dynasty including “The overseer of All Royal Works” “Imi-ra kat-nebet net-nesw” 

Mr. Adel Okasha said “During the excavation work the mission found inside the main shaft; a pink granite statue which was broken into two parts. The statue represents the tomb owner sitting on a small stall and wearing wig. The name and titles of the tomb owner in inscribed in the stall. 

The other titles of the tomb owner include “Beloved by his lord, Keeper of the Secret of the house of Morning, Friend/courtier of the King”

Dr. Barta said that the mission with continue the work to reveal and document the rest of the tomb. 

#Egypt #Egyptology #Archaeology #Discovery #Pyramids #OldKingdom  

Rock-cut Tomb in a 4000-year-old Elite Cemetery Discovered

An Egyptian archaeological team has discovered a rock-cut tomb in Lisht,

Adel Okasha (Director of Cairo and Giza Antiquities) told Luxor Times “The disdovered tomb is about 300 meters to the North-East of Senusret I’s pyramid. It consists of two parts, first the open courtyard which leads to a vaulted ceiling corridor with some visible hieroglyph inscriptions. 

The corridor leads to a broad hall to the west of it a small inscribed and decorated chapel which currently the restoration department in Lisht is performing the needed restoration for this part.”   

  

Mr. Mohamed El-Daly (Director of Dahshur and Lisht Antiquities) said “The second part of the tomb is a burial shaft in the open courtyard and measures 100cm x 80cm and about 3 meters deep. 

Inside the burial shaft to the west, a corridor leads to the first burial chamber which is an undecorated room contains to the north wall an empty undecorated limestone sarcophagus and to the south side an entrance to another room contains another empty undecorated limestone sarcophagus, but it is unique as it has inside different geometric formations (shapes).

The southern side of the shaft has an entrance leading to more chambers which will be excavated next season.”

Mr. Yasser Abd Fatah (General Director of Dahshur and Lisht Antiquities) said “So far we didn’t find any inscriptions to reveal the name or titles of the tomb owner, but more field work and studies will help in defining the tomb owner.”

For more work from Lisht, check the Egyptian-American mission's work HERE 

#Egypt #Egyptology #Archaeology #Rock-cuttomb 

Egyptian-American team wraps a dig season after documenting 800+ Middle Kingdom tombs

The joint team of Ministry of Antiquities and University of Alabama in Birmingham (UAB) wrapped up their season at Lisht necropolis.

Mr. Adel Okasha (Director of Cairo and Giza Antiquities) said that the team finished the documentation, mapping and 3D topographic survey of south Lisht as 802 tombs were documented which represent a group of Middle Kingdom tombs previously excavated.

The tombs which are laid along the rocky edge of the area belong to individuals and have their own architectural style.

The tombs vary between the rock-cut, topped by upper mud brick structure or limestone tombs.

Mr. Okasha also said that this survey is vital as it provides a database of information on the Middle Kingdom cemeteries including the social hierarchy, religious rituals as well as the daily life in the capital of Egypt during the Middle Kingdom (Itj-Tawy).

The archaeological mission directed by Prof. Sarah Parcak has worked also on continuing the excavation and cleaning in the tomb of “Antef” the overseer of the army during the reign of Senusret I who held the title of “Royal Seal Bearer” which was discovered by the mission in 2016. You can check more on the tomb discovery HERE

The 2016 discovery landed the mission “Luxor Times Egyptology Award” in 2017 as one of the “Top 10 Discovery of the Year 2016”. The ceremonies were held at the Ministry of Antiquities in Cairo and the award was received by Mr. Adel Okasha on behalf of the team.

#Egypt #Egyptology #Archaeology #LuxorTimesEgyptologyAwards #MiddleKingdom

Ptolemaic rock-cut tombs discovered in Alexandria

An Egyptian team of archaeologists directed by Fahima El Nahas (General Director of Excavations in Alexandria) discovered a part of the west cemetery of Ptolemaic Alexandria. The discovery took place during the excavation work at the site before allowing the building of a modern wall in the railways workshops in Gebel El-Zaytoun in Alexandria.

Dr. Aiman Ashmawi said that during the work, a group of rock cut burials were discovered. Each group of burials have a separate architectural unit consists of a number of steps leading to a small hall (probably used for visitors to rest) then a rectangular courtyard with the burials entrances as well as a tank used for funerary uses and probably used by the deceased family.

Dr. Ashmawi also said that the tombs were most likely used for a long period of time and they belong to poor individuals. The tombs have coloured layers of mortar and basic mortar with no desecration which reflects the economical status of the deceased buried there. The preliminary examination can tell that some of the tombs were modified architecturally through times to add some features or to seal some burials openings which can confirm that different generations used those tombs.    

Dr. Khalid Abo El-Hamd (General Director of Alexandria Antiquities) said that many pots were discovered as well as lamps bearing distinguished decorations including animals eating or nursing their young ones. A number of glass and pottery pots were discovered too with amphorae and circular shaped pottery bearing reliefs of girls (maybe dancers).

Many skeletons were discovered in a mess because of the damage caused at the site during the 1930s when the railways structures were installed and later because of the WWII air strikes.  

Dr. Mostafa Waziry, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said that the ministry allocated the needed funds to start salvation excavation at the site by an archaeological mission of the ministry and under the supervision of Dr. Khalid Abo El-Hamd.

#Egypt #Archaeology #Egyptology #Ptolemaic #Alexandria #WWII #Tombs

Breaking News: Alexandria sarcophagus opened

Several officials of the Ministry of Antiquities headed by Dr. Mostafa Waziry and Dr. Aiman Ashmawi have witnessed earlier today the opening of the black granite sarcophagus in Alexandria.

The sarcophagus caused controversy in the media since the announcement of its discovery.

What was found inside was certainly not expected after all the anticipation.

It was filled with sewer water and contains 3 skeletons.

Shaban Abd Monem, specialist in mummies at the Ministry said “Preliminary examination suggests the skeletons belong to 3 army officers, one of them his skull shows an injury of an arrow. 

The skeletons will be taken to the storerooms of Alexandria National Museum for further studies and dating. As for the sarcophagus, after initial restoration, it will be moved to the storerooms. 

#Egypt #Alexandria #Egyptology #Archaeology #AlexanderTheGreat