Spanish archaeologists discover an intact 4000 years old tomb in Aswan

Dr. Mahmoud Afifi, Head of Ancient Egyptian Department announced the discovery of an intact burial in Aswan.

The Spanish Archaeological Mission in Qubbet el-Hawa, West Aswan, has discovered an intact burial chamber. The discovered burial belongs to the brother of one of the most important governors of the 12^th Dynasty (middle Kingdom), Sarenput II.

Dr. Afifi said “The discovery is “important” because not only for the richness of the burial but it sheds light on those individuals who were shadowed by others in power. In fact, there is no much information about them.”

Nasr Salama, Director of Aswan Antiquities said that the present finding is unique because it has been located with all the funerary goods, which consist of pottery, two cedar coffins (outer and inner) and a set of wooden models, which represents funerary boats and scenes of the daily life.

Dr. Alejandro Jiménez-Serrano, Director of the Spanish mission of the University of Jaen, said that a mummy was also discovered but still under study. It is covered with a polychrome cartonnage with a beautiful mask and collars in good condition of preservation.

The inscriptions of the coffins bear the name of the defunct, Shemai followed respectively by his mother and father, Satethotep and Khema. The latter was governor of Elephantine under the reign of Amenemhat II.

Dr. Alejandro Jiménez-Serrano explained that Sarenput II, the eldest brother of Shemai, was one of the most powerful governors of Egypt under the reigns of Senwosret II and Senwosret III. Apart from his duties as governor of Elephantine, he was general of the Egyptian troops and was responsible of the cult of different gods.

The director of the mission added “This discovery, the University of Jaen Mission in Qubbet el-Hawa adds more data to previous discoveries of fourteen members of the ruling family of Elephantine during the 12^th Dynasty. Such high number of individuals provides a unique opportunity to study the life conditions of the high class in Egypt more than 3800 years ago.

#Egypt #Egyptology #Archaeology #Aswan

Intact burial chamber discovered in Aswan, 9 mummies found

Minister of Antiquities announce a new discovery of an intact burial chamber. The chamber contains 9 coffins with mummies inside dates to Late Period (650-525 B.C) in Qubbet el Hawa, South of Aswan.

A wooden sarcophagi was found in good condition with a mummy inside of a Nubian descend as the tools found with the mummy suggest.

The Minister said that the discovery, achieved by the Spanish mission directed by Dr. Alejandro Jiménez, Professor of Ancient History of the University of Jaén in cooperation with ministry of Antiquities, is in line with the discoveries by the mission which were announced in previous seasons of burials belong to two families of 12th Dynasty (Middle Kingdom - the reign of Amenemhat III). The new discovery proves that the burial was reused in Late Period.

Dr. Alejandro Jimmenez said "This season the mission done full documentation on the previously found mummy of “Haka Ip III” who was of the governors of Elephantine, a male of circa 26 years old, buried in two nested coffins, the inner one of which was originally made for a woman.
Also we found burials of his family members including a woman called "Ja wt Ankoket" and the governor's half brother mummy who was called "Sarenpot". Beside the mummy, am ushabti was found in its own sarcophagi."

#Egypt #Archaeology #Heritage #Mummy #Museum #Egyptology