Exclusive: Big discovery of a new tomb in Luxor

Rumours has it that the minister of antiquities will announce this morning a discovery of a new tomb but the truth is; it is actually a previously known tomb that is now rediscovered. 

Do you remember Spring 1995 when Dr. Kent Weeks was working on documenting the Theban tombs as a part of Theban Mapping Project. 

Dr. Weeks was in KV5 which was known before as a small undecorated room but when Dr. Weeks noticed a small inscription, he decided to start working on clearing the debris and rediscovered the tomb as one of the largest tombs with more than 120 rooms and corridors cleaned so far.

Similar story here, the tomb which is supposed to be announced by the minister is tomb (-157-) in Dra Abu El-Naga. 

Not TT157 though but (-157-) according to Friederike Kampp "Die Thabanische Nekropole" page number 708.

The tomb is located to the south of Tomb TT255 of Roy and it has a typical T-shape. A wide room then a corridor ends with a niche. 

The Egyptian team of the ministry of antiquities has been working recently in the tomb which belong to a New Kingdom official called "Userhat" has discovered a large number of ushabtis, pottery and a number of wooden coffins as well as remains of a stelae and human remains. 

More details and exclusive footage will be posted later. Only with Luxor Times.

#Egypt #Luxor #Egyptology #Archaeology #ThisIsEgypt

#WorldHeritageDay 

Permission granted for Reeves to use radars in King Tut's tomb in his search for Nefertiti

Dr. Mamdouh El Damaty, minister of antiquities, told Luxor Times that the permanent committee approved in its meeting yesterday the proposal from Dr. Nicholas Reeves to use radars in King Tutankhamon tomb (KV62) in the valley of the kings in order to determine if there is any hidden rooms behind the northern and western wall of the golden king's tomb. 

The minister emphasised that this step was taken after making sure that the radars and equipment that will be used will not affect the tomb, its walls or painted scenes in anyway.

The elementary work will start as soon as all permissions granted. 

Dr. El Damaty also said "This could be a big step in the discovery of the century if Dr. Reeves studies and theory is proven to be correct." 

#Egypt #Luxor #Antiquities #KingTut #Nefertiti #Discovery #AncientEgypt 

Archaeologists unearth a new tomb in Luxor

A new tomb discovered on the West Bank of the Nile on Luxor. The tomb belong to a New Kingdom official. The tomb was discovered today during the normal cleaning work in the courtyard of the existing mission concession. 

The tomb walls have hieroglyphics inscriptions in a fairly good condition. The name of the tomb owner was also identified. 

More details to follow as soon as possible :-)

#Egypt #Luxor #Egyptology #Discovery #History #Archaeology #LuxorTimes

Amenhotep III's daughter statue discovered in Kom El Hitan

Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim announced a discovery of a statue of the daughter of Amenhotep III.
The statue of 170 cm height and 52cm width was discovered by the Egyptian European mission directed by Dr. Hourig Sourouzian working on the site of Amenhotep III in Kom El Hitan on the West Bank of Luxor.

The Minister said that the discovered statue is a part of 14 meters height colossi of alabaster used to be erected in front of the third pylon of the temple. Most of the colossi parts were discovered in the past few years.
The colossi would have shown Amenhotep III with his daughter who was called "Iset".
According to the Minister, the statue shows for the first time this Princess with her father on her own although she shared other statues with both her parents and sisters which are on display at the Egyptian museum on Tahrir.

Ali Asfar said that the statue shows the King sitting on his throne and his hands on his knees and his daughter standing between his feet.
The daughter wears a round wig and laying her hands next to her holding a menit (menat) necklace in her right hand. Her name and titles were inscribed near her feet including "Great Royal Wife" and "The beloved of her father". Her face was damaged by erosion and her feet are missing.

Abd El Hakim Karar, director of Luxor antiquities said "A project to restore Amenhotep III colossi and regroup the statue of Princess Iset is going on at the moment in order to erect it where it used to be in front of the third pylon."

Missing parts of the Colossi of Memnon discovered

Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim announced that the European Egyptian mission directed by Dr. Hourig Sourouzian working at the site of Amenhotep III temple at Kom El Hitan on the West Bank of Luxor, discovered quartzite blocs belong to the missing parts of the northern colossi of Memnon. 

The discovered blocs are parts of the right arm and the decorated royal belt of the colossus.

H: 88cm  W:76cm  D: 77cm

Those parts, according to the minister, were lost in the ancient days as a result of an earthquake that caused complete destruction of the temple and all was left of it were the colossus of Memnon.

 The arrow refers to where the bloc belongs

At the moment, there is an ongoing project to reinstate the discovered parts to their original statues using the latest restoration techniques. 

Ali Al Asfr said "The blocs measure between 88cm height and 76 cm width. The mission also found parts of the royal crown as well as other parts of the bases of the two colossi.

Dr. Hourig and Dr. Abd El Hakim Karar

17th Dynasty Rishi coffin discovered in Dra Abu El Naga

Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim, Minister of Antiquities announced the discovery of a 17th Dynasty (ca. 1600 B.C.) wooden coffin in Dra Abu El-Naga.

The sarcophagi has the mummy of its owner in a good state of preservation. The lid bears a hieroglyphic inscription shows the name of the deceased.

The Minister said "This discovery is important because this type of coffin is rare, it is called Rishi coffins (Rishi is the Arabic word for Feathery) as it is decorated with a feather design which is typical type of the Second Intermediate Period."

The Minister referred that more studies needed to define the name and titles of the coffin owner but initially we can tell he was a High official.

The coffin was discovered under the front yard of the tomb of Djehuty by the Spanish mission working on the site (directed by Dr. Jose M. Galan) while excavating the layers dated back to the Middle Kingdom.

Ali Al Asfar, director of the Ancient Egyptian Antiquities department, said "The coffin measures 2 meters long , 50cm width and 42cm hight. The lid has exquisite carvings and the colours are very well preserved."

Abd El hamid Karar, director of Luxor antiquities said "The work started last month. In the beginning of this week, we discovered 3 burial shafts of which two were robbed by ancient tomb robbers while the third was found intact. The third burial shaft is 4 meters deep and it ends with a room in the southern side. That room was sealed with uneven mud bricks and when it was removed, the coffin was discovered."

As for Dr. Jose Galan, he said "The mission has been working on Dra Abu El-Naga for 13 years. Last year, a wooden coffin for a 5 years old child was found dated back to 17th Dynasty beside a group of wooden Ushabtis wrapped in linen."