Cairo (AP) —Egypt exhibited a recently discovered and well-decorated ancient tomb on Saturday at the Pharaoh’s Cemetery Ruins, just outside the capital Cairo.
According to the Ministry of Tourism, the five tombs excavated earlier this month date back to the Old Kingdom (1570 BC and 1069 BC) and the first interim period of more than a century after the collapse of the Old Kingdom.
Mostafa Wajiri, secretary general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said Egyptian archaeologists began excavating the ruins in September. According to him, the tombs were for senior officials, including the rulers and supervisors of the area of the ancient Egyptian palace.
“All of these five tombs are well painted and well decorated. The excavation did not stop. We will continue to excavate. We believe we will find more tombs in the area. “Masu,” he told reporters on the ground.
The tomb was found near the Pyramid of Djoser in the Saccharanecropolis, 24 km (15 miles) southwest of Cairo.
A video shared on the ministry’s social media page showed a burial shaft leading to the tomb. The walls were adorned with hieroglyphic inscriptions and images of sacred animals and posthumous items used by the ancient Egyptians.
The Saqqara ruins are part of the vast cemetery ruins in the ancient capital of Egypt, including the famous Giza Pyramids as well as the small pyramids of Abusir, Dahshur and Abruwaish. The ruins of Memphis were designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the 1970s.
In recent years, Egypt has greatly promoted new archaeological discoveries to international media and diplomats in the hope of attracting more tourists to the country.
The important tourism sector, Egypt’s main source of foreign currency, has suffered years of political turmoil and violence following the 2011 riots that defeated the dictatorship Hosni Mubarak.
The sector has recently begun to recover from the coronavirus pandemic, but has been hit again by the effects of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Along with Russia, Ukraine is a major source of tourists visiting countries in the Middle East.