Archaeologists have unearthed a 4,300-year-old mummy completely wrapped in gold near the Step Pyramid that may be the oldest ever.
A man named Gekasheps was found inside a limestone sarcophagus at the bottom of a 50-foot-deep shaft.
The excavation team also unearthed a collection of beautiful life-size statues carved to resemble servants, men, women and families.
The finds are part of a collection of Fifth and Sixth Dynasty tombs found 19 miles south of Cairo that officials hope will revitalize tourism in the area.
4300-year-old egyptian mummy wrapped in gold is considered the oldest https://t.co/IBmJxRz4Ey
– Daily Mail USA (@DailyMail) January 26, 2023
Egyptologist Zahi Hawass, who led the excavation process, noted that, unfortunately, the mission did not find any inscriptions that could identify the owners of these statues.
Saqqara is part of a vast necropolis in Memphis, the capital of ancient Egypt, which includes the famous pyramids of Giza and smaller pyramids at Abusir, Dahshur and Abu Ruweish.
The ruins of Memphis were listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the 1970s.
Two shafts were discovered at this site, one with the remains of “Gekasheps” and the other 30 feet deep, which led to three other tombs and several statues.
Hawass said that the most important tomb is for Khnumjadef, inspector of officials, overseer of nobles and priest at the pyramid complex of Unas, the last king of the Fifth Dynasty. The tomb is decorated with scenes from everyday life.
The other tomb belonged to Miri, “keeper of secrets and assistant to the great chief of the palace.” Miri was a confidant of the ancient king and followed the documents of the pharaoh’s archive.
He knew the secrets of the formation of letters and words that were associated with magic and cosmic knowledge in an illiterate Egyptian society.
The second column also contained a group of beautiful wooden statues.
The excavation team also unearthed many amulets, stone vessels and everyday life tools.
Thursday’s discovery comes amid a flurry of new discoveries that Egyptian authorities have announced over the past week.
Authorities said they found dozens of burials near the southern city of Luxor, dating back to between 1800 and 1600 BC during the New Kingdom era.
She added that the ruins of an ancient Roman city were discovered nearby.
In a separate announcement on Tuesday, a team of scientists from Cairo University revealed previously unknown details about a mummified boy dating back to around 300 BC.
Using computed tomography, scientists can shed new light on the boy’s high social status by confirming the intricate details of the amulets that were inserted into his mummified body and the type of burial he was placed in.
Source: Daily Mail
