CAIRO: Egypt archaeologists have discovered three ancient tombs containing sarcophagi in the south of the country in a cemetery dating back about 2,000 years, the antiquities ministry said on Tuesday.
The tombs excavated in the Al-Kamin Al-Sahrawi area in Minya province south of Cairo were in burial grounds constructed some time between the 27th Dynasty and the Greco-Roman period, the ministry said in a statement.
The team found “a collection of sarcophagi of different shapes and sizes, as well as clay fragments,” the statement quoted Ayman Ashmawy, head of the ministry’s Ancient Egyptian Antiquities Sector, as saying.
One of the tombs, which was reached through a shaft carved in rock, contained four sarcophagi each sculpted to depict a human face
Another tomb held the remains of two sarcophagi and six burial holes, including one for “the burial of a small child.”
Clay fragments found at the site “date the tombs between the 27th Dynasty (founded in 525 BC) and the Greco-Roman era (between 332 BC and the fourth century),” the statement said.
The discovery “suggests that the area was a great cemetery for a long span of time,” it quoted Ashmawy as saying.
In one of the three tombs, excavators found bones believed to be the remains of “men, women and children of different ages,” Ali Al-Bakry, head of the mission, was quoted as saying in the statement.
This shows that “these tombs were part of a large cemetery for a large city and not a military garrisons as some suggest,” he said.
This work follows previous excavation at the site, which began in 2015.
“Works are underway in order to reveal more secrets,” the statement said.
Egypt boasts an array of ancient sites including Pharaonic temples and the famed Giza pyramids that draw millions of tourists every year.
Egypt discovers three millennia-old tombs
Egypt discovers three millennia-old tombs
Ramallah talks focus on border crossings
- The meeting discussed ways to upgrade infrastructure and facilities at the Karama crossing, particularly arrival halls and cargo and transport areas, automate procedures and services, strengthen staff capacities, and combat smuggling
RAMALLAH: Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa chaired a meeting at his office in Ramallah on Saturday to review developments at border crossings, including the Karama crossing in the West Bank and the Rafah crossing in the Gaza Strip, as well as ways to develop and upgrade the crossings.
The meeting focused on improving the management and governance system for Palestinian crossings to clearly define the roles, responsibilities, and tasks of the parties involved, thereby contributing to the national economy, commercial activity, and travel services.
Mustafa reiterated that the crossings issue is a priority at all levels, as it directly affects citizens.
He stressed the need to intensify engagement with all parties to extend operating hours for passenger and cargo movement, and to develop travel and cargo transport mechanisms.
The meeting also discussed ways to upgrade infrastructure and facilities at the Karama crossing, particularly arrival halls and cargo and transport areas, automate procedures and services, strengthen staff capacities, and combat smuggling.
These measures aim to improve services for citizens, facilitate travel procedures, and enhance readiness to address congestion and travel crises, especially during the Umrah and Hajj seasons and holidays.
Meanwhile, according to local sources, Israeli forces forced Kamal Saeed Shawaneh, a Palestinian owner of a marble factory from the town of Kafr Thulth, south of Qalqilya, to carry out the demolition of his industrial facility located east of the town, on Saturday.
The facility, built on an area of roughly 300 square meters, suffered material losses estimated at more than $26,000. Israeli authorities claimed that Shawaneh did not have a permit for the factory’s construction.
The sources added that Israeli forces threatened Shawahneh with heavy fines if he did not carry out the demolition, noting that he had previously received a stop-work order for the factory in 2018.
