The tomb of a senior Egyptian official, more than 2,000 years old, has been discovered in the city of Akhmim. It contained a human mummy and many other animal mummies.
A member of the Egyptian security forces at the entrance to a 2,000-year-old tomb unveiled on April 5, 2019 in Akhmim
A tomb dating back more than 2,000 years was unveiled Friday, April 5, 2019 by the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities in the governorate of Sohag (center), where the authorities hope to attract tourists. To revive its moribund tourism sector, the Egyptian government regularly reveals to the press archaeological "discoveries", considered more or less important by specialists. "Archaeologists have unearthed an incredible tomb dating back to the Ptolemaic era (323 to 30 BC)" , the ministry said in a statement.
Tomb wall © Department of Antiquities
This tomb is located in Al-Diabat, in the city of Akhmim (governorate of Sohag), he said. A human mummy and more than 50 mouse, hawk and cat mummies were discovered there, according to the ministry.
Animal mummies were discovered in the tomb © Ministry of Antiquities
Mummies of mice © Department of Antiquities
The grave was that of a senior official
"This is one of the most exciting discoveries in this region" , welcomed the Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Mostafa Waziri. According to the ministry, the grave belongs to a senior official of the time. His wife's mummy has not been found. The ministry added that Friday's event was meant to"draw the world's attention to Egypt's civilization and antiquities". According to him, Sohag is "one of the richest cities in Egypt historically" . He particularly welcomed the opening of a museum in the city in 2018.
Two human mummies © Ministry of Antiquities
According to the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities, the entrance to the tomb was discovered during the arrest of traffickers who were looking for ancient tombs to loot. The Department of Antiquities then undertook archaeological excavations to uncover the entirety of the tomb.
The tomb houses many paintings © Ministry of Antiquities
"The tomb is in a good state of preservation and is characterized by the beauty of its illustrations and its vivid colors" announces the ministry. The paintings depict the owner of the tomb, including his encounters with various gods. The grave also bears the names of some members of his family.
The Ministry of Antiquities shared a video to illustrate the discovery:
Archaeological sites are an asset for tourism
The authorities have considerably strengthened their communication around archaeological discoveries, but the country has often been accused of negligence and a lack of scientific rigor. Archaeological sites are a major argument for Egypt in the face of competition from other tourist destinations. Political instability and terrorist attacks have dealt a severe blow to tourism in the country since the 2011 revolution. However, the sector has seen a relative improvement in recent years.