Ancient treasures hailed as biggest find for years

Statues of Egyptian priests, officials and servants and an exceptionally well-preserved sarcophagus dating from 4300 years ago have been uncovered in an ancient necropolis near the Nile, in one of the largest such discoveries of recent years.

Zahi Hawass, an archaeologist and former Egyptian minister of antiquities, announced the findings yesterday (Thursday) from the excavated tombs of the Gisr el-Mudir necropolis in Saqqara, southwest of Cairo, one of the earliest known stone-built structures in the world.

The tombs date back to the Fifth and Sixth Dynasties of the Old Kingdom, before 2300BC – about 1000 years before the birth of Tutankhamun.

Hawass, 75, said that the most important discovery was a tomb decorated with scenes of daily life, belonging to a man named ‘‘Khnumdjedef’’, who was an inspector of officials, a supervisor of the nobles and a priest in the pyramid complex of Unas – the last king of the Fifth Dynasty, who ruled from 2375 to 2350BC. The second largest tomb belonged to a man named ‘‘Meri’’, who held many important titles, including keeper of the secrets and assistant to the great leader of the palace.

The former minister, who likes to wear a fedora and styles himself as Egypt’s answer to Indiana Jones, said his team also discovered a tomb for a priest, whom they believe was named Messi. Nearby, a set of nine statues was found: one representing a man and his wife; and others of their servants. With regard to the owner of the statues, Hawass said: ‘‘After the original discovery, the mission found a false door near the site where the statues were discovered. The owner of the false door was named Messi – therefore, he might be the owner of the nine statues.’’

A large limestone sarcophagus was found in a 15 metredeep shaft, with the name Hekashepes inscribed on the lid.

‘‘When the sarcophagus was examined, it was found to be completely sealed with mortar, just as the ancient Egyptians had left it 4300 years ago,’’ Hawass said. ‘‘When the lid was raised, we found a mummy of a man covered with gold foil. This

mummy may be the oldest and most complete mummy found in Egypt to date.’’

Mostafa Waziry, secretary

general of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, said that many amulets, stone vessels, tools for daily life and statues of

Ptah-Sokar, a funerary deity, had also been found in the latest expedition. Egyptologists have been promoting the country’s

ancient history with renewed vigour in an attempt to revive tourism following the pandemic.