Egypt sees recent archaeological findings as a blessing
EGYPT: These days, the gods appear to be blessing Egypt’s floundering tourism sector that hinges largely on its ancient past as a cradle of mankind.
Virtually every week, it seems, new aspects of Egypt’s history are being unearthed. Literally.
The country’s antiquities ministry announced on Sunday that at least 17 well-preserved mummies were found in a necropolis in the village of Tuna al-gabal, about 220km south of the capital, Cairo. The discovery surprised many because the ancient burial site on the fringes of the western desert was mainly known as an area where thousands of mummified birds and animals had been discovered over the years.
‘‘It’s the first human necropolis to be found here in Tuna al-gabal,’’ Egypt’s antiquities minister Khaled al-anani told reporters at the site.
‘‘2017 has been a historic year for archaeological discoveries.’’
Judging from their elaborate preservation, the mummies likely belonged to officials or priests, he added. Also found at the site were six limestone and clay sarcophagi, two clay coffins and a number of other artifacts, Anani said. The discoveries likely date back to the Greco-roman period, which lasted for nearly six centuries after Alexander the Great conquered Egypt in 332 BC.
The findings were the latest in a series of discoveries in recent months. Among the new treasures: a dozen cemeteries that date back around 3500 years, the ancient tomb of a nobleman that could be more than 3000 years old and a giant colossus believed to portray King Psammetichus I, who ruled in the sixth century BC.
Even Cairo’s crowded neighbourhoods have proved fruitful arenas for new discoveries. In March, a German-egyptian archaeological team uncovered a 10m-tall statue believed to be of Ramses the Great, who ruled more than 3000 years ago and is widely considered ancient Egypt’s most powerful ruler. The statue, made of quartzite, was found in several pieces in Cairo’s Matariya enclave.
Last Wednesday, the antiquities ministry announced the finding of a 3700-year-old burial chamber near the remains of a recently discovered pyramid at Dashur, south of Cairo. The chamber is likely belongs to a daughter of King Emnikamaw, and contained a wooden box engraved with hieroglyphs, said the ministry.
Last month, archaeologists found more ancient artifacts at Dashur, where the pharaoh Sneferu built Egypt’s first smoothsided pyramid about 4600 years ago. His son Khufu built the Great Pyramid of Giza, one of the country’s best-known tourist attractions and a wonder of the ancient world.
The discoveries come at a crucial time for Egypt. The tourism sector, a vital source of hard currency, has struggled to recover since the country’s populist revolts of 2011 ousted President Hosni Mubarak, triggering political turmoil. Since then, a string of factors have kept many tourists away, including a slew of militant attacks, punctuated by the bombing of a Russian passenger plane in 2015, as well as attacks and abuses by Egypt’s own security forces. Egyptian officials hope the new discoveries will change the tourism industry’s fortunes.
- Washington Post