Egypt unearths tomb of high priest from 4,400 years ago
Egyptian archaeologists have discovered the tomb of a priest that is more than 4,400 years old in the pyramid complex of Saqqara south of the capital Cairo.
“Today we are announcing the last discovery of 2018. It’s a new discovery, it’s a private tomb,” Antiquities Minister Khaled El Enany told an audience of invited guests yesterday.
“It is exceptionally well preserved, coloured, with sculpture inside. It belongs to a high official priest and is more than 4,400 years old.”
The tomb belongs to Wahtye, a high priest who served during the fifth dynasty reign of King Neferirkare, the Antiquities Ministry said.
His tomb is decorated with scenes showing the royal priest alongside his mother, wife and other family members, it said.
The tomb also contains more than a dozen niches and 24 colourful statues of the cleric and members of his family, it said.
In recent years, Egypt has unveiled a string of new archaeological finds to international media as it seeks to draw more visitors to the country. The country’s vital tourism sector has been in turmoil since the 2011 uprising against former president Hosni Mubarak.
In November officials announced the find in Saqqara of seven sarcophagi, some as old as 6,000 years, during excavations started in April.