Egypt
Al Ahram Weekly (Nevine El Aref)
With photo.
The Independent, UK (Ann Wuyts)
With photo.
Al Masry Al Youm
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- Father And Son
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Egypt
Two new tombs discovered in Saqqara
Al Ahram Weekly (Nevine El Aref)
With photo.
Minister of Culture Farouk Hosni has announced the discovery of two of the most important tombs ever found at Saqqara. The tombs dating from the Old Kingdom, which are in a part of the necropolis to the west of Djoser's Step Pyramid known as Gisr Al-Mudir, were discovered during routine excavations by an Egyptian mission that has been working in the area since 1968.
Zahi Hawass, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) and the team leader, says early studies have revealed that the tombs belonged to a man named Shendwa and his son, Khonsu.
The upper part of the father's tomb consists of a painted false door depicting scenes of the deceased seated before an offering table. The door also bears the various titles of office of the tomb's owner, an important governmental official during the Fifth Dynasty (2465- 2323 BC). He was head of the royal scribes and supervisor of missions, as well as bearing other honorary titles. The tomb's burial shaft is located directly beneath the false door, 20 metres below ground level.
The Independent, UK (Ann Wuyts)
With photo.
Two ancient tombs, belonging to a father and son, have been discovered in Egypt. The tombs, which date to the 6th Dynasty (c2325-2150 BC), were unearthed last week in the ancient necropolis of Saqqara. At least one of the rock-hewn tombs has never been looted in antiquity, making it a potentially huge breakthrough.
The discovery was made during excavations at Gisr El-Muder, just west of the famous Step Pyramid of Djoser, the world's first pyramid. The tombs belong to government official Shendwa and his son Khonsu, according to Egyptian antiquities chief Dr Zahi Hawass.
Shendwa's tomb is a rare intact example, free from looting. Among his funerary relics were five duck-shaped offering vessels, with the bones of the ducks still inside. Other limestone jars were discovered, though Shendwa's wooden sarcophagus had succumbed to erosion.
Al Masry Al Youm
Going down to the tomb himself, Hawass found that it had not been robbed due to its depth. The wooden coffin in which Sen Dwa was enclosed had disintegrated due to humidity, but next to the coffin antiquities were found including a set of limestone pots that resemble ducks and contain duck bones.
The most important discovery found inside the tomb, according to Hawass, was a 30-centimeter-high limestone obelisk.
Ancient Egyptians were famous for using small obelisks in front of tombs and inside burial places annexed to queens’ pyramids. The obelisks symbolise worship of Ra, the sun god.
Nearby is the tomb of Sen Dwa’s son, Khenso, which was found to contain pictures from the Old Kingdom. Khenso held the same titles as his father.
In front of the fake door is a stone doorsill that features characteristics of the Sixth Dynasty. The archeological team also found images of the deceased in different positions above the fake door.
- In The Field: Saqqara Tombs Press Release From Sca
drhawass.com Two large 26th Dynasty tombs have been found in Saqqara by an Egyptian excavation mission from the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), Culture Minister Farouk Hosni announced today. Dr. Zahi Hawass, Secretary General of the SCA and the...
- In The Field: More Re Saqqara Discoveries
BBC News (Yolande Knell) With photo Archaeologists in Egypt have said they have discovered the largest known tomb in the ancient necropolis of Sakkara, to the south of Cairo. The tomb dates back 2,500 years to the 26th Dynasty and contains important artefacts,...
- Grave Changes
Al Ahram Weekly (Nevine El-Aref) The newly-found tombs of King Unas's favourite singer and the supervisor of his exploration missions at the Saqqara necropolis reveal new burial patterns, Nevine El-Aref reports An Egyptian archaeological team stumbled...
- Importance Of New 5th Dynasty Tombs Found In Saqqara Area
International Herald Tribune A pair of 4,300-year-old pharaonic tombs discovered at Saqqara indicate that the sprawling necropolis south of Cairo is even larger than previously thought, Egypt's top archaeologist said Monday. The rock-cut tombs were...
- Father And Son
Recent excavations at Saqqara have turned up the tombs of a father and son administrators of the old kingdom king Pepi II. The tombs which are in fact a tomb within a tomb, are those of Shendwa and his son Khonsu. The tombs are described as intact though...