The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities of Egypt recently presented five tombs belonging to a Pharaonic Necropolis complex at Saqqara, which was discovered by the Egyptian archaeologists’ right outside the capital city of Cairo. The tombs are believed to be as old as 2700 BC, preserving the bodies of senior officials from the Old Kingdom and First Intermediate period of ancient Egypt. The excavations began in September 2021, with the most recent tombs discovered last month.
“All of those five tombs are well-painted, well-decorated,” Mostafa Waziri, head of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, told reporters. The excavation is still in continuation as archaeologists are hopeful of discovering more tombs in the area.
In the ancient capital of Memphis, archaeologists discovered small statues and pottery along with stone and wooden coffins and well-preserved paintings. The area in which the tomb was discovered has a rich ancient Egyptian history. The necropolis complex is close to the step pyramid of Djoser and the pyramid of King Menrenre I.
The location is also close to the ancient capital of Memphis and the famous Giza pyramids. In 1970, UNESCO designated the array of ruins as a World Heritage Site and the area has witnessed a plethora of ancient discoveries in the past few years.
The pyramids and Egypt’s ancient history makes for an attractive tourist destination and plays a vital role in the North African country’s economy. Ever since the political turmoil and violence of 2011 involving the former autocratic leader, Hosni Mubarak, Egypt’s tourism sector has taken a massive hit.
Additionally, the Covid-19 pandemic also brought a major halt in the sector. As the country was recovering from Covid-19, the Russia-Ukraine crisis affected the tourism sector of Egypt again. Since both the countries are the key sources of tourists to Egypt, it is facing huge crisis presently. Nevertheless, these latest discoveries are expected to revive the industry’s fortunes.
