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Egypt Announces New Major Discoveries at Saqqara Archaeological Site

January 18, 2021
Credit: Ahram Online
Saqqara – the site of a newly-discovered tomb dating back to 1,100 BC. Credit: Amr Nabil/AP

Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced on Saturday new ‘major’ discoveries at Saqqara archaeological site, a statement by the ministry stated.

The new discoveries include a new trove of treasures and an ancient funerary temple, dating back to the New Kingdom.

Renowned Egyptologist Zahi Hawass, head of the Egyptian archaeological mission operating at the Saqqara Necropolis, noted that the discoveries will rewrite the history of Saqqara and transform it into an important tourist and cultural destination, underlining the significance of the reign of King Teti during the 19th dynasty of the New Kingdom.

The discoveries were carried out by a team of archaeologists headed by Egyptologist Zahi Hawass and local Egyptians, the statement stated. This is regarded as the first time that coffins dating back 3,000 years have been discovered in the Saqqara region, Ahram Online reports. 

In November, Egypt unearthed the largest archaeological discovery of 2020, discovering at least 100 ancient coffins and 40 gilded statues of Saqqara goddess Ptah Soker in Egypt’s Saqqara Necropolis.

In September, another discovery in Saqqara necropolis southwest of Cairo has yielded 14 intact and sealed sarcophagi estimated to be 2,500 years old.

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