The goldcovered mummy found in a closed sarcophagus 4,300 years ago

Kathryn Armstrong From BBC News

posted on 01/27/2023 09:11

Archaeologists said they found a goldcovered mummy on Thursday (01/26) in a sarcophagus that had not been opened for 4,300 years.

This mummy, the remains of a man named Hekashepes, is believed to be one of the oldest and most complete nonroyal bodies ever found in Egypt.

The mummy was discovered 15 meters underground in a cemetery in Saqqara, south of Cairo, where three other graves were also found.

The largest of the mummies discovered in the ancient necropolis belongs to a man named Khnumdjedef a priest, inspector and overseer of the nobles.

Another belonged to a man named Meri, who was a high palace official with the title “Keeper of Secrets,” which allowed him to perform special religious rituals.

A judge and writer named Fetek is believed to have been buried in the other tomb, where a collection of statues was discovered probably the largest ever found in the area.

Several other objects were also found among the tombs, including ceramic objects.

Getty Images Several statues and pottery were found in the tombs

Archaeologist Zahi Hawass, a former Egyptian Minister of Antiquities, stated that all of the discoveries date from roughly the 25th to 22nd centuries BC.

“This discovery is very important as it connects the kings to the people who live around them,” says Ali Abu Deshish, another archaeologist involved in the dig.

Saqqara has been an active cemetery for over 3,000 years and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Located in Memphis, the ancient Egyptian capital, it houses more than a dozen pyramids including the Step Pyramid, near where the mummy was found.

The discovery comes a day after experts in Luxor in the south of the country announced they had found a complete Romanera dwelling city, dating back to the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD.

Archaeologists found dwellings, towers and socalled “metal shacks” containing Roman vases, tools and coins.

Egypt has unveiled a number of significant archaeological discoveries in recent years as part of efforts to revitalize its tourism industry.

The government hopes the Great Egyptian Museum, set to open this year after delays, will attract 30 million visitors a year by 2028.

However, critics accuse Egypt’s government of prioritizing media discoveries over elaborate academic research in order to attract more tourism.

This text was published at https://www.bbc.com/portuguese/geral64412106