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Egypt unveils ancient necropolis south of Cairo
Published in Saudi Press Agency on 26 - 04 - 2009


Egyptian archaeologists today
unveiled mummies, brightly painted sarcophagi and dozens of
ancient tombs carved into a rocky hill in a desert oasis
south of Cairo, according to AP.
The 53 tombs _ some as old as 4,000 years _ were
discovered recently on a sandy plateau overlooking farming
fields in the village Illahun, located in the Fayoum oasis
about 50 miles (80 kilometers) southwest of the Egyptian
capital.
Archaeologists gave journalists a rare tour of the ancient
burial site Sunday, which is next to the nearly four
millennia old pyramid of Pharaoh Sesostris II.
«At the beginning of the excavation I said that we may
rewrite the history of the site, and I was right,» said
Abdel-Rahman el-Ayedi, the deputy secretary of Egypt's
Supreme Council of Antiquities who oversaw the dig.
Three slim wooden sarcophagi believed to be holding female
mummies were laid out in one of the tombs. The innermost
coffins were painted to resemble the deceased using blue,
yellow, rust and black dyes.
In another tomb, workers slowly removed the lid of one
inscribed with hieroglyphic prayers to reveal a colorful
mummy case that el-Ayedi said belonged to a woman named
Isis Her Ib, the daughter of one of Illahun's mayors nearly
4,000 years ago.
Not much was known about who used the ancient necropolis.
El-Ayedi said some of the tombs were just 2,800 years old,
while others were from the Middle Kingdom, which dates back
2061-1786 B.C.
Some had a single burial shaft, while others had upper and
lower chambers. A funerary chapel with an offering table,
painted masks, pottery, statues and protection charms known
as amulets were also found at the site, el-Ayedi said.
Archaeologists hope to study the mummies' bones to learn
more about the nutrition, health and customs of the people
who used to live in the area, el-Ayedi said.
«It will help us to follow the development of funeral
architecture, beliefs and customs of ancient Egyptians,»
he said. «Not only through artistic motifs and text, but
many tests are being done in the lab.»


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