Egypt has unveiled impressive archaeological discoveries in recent years, but the most recent could surpass them all: A 4,300-year-old mummy decorated with gold leaf has amazed archaeologists near Cairo. The coffin is “as the ancient Egyptians left it,” they say.
The mummy, whose discovery has now been announced, was found in a limestone sarcophagus, according to Hawass. The coffin was in a 15-meter-deep trench and sealed “just as the ancient Egyptians left it 4,300 years ago,” archaeologist and former Egyptian antiquities minister Sahi Hawass told reporters (see video above).
Dead did not belong to the royal family
Adorned with gold leaf, the mummy is the remains of a man named Hekashepes. Hawass stressed that it was one of the best-preserved mummies of a non-royal body ever found in Egypt.
The largest of the four tombs was built for a priest and overseer named Khnumddschedef, archaeologist Hawass told reporters. Decorated with scenes from the daily life of the time, it was discovered in the pyramid complex of Unas, the last king of the Fifth Dynasty, who reigned some 4,300 years ago.
Another tomb belonged to Meri, who, according to Hawass, served as the Pharaoh’s “secret guard.” It was a priestly title borne by a high-ranking palace official, entitling him to perform certain religious rituals.
The third tomb, according to Hawass, was built for a priest named Messi in the pyramid complex of Pharaoh Pepi I, and the fourth belonged to a judge and scribe named Fetek. The head of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, Mostafa Wasiri, said Fetek’s tomb contains the “largest statues” ever discovered in the area.
City of the Dead is a UNESCO World Heritage Site
The Saqqara Necropolis is a sprawling necropolis on the site of Egypt’s former capital, Memphis. The UNESCO World Heritage Site includes more than a dozen pyramids and ancient Christian Coptic monasteries.
Source: Krone
I am an experienced and passionate journalist with a strong track record in news website reporting. I specialize in technology coverage, breaking stories on the latest developments and trends from around the world. Working for Today Times Live has given me the opportunity to write thought-provoking pieces that have caught the attention of many readers.
