Archaeologists in Egypt have unearthed 110 ancient tombs in the Nile Delta, containing the remains of adults and children dating back about 5,000 years.
The graves, also containing pottery and funerary equipment, were found at the Koum el-Khulgan archeological site in Dakahlia province, around 93 miles northeast of Cairo, the Egyptian Tourism and Antiquities Ministry said .
The oldest of the graves include 68 oval-shaped tombs dating back to the Predynastic Period that spanned from 6000-3150 BC, the ministry said.
Other tombs date from 3,000 BC and 1,700 BC, with the site spanning ancient Egypt, from the neolithic, through the first pharaoh and on to the first foreign ruler.
Egyptian archeologists unearthed 110 burial tombs at an ancient site in a Nile Delta province, the Tourism and Antiquities Ministry said. The graves, some of which have human remains inside, were found at the Koum el-Khulgan archeological site near Cairo. https://t.co/JZuqnxL1nv
— The Associated Press (@AP) April 27, 2021
Dr Mustafa Waziri, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, stated that this discovery is an important historical and archaeological addition to the site.
There are also 37 rectangular-shaped tombs from an ancient era known as the Second Intermediate Period that ran from 1782 to 1570 BC.
This was a time when the Semitic people of Hyksos ruled ancient Egypt, the first era where the country was ruled by foreign leaders.
The remaining five oval-shaped tombs date back to the Naqada III period that spanned from around 3200 B.C. to 3000 BC.
Dr Ayman Ashmawi, head of the Egyptian antiquities sector at the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said that the earliest dated 68 tombs were oval-shaped pits cut in the sandy layer and contain people buried in a squatting position.
He added that most of the people buried in the tomb were left to lay on their left side, with their head pointing westward.
'In addition to uncovering the remains of a baby buried inside a pottery vase from the Bhutto 2 period, a small pot of spherical pottery was placed with it.'
The 110 tombs date back to three different civilisations within the Ancient Egyptian sphere: the civilisation of Lower Egypt known as Bhutto 1 and 2, the Civilisation of Naqada III, and the second transition era known as the Hyksos period.
Dr Ashmawi said that the five tombs, which date back to the Period of Naqada III, are also oval-shaped pits cut into the island's sandy layer, including two tombs that had their sides, bottoms, and roof covered with a layer of clay.
Egyptian archeologists unearth 110 burial tombs at an ancient site in a Nile Delta province, #Egypt’s Tourism and Antiquities Ministry says.https://t.co/kfe9T8wnhi
— Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) April 28, 2021
Inside the pits, the mission found a collection of distinctive funerary furniture for this period, cylindrical and triangular pots, as well as kohl plate prayers, whose surface was decorated with geometric drawings and shapes.
Dr Nadia Khader, head of the Central Department of lower Egypt in the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said semi-rectangular pits range from 8 to 33 inches deep.
They are 'characterised by the fact that all their burials are in an extended position and the head is heading west and face upwards,' Khader explained.
'In addition, a pottery coffin was found inside a burial ground for a child.'
Within the child burial ground there were two brick tombs in the form of a rectangular building with the children's burials and some funeral furniture.
This included a small pottery vase and silver rings, as well as the remains of a baby buried inside a large pottery pot. The funerary furniture was placed inside the pot, which was represented in a small black pottery vase.
The mission also discovered a collection of ovens, stoves, remnants of brick buildings, crockery, and amulets, some of which were made of semi-precious stones and ornaments such as earrings.
In the subterranean tombs of #Saqqara, secrets are being unveiled, rewriting the history of ancient #Egypt. We went down several burial shafts, one 100 feet deep, in a laundry basket to tell this story. W/ fab photos by @Simadiab #egyptology #archaeology https://t.co/KdSARX6ypL
— Sudarsan Raghavan (@raghavanWaPo) April 22, 2021
The discovery is the latest in a series of archaeological finds in recent years for which Egypt has sought publicity in the hopes of reviving its tourism sector.
Tourism has been badly hurt by the turmoil following a 2011 uprising and now the coronavirus pandemic heavily limiting global travel.
Dr Waziri said that the continued excavations within the site and its surrounding area 'will continue to reveal more secrets from this region.'
This article has been adapted from its original source.
