Archaeologists uncover never-before-seen tombs of ancient Egyptian officials — expected to boost tourism
The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced the discovery in a Facebook post on May 26. It was translated from Arabic to English.
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The tombs all date to the era of the New Kingdom, also known as the Egyptian Empire. They were found in the Draʻ Abu el-Naga site on the Nile River's West Bank in the Luxor Governorate.
Mohamed Ismail Khaled, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, noted the names and titles of the decedents have all been identified, thanks to surviving inscriptions.
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Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities / Facebook
'The mission will continue cleaning and studying the remaining inscriptions in the tombs to gain a deeper understanding of their owners and to study and publish the findings scientifically,' he added.
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The first tomb belonged to a man named Amenemopet from the Ramesside Period, which lasted from 1292 to 1069 B.C.
He worked in a temple dedicated to Amun, a highly venerated Egyptian god.
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Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities / Facebook
Most of the hieroglyphics in Amenemopet's tomb were destroyed, but the ministry noted that the remaining ones 'depict scenes of offering sacrifices, a depiction of the funerary furniture procession, and a banquet scene.'
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'One belongs to a person named 'Paki,' who worked as a supervisor of the grain silo, and the other to a person named 'Is,' who worked as a supervisor of the Amun temple in the oases, mayor of the northern oases, and a scribe,' the statement noted.
Amenemopet's tomb also consisted of a small courtyard and an entrance with a square hall.
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Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities / Facebook
The tombs of both Paki and Is also had courtyards, in addition to shafts.
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In a statement, Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy said the discovery 'enhances Egypt's position on the global cultural tourism map.'
'These discovered tombs are among the sites that will significantly contribute to attracting more visitors, especially those who are fans of cultural tourism, due to their distinctive civilizational and human value,' he noted.
The discovery comes on the heels of several recent exciting finds in Egypt.
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Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities / Facebook
In April, a University of Pennsylvania professor spoke with Fox News Digital about unearthing the tomb of an unknown pharaoh near Abydos.
Earlier in May, officials announced the discovery of ancient military fortifications that dated back to the Ptolemaic and Roman eras of Egyptian history.
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