Thanks csvset and stockpirate.
Posted on 12/16/2018 2:51:59 AM PST by csvset
SAQQARA, Egypt (Reuters) - Egypt unveiled a well-preserved 4,400-year-old tomb decorated with hieroglyphs and statues south of Cairo on Saturday, and officials expect more discoveries when archaeologists excavate the site further in coming months.
The tomb was found in a buried ridge at the ancient necropolis of Saqqara. It was untouched and unlooted, Mostafa Waziri, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, told reporters at the site. He described the find as “one of a kind in the last decades”.
The tomb dates from the rule of Neferirkare Kakai, the third king of the Fifth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom.
Archaeologists removed a last layer of debris from the tomb on Thursday and found five shafts inside, Waziri said. One of the shafts was unsealed with nothing inside, but the other four were sealed. They are expecting to make discoveries when they excavate those shafts starting on Sunday, he said. He was hopeful about one shaft in particular.
“I can imagine that all of the objects can be found in this area,” he said, pointing at one of the sealed shafts. “This shaft should lead to a coffin or a sarcophagus of the owner of the tomb.”
The tomb is 10 metres (33 ft) long, three metres (9.8 ft) wide and just under three metres high, Waziri said.
The walls are decorated with hieroglyphs and statues of pharaohs. Waziri said the tomb was unique because of the statues and its near perfect condition.
“The colour is almost intact even though the tomb is almost 4,400 years old,” he said.
The tomb lies in a buried ridge that has only partially been uncovered. Waziri said he expects more discoveries to be made there when archaeologists start more excavation work in January.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
GGG ping , egypt
Pretty neat but if it’s “one of a kind” why would they expect to find more? Has “one of a kind” been devalued?
What passes for 'journalism' today is amazing. In general, the journalists' lack of English language skills is laughable. It is no wonder that the media is failing.
I hope they get lots of good photos - before some Taliban-like moron blows them up to erase history as they did with the Buddhas of Bamiyan.
Neat pictures despite there not being anything of value in the captions.
When I’m dead and buried, I don’t want anyone digging me up.
Interesting!
Freakin’ Getty pics, so we can’t post them, but holy crap, large size versions of three of them available here. Knocked my eyes out. Found one, gotta look for the other one later.
http://www.boisestatepublicradio.org/post/after-more-4000-years-vibrant-egyptian-tomb-sees-light-day
Some more pics, some we could use, but they’re small format, which sucks:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-46580264
Some more pics, looks like all Getty so can’t be posted, but this one below shows the length of the chamber. I’m just gobsmacked.
https://www.geek.com/news/untouched-4400-year-old-tomb-discovered-in-egypt-1766232/
https://www.geek.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/tomb2-625x351.jpg
I wish there were a better shot of that boat and oars. But again, wow.
The tomb decorations show Wahtye and his family
There’s a bunch of YouTube vids about this tomb find. I like that Egyptian making the announcement at the site, very vernacular.
I really hate the narration on this one, exactly the same inflection on each sentence, plus I’m not a fan of the accent:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9UGStJHZZM
That’s just incredible. I’m guessing they’ll be “hands off” for anyone allowed to see them up close and personal. But still, I’d love to run my hand over some of those surfaces. To be that close to history...
They want the tourism, this one will be marketed as the equivalent of King Tut. But first they'll want to excavate the five pits, see if the burials and grave goods are in there.
Wow, I am particulary attracted to the third photo on your first link.
Looks like the banquet was carved into the wall.
Let’s see... bread, fish, fruit, cake stands with various delicacies, hmmm maybe a platter of roast beast was the main course.
Dessert appears to be ice cream sundaes with cherries on top.
Beats those fake burger photos at the fast food joints!
The ice cream sundaes with cherries on top may be optical illusions or somethin', but yeah, they ate well. And great, now I'm hungry.
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