Posted on 09/02/2004 10:02:25 PM PDT by FairOpinion
CAIRO, Egypt - Egypt's antiquities chief on Thursday revealed a 2,500-year-old hidden tomb under the shadow of one of Giza's three giant pyramids, containing 400 pinkie-finger-sized statues and six coffin-sized niches carved into granite rock.
Zahi Hawass, the director of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, said archaeologists had been working for three months to clear sand from a granite shaft found between the pyramid of Khafre — also known by its Greek name of Chephren — Giza's second-largest tomb of a pharaoh, and the Sphinx.
Under blaring sun Thursday, Hawass said Giza's latest ancient discovery came to light after archaeologists detected what appeared to be a four-sided shaft. The antiquities chief verified it by climbing a pyramid to get a bird's eye look.
Excavators later removed several tons of fine sand to descend 33 feet below ground level to where they found the niches.
Hawass said a wooden coffin and a pile of turquoise-colored figurines made of faience, a non-clay ceramic material used by ancient Egyptians, were also found.
"The statues, called 'shawabtis,' depict servants. Their task was to answer questions for the deceased in the after life and to serve the dead people," Hawass told The Associated Press.
Hawass said workers will continue clearing sand from the shaft for a further 33 feet, where he believes more antiquities, including a granite sarcophagus, could be unearthed.
The shaft was built in the 26th pharaonic dynasty during a period of cultural revival when "remarkable, huge tombs" were constructed, Hawass said.
Some of the tiny statues found piled inside a niche in a 2,500-year-old hidden tomb near the Pyramids in Giza, Egypt, are shown as they were found in this undated photo from the Egyptian Antiquities Department. Egyptian archaeologists announced the discovery Thursday Sept. 2, 2004. (AP Photo/HO)
GGG PING
"Egypt's antiquities chief on Thursday revealed a 2,500-year-old hidden tomb under the shadow of one of Giza's three giant pyramids, containing 400 pinkie-finger-sized statues and six coffin-sized niches carved into granite rock. "
Fascinating find!
Amazing!
Would you kindly fix the title, please.
It should be "2,500" year old, NOT ",500". Apparently, when I copy/pasted I didn't highlight the "2".
Thanks.
A couple of milleniums do matter.
Boy, you are 'swift'.
By the time I finished writing you the post asking you to please fix the title, you already did.
Thanks!
"a granite shaft found between the pyramid of Khafre — also known by its Greek name of Chephren — Giza's second-largest tomb of a pharaoh, and the Sphinx. "
I think it's also amazing where they were found. That means there is a shaft between the pyramid and the sphynx -- so why did they make it?
There may be other shafts.
Some have been guessing, that there may be underground chambers underneath the Sphynx -- this find makes those guesses more realistic.
It's all in the intent.
Archeologists are respectful of their finds and are not motivated by personal profits.
I think so. I believe it's an archive of some sort. Building a statue like that just for the fun of it seems odd. I'll bet there's a lot of stuff yet to be discovered there. It should be very interesting, because it's not a typical tomb.
bump
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How long before the Islamists declare the statues to be idols to false gods and destroy every one?
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Campbell's Tomb, basically a shaft dug in the plain behind the Sphinx, might be construed as some part of some ancient system of tunnels, but very little was found in it when it was cleared by Vyse; it may have been built during the 4th Dynasty, but was reused at some much later date. The 18th dynasty got all squishy about Giza, at the latest Thutmose IV, who had the Dream Stele erected between the paws of the Sphinx.
Campbell's Tomb
http://www.touregypt.net/petrie/c15.html#104
Thutmose IV's Dream Stele
http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/tuthmosis4.htm
Thanks for the additional info.
Thanks for the post. I love Egyptian history. Been there, found it awesome and more spectacular in person than I could have believed.
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