New treasures from Saqqara

Al Ahram Weekly (Nevine El-Aref)

The above article is accompanied by a photograph (click to enlarge).

A COLLECTION of painted wooden sarcophagi dating from the Late Period have been unearthed at the Saqqara necropolis, Nevine El-Aref reports.

To the south of the causeway of the pyramid of Unas at Saqqara, a team from Cairo University has been uncovering more secrets about this necropolis, which served as an important burial ground for nobles from the early dynasties to the Late Period.

While removing surface sand, archaeologists from the university stumbled upon a part of the tomb of Wadj-Mes, overseer of the guards during the reign of Pharaoh Ramses II (1304-1237 BC), as well as a number of burial shafts on the tomb's eastern side.

The tomb is a maze of corridors and underground tunnels that lead nowhere but contain fragments of pots, sarcophagi and blocks painted with the figures of deities.

Ola El-Aguizi, former dean of the Faculty of Archaeology and head of the mission, said that owing to the poor condition of the tomb, excavation inside it has been put on hold until the next archaeological season. Accumulated dust and sand would be removed in an attempt to facilitate further excavations.

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