Cairo: An Egyptian archaeological mission has uncovered a number of rock-cut tombs dating to the late New Kingdom (1550-1069 BC) at the Tell el-Yahudiya archaeological site in Qalyubia province, north of Cairo, the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said Saturday.
The tombs feature different architectural designs, shedding light on burial practices in the eastern Nile Delta, the ministry said in a statement.
The tombs fall into two main architectural types, the statement read, Xinhua News Agency reported.
The first consists of tombs with an entrance reached by a staircase leading to a hall containing burial niches, while the second features a rectangular shaft leading to two burial chambers, it said.
Such rock-cut tomb designs are rare in the Delta, where the region’s clay-rich soil makes this type of burial uncommon, it added.
Hisham El-Leithy, secretary-general of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, said the discovery provides valuable evidence for understanding burial practices and their development in the eastern Delta across different historical periods.
Last week, Egypt announced the discovery of an over 4,000-year-old tomb dating to the late Fifth Dynasty (2494-2345 BC) at the Mariette Cemetery north of Saqqara, Giza Province, west of Cairo.
According to a statement from Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the tomb, discovered by a joint Egyptian-Spanish archaeological mission, dates to the reign of King Djedkare Isesi.
The medium-sized mastaba contains two funerary chapels. One belonged to Yunmin, a senior official who served as judge, court director, and chief of scribes responsible for handling petitions and complaints.
Excavations in Yunmin’s chapel uncovered a distinctive facade inscribed with funerary texts and an offering formula, alongside a depiction of the tomb owner in a formal pose.
The chapel’s walls were decorated with high-quality raised reliefs depicting agricultural activities and processions carrying offerings to the tomb.
The second chapel belonged to Yunmin’s father, Ity, a scribe involved in administering agricultural lands and offerings. It features a false door and colourful wall decorations of offering scenes, though much of the paint has faded.
Hisham El-Leithy, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said the discovery provides new archaeological information about the Saqqara cemetery during the late Fifth Dynasty and sheds further light on the architectural and artistic styles of tombs from the period.
(IANS)
