CAIRO: The Egyptian Antiquities Ministry on Saturday announced the discovery of an ancient cemetery in Minya city in southern Egypt.
Antiquities Minister Khaled al Enany said the large cemetery contains a gold mask, 40 sarcophagi, about 1,000 statues, pottery, jewellery and other artefacts.
The cemetery is located 4 kilometres north of the Tuna al Gabal area.
“It’s only the beginning of a new discovery, and I think we need at least five years to achieve work on the necropolis,” the minister told reporters at the site of the discovery.
The excavation works in the area started in 2017, the minister said, noting that missions from Munich, Hildesheim and Egypt have been working in the area.
“The discovery is important as it explains several aspects of the life of the ancient Egyptians,” he said.
Egypt has in recent months announced a series of ancient discoveries, including several tombs in the southern city of Luxor.
Earlier this month, Egyptian archaeologists discovered a 4,400-year-old tomb near the famed Giza Pyramids south of Cairo.
The tomb is of a female priest called Hetpet from the pharaonic Fifth Dynasty.
In March last year, a massive colossus was also unearthed in Cairo, believed to depict 26th-dynasty King Psamtik.
A major museum is under construction near the Pyramids and is due to be partially opened later this year.
The museum will be home to a large number of ancient Egyptian artefacts.
Egypt is seeking to revive its battered tourism industry, a main source of national income.
The industry has been hard hit by the unrest that followed the 2011uprising against Egypt’s long-time dictator Hosny Mubarak. — dpa
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