Archaeologists discover two ancient tombs in Egypt
December 9, 2017
Egyptian authorities have unearthed two ancient tombs in the southern city of Luxor. Wall inscriptions suggest the tombs belong to two notable figures from Egypt's 18th dynasty pharaohs, who ruled some 3,500 years ago.
Egypt's Antiquities Ministry said Saturday the tombs contained mummies, funerary seals, statues, clay pots and wall inscriptions.
Khaled al-Enany, the minister of antiquities, said the archeological discovery was made in the western city of Luxor, a city famous for its ancient monuments.
One tomb has five entrances leading to a hall, while the other has a six-meter burial shaft leading to four side chambers.
"Egypt will witness more archaeological discoveries in the period ahead," al-Enany told reporters.
Although the authorities say the tombs most likely belong to the 18th dynasty pharaohs, those buried in them are yet to be identified.
Egypt has announced a series of discoveries in the past few months. In April, archeologists discovered eight mummies inside a 3,500-year-old tomb in Luxor.
Egyptian authorities are trying to revive the tourism industry, which has been hit hard by the political turmoil and violence that followed the 2011 rebellion against longtime dictator Hosni Mubarak.
The pyramids: mysterious graves of the ancient Egyptians
As research teams reveal another secret contained within the great Cheops Pyramid in Giza that was built by the ancient Egyptians, we explore why research on these architectural miracles has a long way to go.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/ScanPyramids Mission/M. Nelson
A newly-discovered grave chamber or just empty space?
In 2015, French researchers detected a possible void above a descending corridor. But after several instances in recent years of supposedly newly-discovered pyramid chambers that remained unproven, the researchers sought to back the clue up with quantifiable proof. Now it's official: there is indeed a gap within the structure. But is it a chamber?
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/ScanPyramids Mission
Measuring a mystery
In May 2016, scientists set up a device in front of the Cheops Pyramid that can register muon particles, a byproduct of cosmic radiation. Measurements revealed a void at least 30 meters in length (99 feet) within the largest pyramid at Giza.
The French and Japanese scientists installed detectors in the Cheops Pyramid's interior passageways as well. Muon particles function like x-rays in a human body but can penetrate hundreds of meters of rock. A small portion are deflected — and the differing quantities of particles passing through the stone allow researchers to draw conclusions about wall thickness.
Located on the west bank of the Nile at the edge of the Egyptian desert about 20 kilometers (13 miles) from Cairo's city center, these pyramids are the last surviving ancient wonders of the world — and the largest made by man. They are among the best known and oldest structures of humanity, dating back over 4,500 years.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/DLR
Wonders of antiquity
This photo of the sphinx in front of the Cheops Pyramid was made in 1963 before it had been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. That happened in 1979, when the Cheops Pyramid and many others were inducted as part of the complex titled "Memphis and its City of the Dead — the Pyramid Fields from Giza to Dahshur."
Image: picture-alliance /ZUMAPRESS.com/Keystone Pictures USA
A desert mystery, now an object of research at the edge of the city
Back in 1335, a monk from Lower Saxony named Otto von Nienhusen visited the pyramids of Giza and was able to view the interior of the Cheops Pyramid. In the late 18th century, British and German archaeologists began exploring it. Now there's fresh hope that new scientific methods can reveal tunnels and perhaps even grave chambers.
