As you read this story, you will learn the following:
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Archaeologists searching among rock tombs near Aswan, Egypt, have discovered tombs and burial chambers first used during the Old Kingdom.
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The site remains important in funerary practices and was used repeatedly for centuries in ancient Egypt.
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Interesting finds in the two burial chambers include 160 clay pots from the Old Kingdom, dating from approximately 2686 to 2181 BC
Along the west bank of the Nile River near Aswan, Egypt, a series of rock tombs preserve centuries of history and artifacts. Re-excavations at the site of Oubbet el-Hawa have uncovered part of this, excavating a tomb complex whose roots are consistent with the construction of the Great Pyramid of the Old Kingdom between 2686 and 2181 BC.
While searching the tombs and burial chambers in the rock outcropping, archaeologists discovered that the site was more than just an Old Kingdom burial site, with extensive evidence of repeated use. The site was originally built during the Great Pyramid era and was subsequently reused during the First Intermediate Period and Middle Kingdom, showing Ubet Hawa’s prominence over the centuries.
While archaeologists have known about this cemetery for some time – the site is best known as the final resting place of Sarrept II – this particular burial site is a new discovery, according to a translated statement from Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.
The newly discovered burial chambers contain hundreds of artifacts spread across multiple locations, with two chambers containing approximately 160 ceramic vessels of various styles and shapes. Archaeologists say the ceramics come from the Old Kingdom and are mostly very well preserved, with intact ceramics scattered around the room.
Mohamed Abdel-Badi, head of the council’s Egyptian antiquities department, said some of the ships had inscriptions in hieratic script, a cursive hieroglyphic script. Monastic script became a popular style on pottery, making it easier to identify the contents. Preliminary analysis suggests the vessels may have contained liquids and grains buried with the deceased, in line with the tradition that food could help sustain the deceased in the afterlife.
On the way to the burial chamber, in a kind of courtyard that preceded the tomb network, archaeologists discovered more grave goods and personal items that most likely date to the Middle Kingdom period, around 2055 to 1650 BC. The team found copper alloy mirrors, alabaster cosmetic containers, colorful beaded necklaces and amulets used for protection. These amulets were a mixture of statues depicting gods and symbols of the Egyptian pantheon.
Hisham El-Leithy, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said in a statement: “This shows that the area of ​​Ubet al-Hawa has maintained strategic and ritual importance through different dynasties and has served as a sacred and funerary site for centuries.”
Because the number of tombs is transparent and they span multiple eras of Egyptian history, Ubet Hawa exhibits cultural value unlike many other sites, experts say, prompting the Supreme Council of Antiquities’ archaeological mission to continue searching for more tombs and artifacts.
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