Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities announced the finding of some 57 ancient tombs over the weekend, most of which contain ornately-painted wooden sarcophagi with mummies inside. When I describe these tombs as ancient, I mean ancient. The oldest of the discovered tombs dates from about 2750 BC, which is roughly 4760 years ago. The discoveries were made in Lahoun, some 70 miles south of Cairo, near the pyramid of Senusret II.
As always, the important part of this discovery isn’t really related to the many mummies uncovered (though the oldest of them is complete intact and comes with all the funerary equipment used to preserve the body!), but it’s the paintings, hieroglyphics, and other artwork within the tombs themselves that provide a glimpse into the ancient religions of Egypt.
Tags: Lahoun, Egypt, archaeology, Egyptology, 57 new tombs unearthed in Egypt, ancient tombs discovered in Egypt, mummies, discoveries, 2750 BC