logo
Egypt unearths 3 rock-cut ancient tombs in Aswan's necropolis

Egypt unearths 3 rock-cut ancient tombs in Aswan's necropolis

The Star28-06-2025
CAIRO, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian archaeologists have uncovered three ancient rock-cut tombs in the Qubbet el-Hawa necropolis near Aswan, dating back to the Old Kingdom period (2686-2181 BC), the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said on Saturday.
The discovery was made during the current excavation season by an Egyptian team working at the site, the ministry said in a statement.
Mohamed Ismail Khaled, secretary-general of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), said early findings suggest some of the tombs were reused during the Middle Kingdom (2055-1650 BC), highlighting Qubbet el-Hawa's long-standing role as a key burial site across various eras of ancient Egypt.
Khaled said the discovery provided new insight into a transitional period between the end of the Old Kingdom and the beginning of the First Intermediate Period.
Some of the tombs had no inscriptions but still featured traditional burial architecture and practices, which Khaled said may reflect limited economic resources at the time.
Mohamed Abdel-Badie, head of the SCA's Egyptian Antiquities Sector, said two of the tombs had similar features and contained offering tables, pottery vessels, wooden coffins, and skeletal remains.
The third tomb had a different design and included a large collection of well-preserved pottery and skeletal remains of both adults and children, he noted.
Qubbet el-Hawa, on the west bank of the Nile across from Aswan, is known for its rock-cut tombs of nobles and officials from multiple dynasties.
The ministry said the discovery reinforces the significance of Qubbet el-Hawa as one of southern Egypt's most important archaeological sites and sheds light on burial customs and architecture during key transitional periods in ancient Egyptian history.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Kenya launches patrol boat to boost wildlife conservation
Kenya launches patrol boat to boost wildlife conservation

The Star

timea day ago

  • The Star

Kenya launches patrol boat to boost wildlife conservation

NAIROBI, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) on Wednesday commissioned a modern patrol boat for Sibiloi National Park in an effort to bolster the protection of Lake Turkana in the northwest region of the country. Erustus Kanga, director general of KWS, told journalists in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi that the water vessel, donated by its partners, is equipped with modern sonar and radar technologies. "The boat will play a critical role in strengthening surveillance, deterring illegal activities, protecting fisheries, and ensuring the safety of both wildlife and communities whose livelihoods depend on the lake's fragile ecosystem," Kanga said. He revealed that the boat will improve safety for KWS rangers while enhancing their ability to secure Lake Turkana by enabling timely patrols. He observed that beyond security, the patrol boat is expected to open new horizons for tourism in northern Kenya through offering safer access to the lake and national park. Mekuria Argaw, executive director of the Horn of Africa Regional Environmental Center and Network, emphasized the importance of protecting both the water body and wildlife park, as they are connected to wildlife parks in Ethiopia.

2nd LD Writethru: One dead, several injured in southern Denmark train derailment
2nd LD Writethru: One dead, several injured in southern Denmark train derailment

The Star

time6 days ago

  • The Star

2nd LD Writethru: One dead, several injured in southern Denmark train derailment

OSLO, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- One person was killed and several others were injured on Friday afternoon when a passenger train collided with a farm vehicle and derailed in southern Denmark, local authorities said. The InterCityLyn 951 service, carrying about 95 passengers, was traveling between Tinglev and Kliplev on its way to Sonderborg when it struck the vehicle at a level crossing south of Bjerndrup, according to Denmark's national rail operator DSB. The front carriage derailed and overturned in a field, DSB CEO Flemming Jensen said. Police informed DSB of casualties, including at least one fatality whose identity has not been confirmed. At a press conference Friday evening, police inspector Gert Bisgaard said the crossing had no barriers. He added that police would remain at the scene for some time and urged the public to respect cordons and avoid the area. Two injured passengers were airlifted to hospital, while several others also suffered injuries. Authorities have activated support services to assist passengers and those affected. Among the passengers were a class of 25 pupils and their teachers from a school in Sonderborg, according to the municipality. None of the children were seriously injured, though they were described as shaken. One student was taken to hospital due to diabetes, and 10 others underwent medical checks. Train services between Tinglev and Sonderborg have been suspended for the rest of Friday and all of Saturday, with replacement buses in operation. DSB has set up a crisis hotline for victims' families. An investigation team from Banedanmark, the rail infrastructure manager, is working to determine the cause of the accident.

China Focus: Exhibitions, ceremonies mark 80th anniversary of Japan's WWII surrender
China Focus: Exhibitions, ceremonies mark 80th anniversary of Japan's WWII surrender

The Star

time6 days ago

  • The Star

China Focus: Exhibitions, ceremonies mark 80th anniversary of Japan's WWII surrender

BEIJING, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Exhibitions and various other memorial activities have been organized across China to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Japan's announcement of unconditional surrender in World War II (WWII). On Aug. 15, 1945, Japan announced its unconditional surrender. Following the announcement, Japan sent representatives to Zhijiang County of Hunan Province to hand over a map of Japanese troops deployed in China, and to sign a memorandum of surrender. On Friday, an exhibition titled "WWII: Zhijiang," featuring 61 historical photos, was unveiled at a hall memorializing Japan's surrender in Zhijiang. The photos are on public display in China for the first time. Visitors slowed their pace, some standing quietly in front of the display board to contemplate the historical images. According to Wu Jianhong, curator of the memorial hall, the photos were collected by Zhijiang-born painter Qian Dexiang and his wife, Tan Mingli. The couple discovered a booklet about Zhijiang's WWII history that contained historical photos in the United States. The photos vividly portray the people of Zhijiang and their struggle against aggression, as well as Chinese military personnel and civilians fighting alongside their American peers, and moments from the victory celebrations. "The release of these photos is not only intended to revisit Zhijiang's wartime history -- it is also a profound remembrance of the county's countless fallen heroes," Wu said. "Looking back at history is meant to help us move forward." In Nanjing -- the site of the horrific Nanjing Massacre during WWII -- six individuals were on Friday recognized as "inheritors of historical memories of the Nanjing Massacre" during a ceremony held at the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders. There are now 38 such inheritors. Notably, that number now includes two foreign nationals for the first time: Thomas Rabe and Megan Brady, both of whom are descendants of international personnel who had helped save Chinese people and recorded the horrific history of the war in China. Thomas Rabe is the grandson of German businessman John Rabe, who joined other foreigners to establish an international safe zone during the massacre, saving over 250,000 Chinese lives. The diaries of John Rabe remain among the most comprehensive historical records of the atrocity. Megan Brady is the great-granddaughter of Richard Brady, a U.S. surgeon who aided civilians in Nanjing and documented the atrocities of the Japanese army through diary entries, photographs and letters. The Nanjing Massacre took place when Japanese troops captured the then Chinese capital on Dec. 13, 1937. Over a period of six weeks, they killed approximately 300,000 Chinese civilians and unarmed soldiers in one of the most barbaric episodes of WWII. Also on Friday, a special exhibition titled "Justice Trial" opened at the September 18th Historical Museum in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, showcasing historical facts related to trials of Japanese war criminals. The exhibition features more than 200 photographs and over 100 other items, as well as archival materials. It documents the public trials, as well as the subsequent verdicts, of 45 Japanese war criminals conducted by a special military tribunal of the Supreme People's Court of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Fan Lihong, curator of the September 18th Historical Museum, told Xinhua that these trials were the first trials on Japanese war criminals conducted by the Chinese people on their own territory after the founding of the PRC. They were carried out independently and without external interference, holding significant international influence and historic importance. In southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, a guided tour was organized on Friday morning. Participants set off from the city's iconic People's Liberation Monument and walked all the way to a museum which presents visitors with information about the Japanese bombing in Chongqing. "I have been deeply moved along this journey," said Chen Junfeng, who participated in the tour. "The People's Liberation Monument used to be a monument to victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, and now it stands amid towering skyscrapers as a landmark of the city. These changes have all been achieved through the sacrifices and bloodshed of our forebears."

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store