Eerie Egyptian tomb discovery as archaeologists announce 'first of its kind'
Archaeologists made the discovery of the tomb which is the first of its kind due to the fact that it dates back nearly 4,000 years and contains the remains of 11 people
A 4,000 year old Egyptian tomb filled with the remains of 11 people, including children, has been discovered in a groundbreaking find.
The archaeological team stumbled upon the final resting place of 11 souls, men, women, and youngsters alike, indicating it served as a familial burial ground across generations during the 12th and 13th Dynasties.
This remarkable discovery marks the first Middle Kingdom tomb, dating from 2040 BC to 1630 BC, to be unearthed in this locale. The deceased were positioned side by side, their heads alternating directions, as revealed by the South Asasif Conservation Project's researchers.
Regrettably, floods had ravaged the wooden sarcophagi and linen wrappings, yet amidst the ruins, figurines and jewellery stood the test of time.
In addition, the archaeologists uncovered two copper mirrors, one adorned with a lotus handle, the other bearing an image of Hathor – the revered Egyptian deity of the sky, women, fertility, and love, reports the Mirror US.
Situated adjacent to the Temple of Hatshepsut on Luxor's west bank along the Nile, this tomb adds a new chapter to the history of the area. Katherine Blakeney, the American lead archaeologist, said: "The unearthing of the first Middle Kingdom tomb in the South Asasif necropolis alters its history, placing South Asasif within the sprawling Theban Middle Kingdom necropolis."
Among the unearthed skeletons were five women, two men, and three children, with the eleventh member's age and gender remaining a mystery.
The discovery was made as restorers attempted to rebuild the tomb of Karabaskin, a 25th Dynasty mayor of Thebes and fourth priest of Amun, according to the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MTA).
This significant find has reshaped our knowledge of South Asasif's past. It was previously believed that burials only took place during the 18th, 22nd, 25th and 26th dynasties of ancient Egypt, spanning from 1550 BC to 525 BC.
The MTA suggests that the tombs likely belonged to the region's top 12 families. Most of the jewellery was discovered amongst the female remains, save for an exquisite necklace found in one of the male tombs.
The necklace, composed of 30 amethyst beads and two agate beads encircling a hippopotamus head, signified the family's high status, particularly the man's.
This is supported by the symbolism of the hippopotamus, which was seen as a representation of the Nile River's might and was often buried with the deceased to safeguard them in the afterlife.
Hippopotamus figurines were commonly found in Middle Kingdom tombs and were sometimes portrayed as the pregnant goddess Taweret, symbolising fertility and protection.
"Such craftsmanship underscores the cultural and artistic sophistication of the Middle Kingdom," Blakeney told Archaeology Magazine. The US team is poised to carry out further digs in the region to uncover more secrets of the ancient burial site and illuminate the lives of its dwellers during the Middle Kingdom period.
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Daily Mirror
10 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Eerie Egyptian tomb discovery as archaeologists announce 'first of its kind'
Archaeologists made the discovery of the tomb which is the first of its kind due to the fact that it dates back nearly 4,000 years and contains the remains of 11 people A 4,000 year old Egyptian tomb filled with the remains of 11 people, including children, has been discovered in a groundbreaking find. The archaeological team stumbled upon the final resting place of 11 souls, men, women, and youngsters alike, indicating it served as a familial burial ground across generations during the 12th and 13th Dynasties. This remarkable discovery marks the first Middle Kingdom tomb, dating from 2040 BC to 1630 BC, to be unearthed in this locale. The deceased were positioned side by side, their heads alternating directions, as revealed by the South Asasif Conservation Project's researchers. Regrettably, floods had ravaged the wooden sarcophagi and linen wrappings, yet amidst the ruins, figurines and jewellery stood the test of time. In addition, the archaeologists uncovered two copper mirrors, one adorned with a lotus handle, the other bearing an image of Hathor – the revered Egyptian deity of the sky, women, fertility, and love, reports the Mirror US. Situated adjacent to the Temple of Hatshepsut on Luxor's west bank along the Nile, this tomb adds a new chapter to the history of the area. Katherine Blakeney, the American lead archaeologist, said: "The unearthing of the first Middle Kingdom tomb in the South Asasif necropolis alters its history, placing South Asasif within the sprawling Theban Middle Kingdom necropolis." Among the unearthed skeletons were five women, two men, and three children, with the eleventh member's age and gender remaining a mystery. The discovery was made as restorers attempted to rebuild the tomb of Karabaskin, a 25th Dynasty mayor of Thebes and fourth priest of Amun, according to the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MTA). This significant find has reshaped our knowledge of South Asasif's past. It was previously believed that burials only took place during the 18th, 22nd, 25th and 26th dynasties of ancient Egypt, spanning from 1550 BC to 525 BC. The MTA suggests that the tombs likely belonged to the region's top 12 families. Most of the jewellery was discovered amongst the female remains, save for an exquisite necklace found in one of the male tombs. The necklace, composed of 30 amethyst beads and two agate beads encircling a hippopotamus head, signified the family's high status, particularly the man's. This is supported by the symbolism of the hippopotamus, which was seen as a representation of the Nile River's might and was often buried with the deceased to safeguard them in the afterlife. Hippopotamus figurines were commonly found in Middle Kingdom tombs and were sometimes portrayed as the pregnant goddess Taweret, symbolising fertility and protection. "Such craftsmanship underscores the cultural and artistic sophistication of the Middle Kingdom," Blakeney told Archaeology Magazine. The US team is poised to carry out further digs in the region to uncover more secrets of the ancient burial site and illuminate the lives of its dwellers during the Middle Kingdom period.
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Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Not to be confused with the far right Greek political party, this Golden Dawn was a late 19th century occult order with a similar structure to the Freemasons and boasted influential figures like W.B Yeats, Bram Stoker and Arthur Conan Doyle among its members. Initially established in London, the Amen-Ra Temple was founded in Edinburgh in 1893, possibly because of the city's history as a hotbed of spiritualism. It was founded by John William Brodie-Innes, a lawyer who had risen up the ranks while practicing in London. He had already written extensively on occultism, although he remained an active member of the High Church, when he joined the Order with the Isis-Urania Temple as a Neophyte, the lowest level, in 1890. It would only take him three years to establish a temple of his own, where he took one of the highest positions in the Order of the Golden Dawn - Imperator. READ MORE - Edinburgh woman sues charity and earns £8k compensation payout over 'holiday row' READ MORE - When Edinburgh's worst-rated hotel was city's poshest and celebrities flocked Hermeticism is a school of philosophical thought based on the supposed writings of the apocryphal Ancient Greek figure Hermes Trimestigus, with the idea that certain teachings are only passed down to the chosen few. In this case it was Anna Sprengel, a German countess whose identity was 'revealed' to one of the founders of the Order, Freemason William Westcott, through alleged ancient manuscripts. The two corresponded by letter to establish the rituals of the Order, although the Order would later claim that she and the other 'Secret Chiefs' of the Order communicated with the lower levels psychically. There is, in fact, no evidence to suggest that Sprengel even existed. The exact details of the Golden Dawn's philosophies are hard to unpick - partly because the order was so clouded in secrecy that little concrete detail was ever available to outsiders, and partly because what is known is couched in impenetrable, official Edinburgh temple was named after the Egyptian sun god - Egyptian and Ancient Greek mythology appear to have formed the basis of the Orders beliefs and worship along with astrology, tarot and alchemy. It was something of a fad during the late Victorian period, where scientific advancements were counterbalanced by an increasing interest in the supernatural. Seances had become popular entertainment for people at all levels of society, Dracula would be published in 1897 and one of the Golden Dawn's most influential members, Pamela Colman Smith, would go on to design the archetypal Rider-Waite tarot deck. Society was essentially going through its goth phase. While similar organisations like the Freemasons were men-only, the Golden Dawn was progressive in the sense that it was open to women. There were 48 people initiated into the Amen-Ra Temple between 1893 and 1897 - 28 men and 20 women, including mother and daughter Emily and Edith Drummond. They were from a wealthy background, and moved into the 'inner Second Order' - a more elite club within a club. They both wrote and published extensively on occultism at a time when women lacked similar access in traditional or academic media. It must have been appealing for intelligent women to have their thoughts and research taken seriously, even if said research does raise a few eyebrows. The Golden Dawn was linked to a number of scandals, partly thanks to the heavy involvement of Aleister Crowley, who is often considered the founder of modern Satanism. Westcott, despite helping found the Order, resigned abruptly in 1897 after his double life came to public attention. In a move worthy of a Victorian prequel to The Thick of It, he left confidential occult documents in the back of a hansom cab. Given the choice between stepping away from the Order or giving up his high profile and lucrative career as a coroner, he chose the latter. Brodie-Innes, on the other hand, stayed loyal to the Order and eventually became its president. He published several novels about witchcraft and magic, including The Devil's Mistress , about the real life alleged Scottish witch Isobel Gowdie. It's unclear exactly where the Edinburgh temple was based - unlike the Freemasons, we do not have a public record of the society's history - but a diluted version of the Order still exists today. Perhaps they still practice in Edinburgh...
