16-06-2025
- General
- Irish Daily Mirror
Eerie remains of 11 people found in 'first of its kind' Egyptian tomb
A remarkable discovery has been made in Egypt where an ancient tomb, nearly 4,000 years old and home to the remains of 11 individuals believed to be from the same family, has been uncovered.
The archaeological team stumbled upon the burial site which housed 11 men, women, and children, indicating it served as a familial graveyard through the 12th and 13th Dynasty.
This groundbreaking find marks the first Middle Kingdom tomb, dating from 2040 BC to 1630 BC, to be unearthed in this region. The deceased were positioned side by side with alternating head directions, a chilling detail noted by the South Asasif Conservation Project's researchers.
Despite the destruction of wooden coffins and linen wrappings by ancient floods, the team was thrilled to discover that small statues and jewellery had withstood the elements.
Among the artefacts recovered were two copper mirrors, one adorned with a lotus-shaped handle and the other featuring an image of Hathor, the revered Egyptian deity of the sky, women, fertility, and love, reports the Mirror US.
Located adjacent to the Temple of Hatshepsut on Luxor's west bank of the Nile, the tomb's excavation has significant implications for the area's history. Katherine Blakeney, an American archaeologist at the forefront of the dig, 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."
Skeletons identified include five women, two men, and three children, with the eleventh member's age and gender yet to be determined.
As restorationists endeavoured to reconstruct the tomb of Karabaskin, a 25th Dynasty mayor of Thebes and the fourth priest of Amun, an astonishing discovery was made, according to the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MTA).
This groundbreaking find has completely transformed our understanding of South Asasif's history. It was previously believed that burials from only the 18th, 22nd, 25th and 26th dynasties of ancient Egypt, spanning from 1550 BC to 525 BC, were performed here.
The MTA stated these graves are thought to belong to the top 12 families in the region. Most of the jewellery was discovered among the woman's remains, with the exception of a stunning necklace found in one of the men's tombs.
The necklace, composed of 30 amethyst beads and two agate beads surrounding a hippopotamus head, suggested that the family, particularly the man, held a high social status.
This is supported by the symbolism of the hippopotamus, which was seen as a representation of the power of the Nile River and was often buried with the deceased to safeguard them in the afterlife.
Hippo figurines were commonly found in Middle Kingdom tombs and were sometimes depicted as the pregnant goddess Taweret, symbolising fertility and protection.
"Such craftsmanship underscores the cultural and artistic sophistication of the Middle Kingdom," Blakeney explained to Archaeology Magazine, revealing that the American team is set to dig deeper with further excavations in hopes of unearthing more details about the ancient tomb and the life of its occupants during the Middle Kingdom period.
