AncientPages.com - How many ancient mummies, statues and precious artifacts could we still find in the land of the pyramids? Archaeologists have announced they have discovered a completely new necropolis near the city of Minya, south of Cairo, Egypt.
Credit: Reuters
The burial shafts date from the late Pharaonic period to the early Ptolomaic era of around 300 BC and one of the tombs belongs to Djehuty-Irdy-Es, the high priest of God Thoth.
Thoth was Egyptian God of science, literature, writing and keeper of sacred books.
Inside the tomb there are more than 1,000 statues and four well preserved alabaster canopic jars inscribed with hieroglyphics and designed to hold the mummified internal organs of God Thoth’s high priest.
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Ancient Egyptians deeply believed in the afterlife and a complex ritual set of burial customs was necessary in order to ensure an afterlife.
Mummification was an important part of this ritual but also all vital internal organs had to accompany the deceased on his (her) journey to the underworld in order to be reborn. However, the heart of the deceased was never among the organs chosen for preservation in canopic jars. This precious organ was the source of wisdom and the seat of memory and emotions of the human being, according to the Egyptian beliefs.
Limestone canopic jars with the heads of Qebesenuef, Duamutef, Hapy, Imsety. Originally these jars were decorated with human heads. Image credit: Egyptian Museum, Cairo - Learn more about Canopic Jars
The mummy of the high priest is decorated with a bronze collar depicting the god Nut stretching her wings to protect the deceased according to ancient Egyptian belief. It is also decorated with a collection of blue and red precious beads as well as bronze gilded sheets, two eyes carved in bronze and ornamented with ivory and crystal beads.
Four amulets of semi-precious stones were also found on the mummy. It is decorated with hieroglyphic texts, one of which is engraved with a phrase saying: "Happy New Year.”
Credit: Reuters
Archaeologists also uncovered 40 sarcophagi believed to belong to the priest's family members, some bearing the names of their owners in hieroglyphics.
Another tomb includes several coffins, statues depicting ancient priests and other funerary artefacts.
The ancient cemetery is so large that it will take archaeologists at least five years to excavate the area.
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