Egypt unveiled new archaeological discoveries on Wednesday (January 8), including 4,000-year-old tombs of senior officials and works of art from the time of Queen Hatshepsut, in an ancient necropolis in the famous city of Luxor.
The artifacts, unearthed during a three-year excavation, were found in the Deir al-Bahari area in the Thebes necropolis on the west bank of the Nile, Egyptologist Zahi Hawass said in a statement. , who led the mission in cooperation with the Supreme Council of Antiquities of Egypt. The finds span from the 15th Dynasty (1650-1550 BC) to the powerful 18th Dynasty (1550-1292 BC), which included pharaohs like Queen Hatshepsut and King Tutankhamun.
The team unveiled an intact portion of the foundations of Queen Hatshepsut's Burial Valley Temple as well as works of art, including vividly colored and remarkably preserved bas-reliefs and inscriptions.
The 1,500 decorated blocks depict the queen and her successor, Thutmose III, performing sacred rituals.“[Ce sont] the most beautiful scenes I have seen in my life”said Zahi Hawass, who revealed these findings. “This is the first time that we have a final set of the decoration of a temple dating from the 18th dynasty”he told reporters. Beneath the temple's foundations, archaeologists discovered an intact deposit of ceremonial tools inscribed with the name of Queen Hatshepsut.
Other discoveries include Middle Kingdom rock-cut tombs of high-ranking officials, as well as a tomb of the “palace overseer” of 17th Dynasty Queen Tetisheri, the grandmother of King Ahmose, who expelled the Hyksos of Egypt. The Hyksos, invaders from western Asia who took control of the Nile Delta around 1638 BC, ruled parts of Egypt until their defeat and expulsion by King Ahmose in 1530 BC .-C.
Burial shafts containing wooden coffins adorned with a 17th Dynasty feather sign, as well as children's tombs containing toys, and sections from the Ptolemaic necropolis of Assasif near the temple of Queen Hatshepsut were also found. discovered.
Wednesday's announcement comes as Egypt steps up efforts to revive its tourism sector, a key source of foreign currency for the struggling economy. After experiencing setbacks since the political unrest following the 2011 uprising, tourism has started to recover in recent years. Last year, Egypt welcomed 15.7 million tourists and hopes to attract 18 million this year.
