Egypt Discovers Three 3,000-Year-Old Rock-Cut Tombs

Egypt on Sunday announced the discovery of three tombs carved into rock dating back to the New Kingdom period (1550 BC–1069 BC) at the Bubasteion cemetery complex in Saqqara, Giza Province, west of Cairo. The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities revealed that the tombs, discovered by an Egyptian archaeological mission, contain various hieroglyphic inscriptions and important archaeological relics. According to the Director General of the Saqqara Antiquities Area, Amr El-Tayeb, the tombs belonged to three officials, including a high-ranking administrative and military official from the early New Kingdom, the chief merchant of the House of Ptah, and an overseer at the residence. Secretary General of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, Hisham Elleithy, stated that the discovery reveals the identity and history of the tomb owners, as well as providing new insights into Egyptian society during the New Kingdom.