Huge archaeological find in Egypt includes 50 mummies and a temple

Famed archaeologist Zahi Hawass says the discoveries 'rewrite the history' of Saqqara

Hamza Hendawi
Mahmoud Nasr
Cairo

January 18, 2021

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Egyptian archaeologists announced a major find on Sunday, including a funerary temple, more than 50 wooden sarcophagi and a five-metre papyrus depicting a chapter of the ancient Egyptian Book of the dead.

Egypt's world-famous archaeologist Zahi Hawass announced the new finds at Saqqara, the vast necropolis of the ancient Egyptian capital of Memphis, a Unesco World Heritage Site.

"Every day, the sands of Saqqara reveal more information that helps us write the history of Egypt," Mr Hawass told The National in Saqqara.

He said the temple belonged to Queen Naert, wife of King Teti, the first pharaoh of the sixth dynasty that ruled during the New Kingdom period (16th century-11th century BC). The Queen was only identified on Saturday, when archaeologists found her name engraved on a temple wall, he said.

A coffin, part of a recent discovery from the Saqqara necropolis, is seen south of Cairo, Egypt. Reuters
A coffin, part of a recent discovery from the Saqqara necropolis, is seen south of Cairo, Egypt. Reuters
Ancient skull and bones are on display that Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass and his team unearthed in a vast necropolis filled with burial shafts, coffins and mummies dating back to the New Kingdom 3000 BC in Saqqara, south of Cairo, Egypt. AP
Ancient skull and bones are on display that Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass and his team unearthed in a vast necropolis filled with burial shafts, coffins and mummies dating back to the New Kingdom 3000 BC in Saqqara, south of Cairo, Egypt. AP
A view shows the site of a recent discovery at the Saqqara necropolis south of Cairo, Egypt. Reuters
A view shows the site of a recent discovery at the Saqqara necropolis south of Cairo, Egypt. Reuters
An archaeologist brushes ancient skulls for the media on display that Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass and his team unearthed in a vast necropolis filled with burial shafts, coffins and mummies dating back to the New Kingdom 3000 BC in Saqqara, south of Cairo, Egypt. AP
An archaeologist brushes ancient skulls for the media on display that Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass and his team unearthed in a vast necropolis filled with burial shafts, coffins and mummies dating back to the New Kingdom 3000 BC in Saqqara, south of Cairo, Egypt. AP
Artifacts, part of a recent discovery from the Saqqara necropolis, are seen south of Cairo, Egypt. REUTERS
Artifacts, part of a recent discovery from the Saqqara necropolis, are seen south of Cairo, Egypt. REUTERS
Men work at the site of a recent discovery at the Saqqara necropolis south of Cairo, Egypt. Reuters
Men work at the site of a recent discovery at the Saqqara necropolis south of Cairo, Egypt. Reuters
A woman walks at the site of a recent discovery at the Saqqara necropolis south of Cairo, Egypt. Reuters
A woman walks at the site of a recent discovery at the Saqqara necropolis south of Cairo, Egypt. Reuters
Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass stands at the excavation site of the funerary temple of Queen Nearit, the wife of King Teti, where he and his team unearthed a vast necropolis filled with burial shafts, coffins and mummies dating back to the New Kingdom 3000 BC in Saqqara, south of Cairo, Egypt. AP
Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass stands at the excavation site of the funerary temple of Queen Nearit, the wife of King Teti, where he and his team unearthed a vast necropolis filled with burial shafts, coffins and mummies dating back to the New Kingdom 3000 BC in Saqqara, south of Cairo, Egypt. AP
Pottery on display near the funerary site of the temple of Queen Nearit, the wife of King Teti, where Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass and his team unearthed in a vast necropolis filled with burial shafts, coffins and mummies dating back to the New Kingdom 3000 BC in Saqqara, south of Cairo, Egypt. AP
Pottery on display near the funerary site of the temple of Queen Nearit, the wife of King Teti, where Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass and his team unearthed in a vast necropolis filled with burial shafts, coffins and mummies dating back to the New Kingdom 3000 BC in Saqqara, south of Cairo, Egypt. AP
A trove of ancient artefacts is on display that Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass and his team unearthed in a vast necropolis filled with burial shafts, coffins and mummies dating back to the New Kingdom 3000 BC in Saqqara, south of Cairo, Egypt. AP
A trove of ancient artefacts is on display that Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass and his team unearthed in a vast necropolis filled with burial shafts, coffins and mummies dating back to the New Kingdom 3000 BC in Saqqara, south of Cairo, Egypt. AP
An ancient mummy is on display that Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass and his team unearthed in a vast necropolis filled with burial shafts, coffins and mummies dating back to the New Kingdom 3000 BC in Saqqara, south of Cairo, Egypt. AP
An ancient mummy is on display that Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass and his team unearthed in a vast necropolis filled with burial shafts, coffins and mummies dating back to the New Kingdom 3000 BC in Saqqara, south of Cairo, Egypt. AP
Workers rest near a trove of ancient artifacts on display that Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass and his team unearthed in a vast necropolis filled with burial shafts, coffins and mummies dating back to the New Kingdom 3000 BC in Saqqara, south of Cairo, Egypt. AP
Workers rest near a trove of ancient artifacts on display that Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass and his team unearthed in a vast necropolis filled with burial shafts, coffins and mummies dating back to the New Kingdom 3000 BC in Saqqara, south of Cairo, Egypt. AP
Workers at the newly discovered funerary temple of Queen Nearit, the wife of King Teti in the Saqqara archaeological site next to the Pyramid of King Teti in Giza, Egypt. EPA
Workers at the newly discovered funerary temple of Queen Nearit, the wife of King Teti in the Saqqara archaeological site next to the Pyramid of King Teti in Giza, Egypt. EPA
Archeologists work at the excavation site of the funerary temple of Queen Nearit, the wife of King Tetiwhere, led by Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass, and his team unearthed in a vast necropolis, in Saqqara, south of Cairo, Egypt. AP
Archeologists work at the excavation site of the funerary temple of Queen Nearit, the wife of King Tetiwhere, led by Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass, and his team unearthed in a vast necropolis, in Saqqara, south of Cairo, Egypt. AP
A trove of ancient artifacts on display that Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass and his team unearthed in a vast necropolis, in Saqqara, south of Cairo, Egypt. AP
A trove of ancient artifacts on display that Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass and his team unearthed in a vast necropolis, in Saqqara, south of Cairo, Egypt. AP
A trove of ancient skulls are on display that Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass and his team unearthed in a vast necropolis, in Saqqara, south of Cairo, Egypt. AP
A trove of ancient skulls are on display that Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass and his team unearthed in a vast necropolis, in Saqqara, south of Cairo, Egypt. AP

The discoveries were made during a joint excavation by Bibliotheque Alexandria's Zahi Hawas Institute and the Ministry of Antiquities. A wealthy French family financed the dig, according to Essam Sheehab, a senior archaeologist who worked on it since excavations began in September.

"The most important discovery, in my opinion, is the temple," said Mr Hawass, who has for decades been the global face of Egyptology with his hallmark Indiana Jones hat and passionate stories of discoveries in the country.

“Beside this temple we found the storage area, where tools that they used for the rituals inside the temple were kept,” he told reporters.

He said 22 burial shafts were discovered during excavations.

Fifty-two wooden coffins dating back to the New Kingdom were found in the shafts. "They are decorated with many scenes depicting gods worshipped during that time," he said.

Read More

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Egypt unveils 100 coffins dating back 2,500 years

The team discovered statues, toys, wooden boats and funerary masks. A papyrus depicted a chapter of the Book of the Dead, a collection of mortuary texts of spells that ancient Egyptians believed would guide the soul of the deceased in the afterlife. It was first used in the New Kingdom.

The latest trove to be found in Saqqara, home to the famed Stepped Pyramid and other notable finds, came two months after Egyptian archaeologists announced the discovery of more than 100 sealed wooden sarcophagi dating back around 2,500 years in the same area. It was the largest find of 2020.

A statement by the Ministry of Antiquities released on Saturday said the latest discovery could shed new light on the history of Saqqara during the New Kingdom.

Egypt hopes archaeological discoveries and the media attention that surround them will spur tourism, a sector devastated by years of turmoil that followed a 2011 uprising and more recently by the coronavirus pandemic.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The alternatives

• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.

• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.

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• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases -  but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Investors: 2014: $500,000 in a seed round led by Mulverhill Associates; 2015: $3m in Series A funding led by STC Ventures (managed by Iris Capital), Wamda and Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority; 2019: $8m in Series B funding with the same investors as Series A along with Precinct Partners, Saned and Argo Ventures (the VC arm of multinational insurer Argo Group)

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While you're here
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On Women's Day
Where to donate in the UAE

The Emirates Charity Portal

You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.

The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments

The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.

Al Noor Special Needs Centre

You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.

Beit Al Khair Society

Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.

Dar Al Ber Society

Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.

Dubai Cares

Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.

Emirates Airline Foundation

Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.

Emirates Red Crescent

On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.

Gulf for Good

Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.

Noor Dubai Foundation

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).

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Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances

All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.

Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.

Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.

Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.

Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.

Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.

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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Brief scoreline:

Liverpool 5

Keita 1', Mane 23', 66', Salah 45' 1, 83'

Huddersfield 0

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