Egypt uncovers mummy burial site near Great Pyramids

CAIRO: Egyptian archaeologists revealed on Saturday the details of an ancient burial shaft and a mummification workshop that were discovered 30 meters underground, near the Saqqara necropolis south of Cairo. Archaeologists are hoping the mummification workshop will provide fresh insight into the chemical make-up of the oils used by ancient Egyptians to mummify their dead. The burial shaft, which is over 2,000 years old, is believed to date back to the Saite-Persian period, approximately 664-404 BC. The shaft was originally discovered in April of this year containing 35 mummies in addition to stone sarcophagi. “What this discoverywill add are two very important things; the first is the type of oils used (in mummification), and their chemicalmake-up. Sowewill be able to identify the exact types of oils used,” said Ramadan Badry Hussein, head of the Egyptian-German mission that uncovered the site. Hundreds of small stone statues, jars, and vessels used in the mummification process were all found inside the burial chambers and excavated.— Reuters