The joint Egyptian-American archaeological mission working on the restoration project of the South Asasif cemetery discovered the first cemetery from the Middle Kingdom era, containing many closed and never-before-opened burials for men, women and children, in addition to a group of unique archaeological finds, during the cleaning work. The archaeological ruin in the southern part of the roof of the Karabaskin cemetery “TT 391” From the 25th family located in the Al-Assasif cemetery.
Dr. Muhammad Ismail Khaled, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, stressed the importance of this discovery, as it will change the history of the Al-Assasif cemetery and place it among the cemetery. It will also contribute to understanding the practices and burial rituals in the Theban cemetery during the Middle Kingdom.
Inside the cemetery, 11 burials were found containing the skeletons of men, women, and children. Which indicates that it is a family tomb that was used for several generations during the Twelfth Dynasty and the beginning of the Thirteenth Dynasty, in addition to the discovery of many unique jewelry in women’s burials and a group of archaeological finds, all of which likely date back to the early Twelfth Dynasty.
He added that most of these burials were subjected to significant damage due to the floods that destroyed the wood of the coffins and the covering linen fabrics, but many of the burial contents, made of materials less susceptible to damage, were preserved and were found in their original location. Among the skeletal remains.
Dr. Hisham Al-Laithi, head of the Egyptian antiquities preservation and registration sector at the Supreme Council of Antiquities, explained that one of the most prominent archaeological discoveries is a unique necklace consisting of 30 cylindrical stone beads. Amethyst with two cylindrical agate beads surrounding an amulet in the shape of a hippo’s head, in addition to a group of necklaces, bracelets, chains, rings and belts made of red agate, blue and green inlaid porcelain, and painted vines. It is also decorated with amulets in the shape of the heads of hippos and hawks, amulets in the form of a snake’s head, and others. All of them are in a good state of preservation.
Dr. Catherine Blakeney, head of the archaeological mission from the American side, indicated that copper mirrors were found inside two of these burials, one of them with a handle on The shape of a lotus flower, and another with a rare design of the face of the goddess Hathor with four faces showing her as a woman with stern features, in addition to a number of copper alloys, and a small fertility statue made of blue-green faience stone and with cut legs, well designed and decorated with a variety of jewelry, and her hair is painted black. Next to the small statue were found approximately 4,000 clay beads that constitute her original hair. A square-shaped offering table with a low edge and a water channel in the middle was also found, surrounded by reliefs of a bull’s head, a loaf of bread, and other offerings.
Excavations will continue to reveal more of the secrets of this tomb.
