MINYA – The Egyptian mission led by Supreme Council of Antiquities Secretary General Mostafa Waziry on Sunday announced new discoveries in Minya, in Middle Egypt.

The mission discovered the cemetery of senior officials and priests of the New Kingdom (c. 1550 BC–c. 1069 BC). The cemeteries of the Old Kingdom, the First Intermediate Period, and the Middle Kingdom were previously found in this region.

Among the finds was a wooden coffin for a woman called Nany dating from the end of the 20th Dynasty. She was chantress of Djehouti, Egyptian god of the moon and writing.

The team uncovered another coffin of Tadi Ist, daughter of the High Priest of Djehouti in Ashmunein.

The inner part of the upper lid cover includes scenes representing the twelve hours.

“It is a rare and important scene ever. Every scene of the hour has its shape,” the SCA chief said.

Her mummy wears a mask and a beaded dress in excellent condition.

The mission also unearthed a papyrus. The first study shows its length is about 16 or 18 metres. Its inscriptions and scenes appear as if it were done yesterday.

It talks about the Book of the Dead.

“This is the fourth papyrus discovered by the Egyptian mission after the three which were discovered in Saqqara,” Waziry said.

“It will be on display in the Grand Egyptian Museum,” he added.

The four discovered papyri are named after Waziry, their discoverer.

The team also found numerous artefacts including canopic jars and ushabtis, funerary figurines used in ancient Egyptian funerary practices. They are made of pottery and wood.

The mission started its work in 2017 in Al-Ghuraifa area in Tuna Al-Jabal.