An Egyptian archaeological mission has uncovered three tombs dating to different periods of ancient Egyptian history at the Sheikh Subi site in the Bahariya Oasis, the Tourism and Antiquities Ministry said Wednesday.
The discoveries include mummies, limestone and pottery coffins, ceramic vessels, offering tables and small terracotta votive figurines, the ministry said in a statement.
The excavation team, led by director general of antiquities in the Bahariya Oasis Sabri Farag, found that the first tomb was a rock-cut collective burial believed to have been used by a family of five.
The tomb consists of a square shaft around three metres (10 feet) deep, leading to two burial chambers. One chamber contained a limestone coffin holding a mummy wrapped in linen, while the second contained four limestone coffins, each with a linen-wrapped mummy.
The ministry said the first tomb’s design was consistent with burial practices at the site during Egypt’s Late Period.
The second tomb, which is undecorated, is believed to date to the Roman period. It consists of a small shaft leading to a three-step staircase and a burial chamber that appears not to have been used.
The third tomb, also thought to date to the Roman period, has a rectangular shaft leading to a small, roofless hall believed to have been used to receive the mummy during the burial ceremony.
The hall leads to two chambers. Archaeologists found fragments of a pottery coffin in one and a limestone coffin with part of its lid missing in the other.
Four additional small entrances were found on the eastern, northern and western sides of the shaft. Excavations at the eastern entrance revealed a side burial containing a cylindrical pottery coffin broken into several pieces. Its lid bears a raised representation of a human face with clearly defined features.
Other finds include a variety of pottery vessels, small bottles, dishes of different shapes and sizes, and offering tables made of limestone and sandstone.
The team also discovered small terracotta votive figurines depicting female figures and stylised animals.
Farag said excavations would continue in coming seasons, expressing hope that further discoveries could shed light on successive generations of oasis inhabitants and the history of the region.
The Sheikh Subi site contains a necropolis for rulers and priests of the Bahariya Oasis during Egypt’s Late Period. It is located on the archaeological hill known as Sheikh Subi, considered one of the oasis’s most important ancient sites.
