Two 2,500-year-old tombs of man and woman unearthed in Egypt


Nada El Sawy
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A Spanish archaeological mission has unearthed two tombs containing the remains of a man and woman dating back 2,500 years in El Bahnasa, about 220 kilometres south of Cairo.

Three gold foil amulets in the shape of tongues inside the mouths of human remains were also found, said Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

This is very important, because it's rare to find a tomb that is totally sealed
Esther Pons Melado,
co-director of Spanish archaeological mission

One of the tombs from the Saite dynasty, a late period of ancient Egypt up to 525BC, was discovered completely sealed.

“This is very important, because it’s rare to find a tomb that is totally sealed,” Esther Pons Melado, co-director of the archaeological mission of Oxyrhynchus, told The National.

Contents of two 2,500-year-old tombs were discovered in Middle Egypt. Photo: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
Contents of two 2,500-year-old tombs were discovered in Middle Egypt. Photo: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

The University of Barcelona set up the mission at Oxyrhynchus, the ancient name of El Bahnasa in El Minya governorate, as long ago as 1992.

Inside the sealed tomb was a limestone male sarcophagus with a mummy in a good state of preservation, four canopic jars, amulets such as the scarab and about 400 ushabti funerary figurines made of faience.

The second tomb of the woman had been opened in ancient times and the remains were not in good condition, Ms Melado said.

The three golden tongues found outside the tombs include one belonging to a 3-year-old child and two in the mouths of adults. They date to the Roman period in Egypt, starting in 30BC.

In February, golden tongues were discovered at the temple of Taposiris Magna near Alexandria. The Tourism and Antiquities Ministry has said that the tongues were meant to help the deceased converse with Osiris, the ancient Egyptian god of the dead, on their way to the afterlife.

Some of the artefacts unearthed at Oxyrhynchus, the ancient name of El Bahnasa. Photo: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
Some of the artefacts unearthed at Oxyrhynchus, the ancient name of El Bahnasa. Photo: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

Ms Melado said golden tongues have been found in only Alexandria and El Bahnasa, including 11 discovered “some years ago” and now on display in museums.

She has led the archaeological mission with co-director Maite Mascort since 2019 and the excavation team of 14 comes from Spain, Italy, France, the US and Egypt.

“There have been many discoveries in the area over the last 30 years,” Hassan Amer, the mission’s excavation director and professor in the Greco-Roman department at Cairo University’s faculty of archaeology, told The National.

In May 2020, the mission discovered a cemetery from the Saite period, as well as eight Roman-era tombs.

Oxyrhynchus is considered one of Egypt's most important archaeological sites. In the late 19th century, archaeologists discovered a huge collection of papyrus scrolls dating from the Ptolemaic kingdom and the Roman period.

“It’s also very important to see the type of Saite tombs and compare with other Saite tombs in Saqqara or Tanis,” Mr Amer said.

The discovery of dozens of sealed coffins in October last year, most with mummies inside, was made at the Saqqara necropolis.

The latest find is one of many archaeological discoveries that Egypt has publicised recently to help revive its tourism sector, which has not fully recovered since the 2011 uprising and has suffered more recently from the coronavirus pandemic.

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Other ways to buy used products in the UAE

UAE insurance firm Al Wathba National Insurance Company (AWNIC) last year launched an e-commerce website with a facility enabling users to buy car wrecks.

Bidders and potential buyers register on the online salvage car auction portal to view vehicles, review condition reports, or arrange physical surveys, and then start bidding for motors they plan to restore or harvest for parts.

Physical salvage car auctions are a common method for insurers around the world to move on heavily damaged vehicles, but AWNIC is one of the few UAE insurers to offer such services online.

For cars and less sizeable items such as bicycles and furniture, Dubizzle is arguably the best-known marketplace for pre-loved.

Founded in 2005, in recent years it has been joined by a plethora of Facebook community pages for shifting used goods, including Abu Dhabi Marketplace, Flea Market UAE and Arabian Ranches Souq Market while sites such as The Luxury Closet and Riot deal largely in second-hand fashion.

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Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina

Rating: 4/5

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While you're here
Why does a queen bee feast only on royal jelly?

Some facts about bees:

The queen bee eats only royal jelly, an extraordinary food created by worker bees so she lives much longer

The life cycle of a worker bee is from 40-60 days

A queen bee lives for 3-5 years

This allows her to lay millions of eggs and allows the continuity of the bee colony

About 20,000 honey bees and one queen populate each hive

Honey is packed with vital vitamins, minerals, enzymes, water and anti-oxidants.

Apart from honey, five other products are royal jelly, the special food bees feed their queen 

Pollen is their protein source, a super food that is nutritious, rich in amino acids

Beewax is used to construct the combs. Due to its anti-fungal, anti-bacterial elements, it is used in skin treatments

Propolis, a resin-like material produced by bees is used to make hives. It has natural antibiotic qualities so works to sterilize hive,  protects from disease, keeps their home free from germs. Also used to treat sores, infection, warts

Bee venom is used by bees to protect themselves. Has anti-inflammatory properties, sometimes used to relieve conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, nerve and muscle pain

Honey, royal jelly, pollen have health enhancing qualities

The other three products are used for therapeutic purposes

Is beekeeping dangerous?

As long as you deal with bees gently, you will be safe, says Mohammed Al Najeh, who has worked with bees since he was a boy.

“The biggest mistake people make is they panic when they see a bee. They are small but smart creatures. If you move your hand quickly to hit the bees, this is an aggressive action and bees will defend themselves. They can sense the adrenalin in our body. But if we are calm, they are move away.”

 

 

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If you go

The flights

There are direct flights from Dubai to Sofia with FlyDubai (www.flydubai.com) and Wizz Air (www.wizzair.com), from Dh1,164 and Dh822 return including taxes, respectively.

The trip

Plovdiv is 150km from Sofia, with an hourly bus service taking around 2 hours and costing $16 (Dh58). The Rhodopes can be reached from Sofia in between 2-4hours.

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Updated: December 06, 2021, 3:36 PM`