Egypt has unveiled a major new archaeological find of 250 sarcophagi, 150 small bronze statues of gods and goddesses and other antiquities at the Saqqara necropolis.
Mostafa Waziri, secretary general of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, displayed part of the cache, including 35 of the painted wooden coffins, in a televised event on Monday at the Unesco Heritage site south of Cairo.
Dating back more than 2,500 years to the Late Period, the sarcophagi are in good condition and all included mummies inside.
This is the largest number of coffins and bronze statues to be unearthed by the Egyptian archaeological mission at the site near the famous Step Pyramid of Djoser.
“I'm very proud that the discovery was made by Egyptians, and this will not be the last discovery here,” Mr Waziri said.
The find is one of several made at Saqqara, the necropolis of the ancient capital of Memphis, in recent years.
The Egyptian mission has completed its fourth excavation of the site since April 2018 and will conduct a fifth in September after the hot summer months.
A “rare” papyrus scroll, expected to measure about nine metres, was also found and could be a depiction of a chapter of the Book of the Dead, a tradition of funerary manuscripts dating back to the Old Kingdom, Mr Waziri said.
The statuettes, displayed in a large glass case, include deities such as Anubis, Amun, Hathor, Isis, Min, Nefertum, Osiris and Bastet — the “protector” of the area in the form of a cat. Mr Waziri highlighted the headless statue of Imhotep, the chief architect of Pharaoh Djoser who ruled ancient Egypt between 2630BC and 2611BC.
Also on display were two larger statues of the goddesses Isis and Nephthys with gilded faces, wailing in mourning.
Among the other antiquities discovered, dating back more than 3,200 years to the New Kingdom, were cosmetic items such as combs, bracelets, necklaces, small pots and a mirror.
All of the items will be transported to the Grand Egyptian Museum, which is scheduled to be completed by September, or the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir, to be studied before deciding on where they will be displayed permanently.
Saqqara has proved a treasure trove for human and animal mummies, sarcophagi, statues and other items from ancient Egypt.
When Egyptian archaeologists began excavation at the site in 2018, they discovered the tomb of a priest that had been untouched for 4,400 years, which then became the subject of the 2020 Netflix documentary Secrets of the Saqqara Tomb.
In the autumn of 2020, the team unveiled 59 sealed sarcophagi of priests and clerks from Egypt's 26th Dynasty, followed by more than 100 ancient coffins in what was the biggest find of the year.
In January last year, the tourism and antiquities ministry announced the discovery of more than 50 wooden sarcophagi and a five-metre papyrus depicting a chapter of the Book of the Dead.
More recently, in March, five well-preserved tombs dating back to the Old Kingdom were unearthed.
Mr Waziri said there were “many surprises to come” and that he hoped the mission would find the grave of Imhotep “who changed architecture” by building what is believed to be the oldest still-standing large-scale stone monument.
Egypt hopes the archaeological discoveries and media attention will help spur tourism, which struggled to rebound in the aftermath of the 2011 uprising and has since been hit by the coronavirus pandemic, as well as the Russia-Ukraine war this year. Russia and Ukraine normally account for a big chunk of the country's tourists.
As part of its PR blitz, last year Egypt hosted a globally watched pharaonic parade of mummies and sarcophagi through central Cairo to transfer 22 mummies – 18 kings and four queens – to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation. The mummies included the famous King Ramses II, as well as Queen Hatshepsut.
The Grand Egyptian Museum, whose opening has been delayed several times, is a central element to the new tourism promotion strategy as the country hopes to lure back visitors.
Egypt welcomed just 3.6 million tourists in 2020, less than a quarter of the number who visited in 2019, as the pandemic wiped out $17.6 billion from Egypt’s economy and caused the loss of 844,000 travel and tourism jobs that year. However, numbers have picked up as travel resumed around the world with health protocols.
Five ancient tombs discovered at Egypt's Saqqara necropolis — in pictures
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The major Hashd factions linked to Iran:
Badr Organisation: Seen as the most militarily capable faction in the Hashd. Iraqi Shiite exiles opposed to Saddam Hussein set up the group in Tehran in the early 1980s as the Badr Corps under the supervision of the Iran Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). The militia exalts Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei but intermittently cooperated with the US military.
Saraya Al Salam (Peace Brigade): Comprised of former members of the officially defunct Mahdi Army, a militia that was commanded by Iraqi cleric Moqtada Al Sadr and fought US and Iraqi government and other forces between 2004 and 2008. As part of a political overhaul aimed as casting Mr Al Sadr as a more nationalist and less sectarian figure, the cleric formed Saraya Al Salam in 2014. The group’s relations with Iran has been volatile.
Kataeb Hezbollah: The group, which is fighting on behalf of the Bashar Al Assad government in Syria, traces its origins to attacks on US forces in Iraq in 2004 and adopts a tough stance against Washington, calling the United States “the enemy of humanity”.
Asaeb Ahl Al Haq: An offshoot of the Mahdi Army active in Syria. Asaeb Ahl Al Haq’s leader Qais al Khazali was a student of Mr Al Moqtada’s late father Mohammed Sadeq Al Sadr, a prominent Shiite cleric who was killed during Saddam Hussein’s rule.
Harakat Hezbollah Al Nujaba: Formed in 2013 to fight alongside Mr Al Assad’s loyalists in Syria before joining the Hashd. The group is seen as among the most ideological and sectarian-driven Hashd militias in Syria and is the major recruiter of foreign fighters to Syria.
Saraya Al Khorasani: The ICRG formed Saraya Al Khorasani in the mid-1990s and the group is seen as the most ideologically attached to Iran among Tehran’s satellites in Iraq.
(Source: The Wilson Centre, the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation)
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How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
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What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
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Rating: 3/5
Fanney Khan
Producer: T-Series, Anil Kapoor Productions, ROMP, Prerna Arora
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This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
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An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
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Started: December 2011
Co-founders: Elie Habib, Eddy Maroun
Based: Beirut and Dubai
Sector: Entertainment
Size: 85 employees
Stage: Series C
Investors: MEVP, du, Mobily, MBC, Samena Capital
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Which honey takes your fancy?
Al Ghaf Honey
The Al Ghaf tree is a local desert tree which bears the harsh summers with drought and high temperatures. From the rich flowers, bees that pollinate this tree can produce delicious red colour honey in June and July each year
Sidr Honey
The Sidr tree is an evergreen tree with long and strong forked branches. The blossom from this tree is called Yabyab, which provides rich food for bees to produce honey in October and November. This honey is the most expensive, but tastiest
Samar Honey
The Samar tree trunk, leaves and blossom contains Barm which is the secret of healing. You can enjoy the best types of honey from this tree every year in May and June. It is an historical witness to the life of the Emirati nation which represents the harsh desert and mountain environments
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now