Egypt has announced a significant historic discovery at a site in eastern Cairo, unearthing a near-complete set of ancient funerary objects.
The archaeological find was made by a team from the Supreme Council of Antiquities, working at the Banhesi cemetery in the ancient city of Heliopolis – known in antiquity as On.
The discovery in Cairo's Matariya district sheds new light on burial customs and social life in one of the oldest and most important religious centres of the ancient world, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said.
Sherif Fathy, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, said the new material “confirms the success of Egyptian missions in rewriting the cultural history of Heliopolis".
The objects “offer a clearer picture of daily life and funerary practices of the local elite across successive historical periods”, he added.
What was found?
The excavations uncovered a mudbrick burial site containing human remains. Further digging revealed a unique cache of personal and ritual items, forming what archaeologists describe as semi-complete funerary furniture.
It includes a copper mirror and two alabaster pots with their lids still in place, both retaining traces of ancient black kohl (eyeliner).
A third kohl vessel was carved from black obsidian, a rare material for such finds, according to the ministry.
Archaeologists uncovered five pairs of yellow metal earrings. Preliminary assessments suggest the earrings are made of gold, the ministry said .
The team also found two light-blue vessels, one of which contained six scarabs. Two of the scarabs are set in yellow metal frames, also believed to be gold.
Mohamed Abdel Badie, head of the Central Department for Ancient Egyptian Antiquities, said the cache included amulets in various symbolic shapes, including a duck and a crown of the god Atum.
Four semi-precious stones were recovered, two of them likely agate, one red-pink and mounted in a yellow metal setting thought to be gold, and another greenish stone.
The latest finds will add to objects unearthed during the continuing excavation season, which include mudbrick and limestone funerary architecture and two fragmented coffins – one made of ceramic and another of gypsum.
One of the coffins contained gilded human remains, which the ministry believes belonged to a prominent military figure, along with a coin that may date back to the Roman period.
Limestone blocks bearing hieroglyphic inscriptions were also found, helping to pinpoint the site’s place in history.
Officials say the Banhesi cemetery represents an archaeological record and was used to bury prominent individuals from the Late Period (664-332 BC) through the Roman and Christian eras.
As part of the wider Heliopolis necropolis, the site is linked to the main cult centre of the sun god Ra, giving the discovery particular importance for understanding changing funerary rites and beliefs in this sacred city.
