Egypt opens two ancient pyramids, unveils new finds

Egypt on Saturday opened two ancient pyramids south of the capital Cairo and unveiled a collection of newly found sarcophagi, some containing well-preserved mummies.

The Bent pyramid of Sneferu, the first pharaoh of Egypt's 4th dynasty, in the ancient royal necropolis
of Dahshur on the west bank of the Nile River, south of the capital Cairo 
[Credit: Mohamed el-Shahed/AFP]

Antiquities Minister Khaled al-Anani told reporters the Bent Pyramid of Sneferu, the first pharaoh of Egypt's 4th dynasty, and a nearby pyramid would be reopened to visitors for the first time since 1965.

He also said a team of archaeologists had uncovered sarcophagi and the remains of an ancient wall dating back to the Middle Kingdom some 4,000 years ago.

A man walks next to the Red Pyramid, in Dahshur, some 30 kilometres (20 miles) south of Cairo
[Credit: Mohamed el-Shahed/AFP]

A man walks in front of one the Bent pyramid satelites, in the ancient royal necropolis 
of Dahshur on the west bank of the Nile River, south of the capital Cairo
[Credit: Mohamed el-Shahed/AFP]

A man walks in front of one the Bent pyramid satelites, in the ancient royal necropolis 
of Dahshur on the west bank of the Nile River, south of the capital Cairo
[Credit: Mohamed el-Shahed/AFP]

A man walks through a passage in the well-known bent pyramid of Snefru, which had been 
closed to visitors since 1965, in Dahshur, some 30 kilometres (20 miles) south of Cairo
[Credit: Mohamed el-Shahed/AFP]

The finds were made during excavation work in the royal necropolis of Dahshur on the west bank of the Nile River, in an area home to some of Egypt's oldest pyramids.

"Several stone, clay and wooden sarcophagi were found and some contain mummies in good condition," the antiquities ministry said in a statement.

A man brushes off dust from a sarcophagus, part of a new discovery carried out almost 300 meters south of
Amenemhat II’s pyramid at Dahshur necropolis, exposed near the Bent Pyramid, about 40km (25 miles) 
south of the Egyptian capital Cairo, during an inaugural ceremony of the pyramid and its satellites
[Credit: Mohamed el-Shahed/AFP]

A man brushes off dust from a sarcophagus, part of a new discovery carried out almost 300 meters south of
Amenemhat II’s pyramid at Dahshur necropolis, exposed near the Bent Pyramid, about 40km (25 miles)
south of the Egyptian capital Cairo, during an inaugural ceremony of the pyramid and its satellites
[Credit: Mohamed el-Shahed/AFP]

A sarcophagus, part of a new discovery carried out almost 300 meters south of Amenemhat II’s pyramid at Dahshur
 necropolis, is exposed near the Bent Pyramid, about 40km (25 miles) south of the Egyptian capital Cairo,
during an inaugural ceremony of the pyramid and its satellites
[Credit: Mohamed el-Shahed/AFP]

A man kneels in front of a sarcophagus, part of a new discovery carried out almost 300 meters south of Amenemhat II’s
pyramid at Dahshur necropolis, exposed near the Bent Pyramid, about 40km (25 miles) south of the Egyptian
capital Cairo, during an inaugural ceremony of the pyramid and its satellites
[Credit: Mohamed el-Shahed/AFP]

A sarcophagus, part of a new discovery carried out almost 300 meters south of Amenemhat II’s pyramid at Dahshur
 necropolis, is exposed near the Bent Pyramid, about 40km (25 miles) south of the Egyptian capital Cairo,
 during an inaugural ceremony of the pyramid and its satellites
[Credit: Mohamed el-Shahed/AFP]

The ancient wall stretches some 60 metres and is situated south of the pyramid of 12th dynasty pharaoh Amenemhat II, also in the Dahshur necropolis.

The finds also included funerary masks as well as tools dating back to the Late Period - which spanned almost 300 years up to Alexander the Great's conquest of Egypt in 332 BC - used for cutting stones, the ministry said.

Egypt has in recent years sought to promote archaeological discoveries across the country in a bid to revive tourism, which took a hit from the turmoil that followed its 2011 uprising.

Source: AFP [July 13, 2019]