tomb of a priest of the god Amun Ra , about 3000 years ago, today came to light intact ancient Thebes (now Luxor ) through excavations of a Spanish mission that will unravel the mysteries of the funerary practices of the time.
It is “a worthy discovery of the beginning of the archeology ” he said the mission director, Francisco Martin Valentin, after the official opening of the burial in the southern Egyptian city of Luxor.
The numerous excavations in Thebes since the nineteenth century make it increasingly more difficult to find a burial intact and is often the sarcophagus is empty, no mummy.
It is not the case of the tomb of the priest Ankh Khonsu ef , type the offerings of the god Amun Ra in the emblematic temple of Karnak, whose discovery transported to the Spanish experts for a time to the dawn of archeology.
“It is difficult to find intact tombs and sarcophagi. They are historical events, very important, “said Valentine, alluding to that in the nineteenth century was more common this finding type.
The sarcophagus of Ankh ef Khonsu is in excellent condition and has a rich polychrome, depicting scenes of the priest worshiping different gods like Osiris, Anubis, or the goddess Nefertum Cow Hat Hor.
” It’s great, “said an excited Valentine, who commanded the mission of the Institute for Studies of Ancient Egypt made his seventh archaeological campaign in Luxor.
A total of 28 professionals, including Egyptologists, archaeologists, restorers, anthropologists, architects and epigraphers, working this year on the tomb of the vizier Amen Hotep Huy, the largest of the Theban necropolis.
It was during excavations in the northwestern part of the burial yard where the past day 18 experts Spaniards gave the sarcophagus of Ankh Khonsu ef.
“At about 11:30 am we discovered that there was a gap of about two meters in length and found in the bedrock of the tomb of the vizier had dug an anthropomorphic burial “said Valentine
they Rose stone slabs and found the sarcophagus, which now must be studied and restored by the Spanish team then be displayed in a museum.
At the opening today of the grave was attended by the Egyptian Minister of Antiquities, the Damati Mamdouh, who highlighted the “good repair and condition” of the sarcophagus.
For his part, President of the Supreme Antiquities, Sultan Eid said in a statement that the wooden coffin decorated with hieroglyphic writing and represents the priest with a braided beard, arms crossed over chest and in each hand a papyrus flower.
Ankh Khonsu ef lived in the city of Thebes during the XXII dynasty, around the year 900 a. C., and as a scribe and clergy of the god Amun Ra at Karnak temple was dedicated to count the divine offerings, explains the Spanish archaeologist.
At that time, Thebes was a theocratic state that controlled Egypt in collaboration with the Libyan pharaohs, who had his capital and residence in the north of the country.
“There was an increase in the number of priests who were usually of Libyan origin” , according to Valentin, who said that these religious were buried in “differently” covering, for example, the tomb with stone slabs.
They wanted a prestigious site as the tomb of the vizier Amen Hotep Huy, and a corner for the tomb was near a temple wall or other burial of importance.
Thank you so much for the burial is intact as the particularities of this sarcophagus, his discovery will provide ” lots of information about the burial practices of the time, “added the Spanish expert.
Meanwhile, continue the excavations in the courtyard of the tomb of the vizier Amen Hotep Huy, who was governor of Egypt during the reign of Amen Hotep III and Amen Hotep IV.
The courtyard of this burial, located in the area of Al Asasif in the city of Luxor, is so great that it was used as a cemetery for 200 years.
In it, the Spanish mission headed by Valentin and Teresa Bedman, found in 2014 the sarcophagus and the mummy of a singer (priestess) of Amun, about 3,000 years ago.
The mission He began this year on October 7 and runs until mid-December, focused on digging near the front of the chapel, in an area of about 18 by 50 meters.
The Spanish experts do not doubt the potential of this area and predict that before the end of the mission can be “more results and surprises.”
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