The tomb of a priest of the god Amun Ra, about 3,000 years ago, today came to light intact ancient Thebes (now Luxor) through the excavations of a Spanish mission that will unravel the mysteries of the funerary practices of the time.
It is “a worthy discovery of the beginnings of archeology,” he told Efe the director of the mission, 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 an intact burial and often that the sarcophagus is empty, no mummy.
is not the case of the tomb of Khonsu ef Anj priest, scribe of the god Amun Ra offerings 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 an excellent state of conservation and has a rich polychrome depicting scenes of the priest worshiping different gods like Osiris, Anubis, Nefertum or goddess Cow Hat Hor. “It’s magnificent,” a Valentine excited that commanded the mission of the Institute of Studies Ancient Egypt makes its 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 northwestern patio of this burial where the past day 18 experts Spaniards gave the sarcophagus of Ankh ef Khonsu.
“Around 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.
Rose stone slabs and found the sarcophagus, which now must be studied and restored by the Spanish team later to be exhibited in a museum.
In 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 its 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, his arms crossed over his 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 their residence in the capital and north. “There was an increase in the number of priests who were usually of Libyan origin,” said 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 “a lot 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 Amen Hotep Hotep III and 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.
For him, the mission Spanish 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 began this year October 7 and will last until mid-December, focused on digging near the front of the chapel, in an area of about 18 by 50 meters. Spanish experts do not doubt the potential of this area and predict that before the end of the mission may be “more results and surprises.”
EFE
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