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Egyptian archaeologists also found painted wooden cobra and crocodile sarcophagi
Archaeologists in Egypt said they had discovered a rare collection of mummified scarab beetles, as well as an apparently pristine Fifth Dynasty tomb that they plan to open in the coming weeks. The mummified beetles were among artefacts found in seven tombs discovered over the past six months on the edge of the King Userkaf pyramid complex at the ancient necropolis of Saqqara. As they were preparing the site to present the latest discoveries, archaeologists found the door of another tomb that remains sealed, Mostafa Waziri, secretary-general of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, told reporters.
The tomb dates from the Fifth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom.
The Fifth Dynasty ruled Egypt from about 2,500 B.C. to 2,350 B.C., not long after the great pyramid of Giza was built. The tombs lie in a buried ridge that has only partially been uncovered and could offer many more similar discoveries, Mr. Waziri said. Excavations in the area had halted in 2013 before resuming earlier this year. Saqqara served as the necropolis for Memphis, the capital of ancient Egypt for more than two millennia. Dozens of cat mummies and gilded statues of cats were unearthed, including a bronze statue dedicated to the cat goddess Bastet. The team also found painted wooden cobra and crocodile sarcophagi, a collection of gilded statues depicting animal features, as well as objects including amulets, canopic jars.
Source : https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-life/cat-scarab-mummies-unearthed/article25471339.ece
