Tomb raiders: Eight ancient mummiesfound near Luxor, Egypt

An expert inspects a sarcophagus found with mummies and sculptures inside a grave, which was estimated to be more

than 3,500 years old, during archaeological work in Luxor, Egypt, April 18, 2017. Photo by: Stringer/Anadolu Agency/

Getty Images

Egyptian archaeologists have found an ancient tomb which they are a calling an "important

discovery" near the city of Luxor. In the 3,500-year-old tomb, they unearthed several

mummies, colorful wooden sarcophagi and more than 1,000 funerary statues.

According to the Egyptian Antiquities ministry, the tomb dates from the 18th Dynasty, the

most famous age in Ancient Egyptian history that took place from 1550-1298 BC. Many

famous pharaohs like King Tutankhamun or King Tut lived during the 18th Dynasty. The

tomb contains at least eight mummies and was discovered in the Draa Abul Nagaa

cemetery near the famed Valley of the Kings.

It belonged to a nobleman named Userhat who worked as the city judge. It was opened to

add more mummies during the 21st Dynasty, about 3,000 years ago, to protect them

during a period when tomb-robbing was common, said Mostafa Waziri, the head of the

archaeological mission.

By Agence France-Presse, adapted by Newsela staff on 04.24.17

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Level 1180L

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"It was a surprise how much was being displayed inside," Antiquities Minister Khaled el-

Enany told reporters outside the tomb.

Thousands Of Figurines Found Inside Tomb

"We found a large number of Ushabti (small carved figurines), more than 1,000 of them,"

Enany said.

"This is an important discovery."

Ushabti figurines were often placed with the dead in ancient Egyptian tombs to help with

responsibilities in the afterlife.

Antiquities officials had initially said that six mummies along with partial remains were

discovered near the southern city. They later identified two more mummies.

"There are 10 coffins and eight mummies. The excavation is ongoing," Waziri said.

Colorful Ancient Coffins And Pots

Inside the tomb, archaeologists wearing white masks and latex gloves inspected the

sarcophagi. The ancient Egyptian coffins were covered with intricate drawings in red, blue,

black, green and yellow, and featured the carved faces of the dead.

The coffins were mainly well-preserved, though some had deteriorated and broken over

the years. Archaeologists examined a mummy wrapped in linen which was inside one of

the coffins, and white, orange, green and patterned pots were also found inside.

The cemetery is located across the Nile river from Luxor, on the West Bank, where many of

the famous ancient Egyptian pharaohs were buried. Tutankhamun, one of the most famous

pharaohs from the 18th Dynasty, was also buried here.

The age of the tomb was determined "through the drawings on the ceiling," said Waziri.

Tomb Held A Bounty Of Treasure

"It is a T-shaped tomb (which) consists of an open court leading into a rectangular hall, a

corridor and an inner chamber," the ministry said in a statement.

A shaft inside the tomb, about 30 feet long, held the Ushabti figurines as well as "wooden

masks and a handle of a sarcophagus lid," the ministry said.

"The corridor of the tomb leads into an inner chamber where a cachette of sarcophagi is

found," the ministry said.

Waziri said the mummies dated back to an age called "the era of the tomb robbers."

"It's evident that someone with a conscience, the priests or a high-profile government

official ... made an opening to the chambers, and they put the coffins there," he said.

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There Could Be More To Come

Another room in the tomb was also discovered, though it has not yet been completely

excavated, the ministry said.

Archaeologists were able to enter the tomb "after removing almost 450 meters of debris out

of the open court," it added.

The tombs and ancient temples of Thebes have long been a major tourist attraction.

Thebes was the capital of ancient Egypt during its later periods and is now the city of

Luxor.

Tourism here has dropped since the political troubles following the 2011 uprising that

toppled longtime ruler Hosni Mubarak.

Enany said he hoped these new discoveries would help attract tourists again.

Nevine el-Aref, the spokeswoman for the antiquities ministry said "there is evidence and

traces that new mummies could be discovered in the future" at the site.

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Quiz

1 Which of the following statements BEST represents Antiquities Minister Khaled el-Enany's

attitude toward the discovery of the ancient tomb?

(A) It is fortunate that it was not discovered by tomb robbers looking for

treasure.

(B) It is essential to find additional artifacts in order to revive the city as a tourist

attraction.

(C) It is a surprising discovery because of the number of artifacts recovered.

(D) It is unlikely that the site will attract any tourists because of the tomb's

location.

2 HOW does the article MOST develop the idea that the tomb is a significant discovery for

archaeologists?

(A) by listing the different types of treasures found inside the tomb

(B) by discussing the discovery of the tombs of famous pharaohs nearby

(C) by explaining how archaeologists discovered the ancient tomb

(D) by providing a brief overview of the period the tomb dates from

3 Read the following sentence from the section "Colorful Ancient Coffins And Pots."

The coffins were mainly well-preserved, though some had deteriorated

and broken over the years.

Which of the following words, if it replaced the word "deteriorated," would MOST change the

meaning of the sentence?

(A) weakened

(B) smothered

(C) crumbled

(D) faded

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4 Read the following selection from the section "Tomb Held A Bounty Of Treasure."

"It's evident that someone with a conscience, the priests or a high-

profile government official ... made an opening to the chambers, and

they put the coffins there," he said.

What is the meaning of the phrase "someone with a conscience"?

(A) a person who believed protecting the grave was the right thing to do

(B) a person in a position of power who wanted to disrespect the grave

(C) a person who understood how valuable the coffins were

(D) a person who was alive during the time the coffins were moved

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