- Title: Ancient Egyptian tombs yield rare find of mummified scarab beetles
- Date: 10th November 2018
- Summary: SAQQARA, EGYPT (NOVEMBER 10, 2018) (REUTERS) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING INTO ENTRANCE OF TOMB OF KHUFU-IMHAT IN SAQQARA TOMB ENTRANCE / TUNNEL INTO TOMB VARIOUS OF ARCHAEOLOGISTS RESTORING ARTEFACTS FOUND INSIDE TOMB VARIOUS OF ARCHAEOLOGISTS RESTORING ARTEFACTS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ARCHAEOLOGIST, NAME UNKNOWN, SAYING: "More than 200 cats are mummified here. Some of them were inside metal and wood structures." INTERIOR OF WELL IN TOMB TOMB EXIT VARIOUS OF MUMMIFIED CROCODILE, ANCIENT EGYPTIAN AMULETS ON DISPLAY VARIOUS OF CAT STATUES ON DISPLAY DOG STATUE IN DISPLAY CASE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) EGYPTIAN MINISTER OF ANTIQUITIES, KHALED EL ANANY, SAYING: "Since the beginning of 2017 there have been many archaeological discoveries, on a regular basis. There were Egyptian expeditions and foreign ones. We were lucky during the past 20 months or a year and a half exactly, thank God, there were discoveries in all of Egypt's governorates. Today, there was a small discovery. A series of tombs and within them we found animal mummies and scarabs." KHUFU-IMHAT TOMB ARCHAEOLOGIST RESTORING ARTEFACTS ENTRANCE OF TOMB / ARCHAEOLOGIST EXPLAINING FINDINGS TO JOURNALISTS VARIOUS OF MUMMIFIED CATS IN TOMB (SOUNDBITE) (English) SECRETARY GENERAL OF SUPREME COUNCIL OF ANTIQUITIES, MOSTAFA WAZIRI, SAYING: "We have heard about coffins, but not mummified scarabs. This is something really amazing. Of course we are going to study this one and we're going to figure out what's upcoming news. This is the summary for today." ARTEFACTS ON DISPLAY IN FRONT OF TOMB VARIOUS OF ARTEFACTS IN DISPLAY CASE AREA WITH CAMEL IN BACKGROUND
- Embargoed: 24th November 2018 15:59
- Keywords: Egyptologists mummified scarab beetles scarab mummies ancient necropolis of Saqqara Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities
- Location: SAQQARA, EGYPT
- City: SAQQARA, EGYPT
- Country: Egypt
- Topics: Science,Editors' Choice
- Reuters ID: LVA00195X9KCN
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: FLASH IN VISION ON END OF SOUNDBITE IN SHOT 11
Archaeologists in Egypt said on Saturday (November 10) 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, south of Cairo.
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.
Two large scarabs wrapped in linen and in very good condition were found inside a limestone sarcophagus with a vaulted, decorated lid, the antiquities ministry said in a statement.
Another collection of scarab mummies was found inside a smaller sarcophagus.
Dozens of cat mummies and gilded statues of cats were also unearthed, including a bronze statue dedicated to the cat goddess Bastet.
Saqqara served as the necropolis for Memphis, the capital of ancient Egypt for more than two millennia. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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