- Title: EGYPT: ARCHAEOLOGISTS DISCOVER A THOUSANDS-YEAR-OLD TOMB
- Date: 25th December 2000
- Summary: VARIOUS LOCATIONS IN EGYPT (RECENT) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. VARIOUS OF EXCAVATIONS 0.12 2. VARIOUS OF TOMB 0.47 3. VARIOUS OF ARCHAEOLOGISTS LOOKING AT TOMB 1.00 4. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) ZAHI HAWASS, DIRECTOR OF GIZA PLATEAU EXCAVATION "The best thing that has been found exactly is the statues that are carved in the rock. And this is the first time that in Abu Sir (they are) carved standing surrounded with hieroglyphic inscriptions. This man was a very important man, he was a very high official of the reign of King Pipi the first, one of the Kings of Dynasty six." 1.18 5. VARIOUS OF EXCAVATIONS 1.30 6. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE LOOKING AROUND / HIEROGLYPHS 1.38 7. SCU / POINTING AT DRAWING (SOUNDBITE) (English) BRETISLAV VACHALA, CZECH INSTITUTE OF EGYPTOLOGY "This is the owner of the tomb sitting in a chair and he is sitting in front of an offeringtable with loaves of bread. The titles of Inti are mentioned in hieroglyphs in these vertical columns." 2.03 8. VARIOUS OF WALL PAINTINGS IN TOMB 2.22 9. VARIOUS OF EXCAVATION SITE 2.32 10. LV/GV SPHINX / GV SITE 2.40 Initials SEE 14558/00 (6823) Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 9th January 2001 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: VARIOUS LOCATIONS IN EGYPT
- Country: Egypt
- Reuters ID: LVA2IEUHTPE2N07OCOU6V28V35VE
- Story Text: Archaeologists in Egypt have discovered an ancient
tomb thousands of years old. But they also discovered that
the tomb had already been raided centuries ago - by thieves
who took away its treasures and left the remaining bones on
the floor.
Archaeologists working in Egypt have made an exciting
discovery - a 4,200 year old tomb belonging to a judge
called Inti.
The tomb lies in what is a massive cemetery just
outside Cairo and dates back to the rule of King Pipi in
2200 BC.
Under the tomb Egyptologists discovered a burial
chamber and inside there lay Inti's sarcophagus.
But when they excavated the tomb they discovered it
had been broken into centuries earlier.
Inti's bones had been taken out of his sarcophagus
by thieves looking for treasure and his once revered remains
chucked onto the floor.
The thieves got what they were after, the treasures
Inti thought he was taking with him into the afterlife.
And the Egyptologists found treasure of their own -
statues and hieroglyphs which they hope will reveal more of
the secrets of Inti's life and times.
Zahi Hawass, Director of Giza Plateau Excavation
says "The best thing that has been found exactly is the
statues that are carved in the rock. And this is the first
time that in Abu Sir (they are) carved standing surrounded
with hieroglyphic inscriptions. This man was a very
important man, he was a very high official of the reign of
King Pipi the first, one of the Kings of Dynasty six."
Inti's tomb is an important find and may help the
experts work out how such a technologically advanced
civilisation came to an end.
The Czech Egyptian team will now try to piece
together the life of Inti, a judge and a priest who lived in
a city called Nekhen.
Bretislav Vachala says " This is the owner of the
tomb sitting in a chair and he is sitting in front of an
offering table with loaves of bread. The titles of Inti are
mentioned in hieroglyphs in these vertical
columns."
The hieroglyphs on the walls of the tomb
describe the major events of Inti's life and death.
Inti's two sons are depicted along the entrance,
and on the chapel walls his wife is drawn kneeling at her
husband's feet.
In one drawing Inti stands with a sceptre and
stick in his hand.
As more and more tombs and their hieroglyphs are
excavated scientists are able to gain a better understanding
of what life was really like in ancient Egypt.
And even after a century of work in this region
Egyptologists say there is still much more digging to do in
the sands of Egypt.
--ENDS--
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