Ministry of Antiquities

08/06/2016

From the teachings (Sebayt) of Visier Ptahhotep under King Isesi (5th Dynasty)

06/06/2016

02/06/2016

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/egypts-world-famous-archaeologist-back-field-39550673

What mysteries might still be hidden under Egypt's pyramids? A team accompanied by Egypt's former antiquities minister and famed archaeologist Zahi Hawass are testing a new scanner on the Great Pyramid of Giza on Thursday, hoping that modern technology could help unlock ancient secrets buried...

29/05/2016

27/05/2016

Barcelona legend Carles Puyol visits the Grand Egyptian Museum and Giza Pyramids today

27/05/2016

The Tomb of Nefer-Seshem-Ptah
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Nefer-Seshem-Ptah was the overseer of the great court. His tomb is relatively small but still keeps its beautiful scenes that represent everyday life. The false door of the tomb is distinguished and unique it has never been shown before in any of the Memphis tombs.

27/05/2016

The Tomb of Nemty-Umes (Netjerwymes)
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The tomb was discovered in 1996 by the French expedition lead by A. Zivie (cliffs underneath the Bubasteion in Saqara). Conservation works lasted since its discovery to 2003.
The tomb dates back to the reign of king "Ramses II" from the 19th Dynasty (New Kingdom). Its owner served under Ramses the Great as a peace envoy between the Egyptian Empire and the Hittites.

This is the first official opening of the tomb since the completion of the restoration and excavation works that included the consolidation of the mural inscriptions, color fixing and erecting a shelter over the front courtyard to protect the tomb and the inscriptions, as well as installing a new lighting system.

The tomb consists of a limestone front courtyard with two pillars holding inscriptions of the tomb owner in a worshiping position. The western wall has colorful scenes typical of the Ramesside art representing everyday life and religious rituals. Many cartouches bearing the name of "Ramses II" also exist.

The courtyard leads to a rock cut room and contains a rock statue of "Hathor" representing it sorting from the mountain, under its head is a royal statue of Ramses II.

27/05/2016

The Tomb of Ankh Mahor
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Ankh Mahor was the "Ka-Priest" during the reign of king Teti of the 6th Dynasty. His tomb is often called "the Physician's Tomb" because of the medical scenes in its doorway.

The tomb is big and contains a number of rooms and decorated doorways. It contains the most important Old Kingdom scenes like the famous circumcision scene in the doorway as well as scenes involving agriculture, offerings and fording.

27/05/2016

The Pyramid of Unas
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The Pyramid of Unas is the last of the 5th Dynasty royal pyramids. Despite its small size, it is considered one of the most important Egyptian pyramids because it is the first pyramid to register the “Pyramids Texts” which have religious and funerary importance for resurrecting the dead.

The famous French Egyptologist Gaston Maspero was the first to enter the pyramid in 1881 but the pyramid was closed in 1996 because of humidity reasons that negatively influenced its burial chamber. The Supreme Council of Antiquities (then) decided to close the pyramid for conservation and restoration works. After many researches, humidity and heat testing devices were inserted inside the pyramid to decrease their levels, led lights were also provided to safely illuminate the pyramid.

The pyramid is among the funerary complex which combines the valley temple underneath the hill, a causeway that ends with the mortuary temple. The causeway was decorated with scenes of religious and everyday life scenes.

The entrance chapel of the pyramid lies in the north and it leads to a corridor chamber that connects the descending passage coming from the entrance with a straight passage leading to the antechamber. The corridor ends with 3 portcullises that were meant to block the access to the antechamber leading from the entrance passage in the north to the magazines in the east and the burial chamber in the west where the oldest pyramids text exist.

Translated by: Eman Hossni

27/05/2016

Unas Pyramid receives its visitors for the first time since its closing twenty years ago
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The Reopening of three tombs from the Old and New Kingdoms
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With candles, El-Enany bid farewell to the souls of the victims of Egypt Air flight MS804.
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Minister of Antiquities Dr. Khaled El-Enany has opened yesterday evening (Thursday May 26th 2016), the Pyramid of Unas and three ancient tombs; Ankh-Mahor; Nefer –Seshem-Ptah and Nemty-Umes,from the Old and New Kingdoms in Saqqara Necropolis.

The opening ceremony was attended by a number of foreign and Egyptian Missions directors, delegations of foreign archaeological institutes in Egypt and top officials from the Ministry of Antiquities including Dr. Mahmoud Afify, Head of the Ancient Egyptian Antiquities Sector ; Eng. Waadalla Abu EL-Ela, Head of the Projects' Sector and Dr. Hesham Elleithy, General Director of the Antiquities Documentation Center.

Dr. El-Enany pointed out that this opening highlights the fruitful bilateral cooperation between the Ministry of Antiquities and the Foreign and Egyptian Missions working in Egypt.
He continued that further co operations to be established in the future within the international archaeological and museums ethics as well as international scientific regulations for the utmost benefits of all parties.

El-Enany pointed out that the openings came within the framework of the Ministry's plan to open more archaeological sites and new tourist attractions in order to restore Egypt's tourism industry.

In front of Unas Pyramid, Dr. El-Enany, archaeologists and top official of the ministry as well as journalists and Directors of Foreign Archaeological Institutes in Egypt lit candles for the to the souls of the victims of Egypt Air flight MS804.

Ministry of Antiquities, Press Office
Asmaa Mostafa
Translated by: Eman Hossni
photos: Khaleel El Saeyed

25/05/2016

The First Annual Meeting The Archaeological Missions in Egypt 2015-2016 and The Re-Opening of Unas Pyramid and Three Tombs at Saqqara

24/05/2016

A New Discovery in Aswan:
A Burial of a prominent 12th Dynasty Lady uncovered
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Within the framework of the excavation works performed by Jaén University – Spain, directed by Alejandro Jimémez-Serrano, in the necropolis of Qubbet el-Hawa (West Aswan) , a burial of a lady called " Sattjeni " from the 12th Dynasty (Middle Kingdom) buried inside two wooden coffins was uncovered…. Declared Dr. Mahmoud Afify, Head of the Ancient Egyptian Archaeology Sector at the Ministry of Antiquities.

Afify said that the discovery is of a historic importance because "Sattjeni" is one of the most important figures in the Middle Kingdom, being the mother of Heqa-Ib III" and " Amaeny-Senb"; two of the highest authorities of Elephantine under the reign of Amenemhat III, around 1800-1775 BCE .

The body was originally wrapped in linen and deposited in two wooden coffins made of cedar from Lebanon…added Nasr Salama, General Director of Aswan and Nubia Areas. Over the face of Sattjeni, some remains of her cartonnage mask were documented. The inner coffin was in extremely good condition, which will even permit to date the year in which the tree was cut.
Dr. Jimémez explained that Lady Sattjeni was a key figure of the local dynasty. She was the daughter of the nomarch Sarenput II and, after the death of all the male members of her family; she was the unique holder of the dynastic rights in the government of Elephantine.

The Spanish Mission (University of Jaén, Spain) in Qubbet el-Hawa, directed by Dr. Alejandro Jiménez-Serrano, is working on West Aswan since 2008 and, since that year, has discovered several intact burials of different periods. Among them, it is necessary to remind the discovery of Lady Sattjeni’s son Heqaib III.

Ministry of Antiquities, Press Office