The discovery of the first and largest cache of bronze statues in the Bubastien necropolis in Saqqara-Egypte .
- 150 bronze statues of ancient Egyptian deities
- 250 closed colored wooden coffins containing mummies
The Egyptian archaeological mission working in the cemetery of the sacred animals (Albubastien) in the Saqqara archaeological area succeeded in discovering the first and largest cache at the site dating back to the late period, during the work of the fourth excavation season of the mission.
Dr. explained. Mustafa Waziri, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities and head of the mission, said that the discovered cache includes 150 bronze statues of various sizes for a number of ancient Egyptian deities, including Anubis, Amun Min, Osiris, Isis, Nefertum, Bastet, and Hathor, in addition to a group of bronze vessels related to the rituals of the goddess Isis. Such as Al-Salasel, as well as a bronze statue of the engineer Imhotep without a head, very precise and beautiful.
He added that the mission was also able to discover a new group of burial wells, in which a group of 250 colored wooden coffins from the late period, about 500 BC, were found, closed and containing mummies in good condition of preservation, in addition to a group of amulets and wooden statues, some of which are gilded in face. Colorful wooden boxes.
Dr. Mustafa Waziri indicated that the excavations inside one of the discovered burial wells resulted in the discovery of a sarcophagus in a good state of preservation that may contain chapters from the Book of the Dead, and that it was transferred to the restoration laboratories of the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir for sterilization, hydration, study and knowledge of the texts it contains.
The mission also found two colorful wooden statues with a gilded face, in a good state of preservation, of the two goddesses Isis and Nephthys in the position of mourners, in addition to finding a burial from the New Kingdom around 1500 BC, containing many adornment tools such as a bronze mirror and a group of Bracelets, necklaces, earrings and anklets have their own staples and copper tools for everyday life.
It is worth noting that the Egyptian archaeological mission began its work on the site in 2018, when it succeeded in discovering the unique tomb of the priest of the Fifth Dynasty.
And even, in addition to 7 rock tombs, including three tombs from the New Kingdom and four tombs from the Old Kingdom, and the facade of a cemetery from the Old Kingdom, in addition to the discovery of more than a thousand amulet of faience, dozens of wooden cat statues, cat mummies, wooden statues and animal shelters.
In 2020, the mission also succeeded in di
scovering more than 100 closed wooden coffins in their first condition from the Late Period, 40 statues of the god of the Saqqara necropolis, Ptah Sukar with gilded parts, and 20 wooden boxes of the god Horus.
This discovery was classified as one of the ten most important archaeological discoveries for the year 2020 and the most eye-catching, according to the American Archeology magazine.
The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.
