Egyptian archaeologists find two of the largest embalming workshops in history

2023-05-28T14:11:16.908Z

Highlights: The workshops were discovered in a pharaonic necropolis located on the outskirts of Cairo and were used to mummify humans and sacred animals. Mostafa Waziri, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said clay vessels and other objects were also found at the Saqqara site. He said they had also discovered tombs dating back to the fifth dynasty, 4,400 years ago, that were decorated with "scenes of everyday life" and images of harvesting and cultivation.

The workshops were discovered in a pharaonic necropolis located on the outskirts of Cairo and were used to mummify humans and sacred animals.

By Charlene Gubash and Leila Sackur - NBC News

SAQQARA, Egypt — Antiquities authorities on Saturday discovered ancient workshops and tombs dating back 4,000 years in a sprawling pharaonic necropolis outside Cairo, Egypt's capital.

Mostafa Waziri, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, told reporters that clay vessels and other objects apparently used to mummify humans and sacred animals were also found at the Saqqara site, which is part of the ancient Egyptian capital of Memphis.

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"We discovered the largest embalming — we call it a house — or workshop, one for humans and one for animals," Waziri told a news conference at the UNESCO World Heritage site.

He said they had also discovered tombs dating back to the fifth dynasty, 4,400 years ago, that were decorated with "scenes of everyday life and other scenes of life" and images of harvesting and cultivation.

Source: telemundo

All news articles on 2023-05-28