4,000-year-old tomb found in Egypt

Cairo, May 29 (IANS/AKI) Archaeologists have discovered a 4,000-year-old tomb in Egypt that contains a sarcophagus inscribed with ancient funeral texts as well as ritual objects.

"It is the first time in many years that such a well-preserved tomb has been unearthed," said Muhammad Ibrahim, Egypt's archaeological treasures minister.

The tomb dates from ancient Egypt's First Intermediate period (2181-2055 B.C.) and is an unusual find, as very little archaeological evidence survives from this period.

Ritual objects made from alabaster copper, terracotta and other materials were found in the tomb in Deir al-Barsha area in al-Minya province, around 250 km from Cairo.

The dig was coordinated by the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium.

--IANS/AKI

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