Egypt's newly discovered ancient tombs are nearly 5,000 years old

 

The tombs date back to the Old Kingdom and First Intermediate eras.

ByHatem Maher

March 18, 2022, 3:33 PM ET

• 5 min read

On Location: March 19, 2022Catch up on the developing stories making headlines.Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

Egypt announced on Thursday the discovery of five ancient tombs in Saqqara, marking the latest in a series of discoveries in the vast necropolis south of Cairo.

The stony tombs date back to the Old Kingdom (c.2700–2200 BC) and First Intermediate (c.2181–2055 BC) eras, Egypt's antiquities ministry said.

They were excavated northeast of the Pyramid of Merenre, a 52.5 meters-tall structure that was built during the Sixth Dynasty. The tombs, which are engraved with colorful shapes, belong to "top officials," the ministry added.

Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

Egypt's antiquities and tourism minister, Khaled el-Anany (R), and Mostafa El-Waziri, the head of the country's Supreme Antiquities Council, inspect one of the five ancient tombs discovered in Saqqara, Egypt.

Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

Mostafa El-Waziri, the head of Egypt's Supreme Antiquities Council, said the first tomb belongs to an official named IRY.