Mohamed Abd El Ghany/Reuters
Egyptian archaeologists have discovered a new necropolis holding at least 17 mummies near the southern city of Minya. The discovery—the first of its kind in the area—was made at an archaeological site in the village of Tuna al-Gabal, about 135 miles from Cairo. The mummies are thought to belong to officials and priests from the Late Period of Ancient Egypt and the Greco-Roman period, according to the Antiquities Ministry. “It’s the first human necropolis to be found here in Tuna al-Gabal,” Antiquities Minister Khaled al-Anani told reporters gathered near the site. Anani said the total number of mummies uncovered “will be much bigger,” as work has only just begun at the site and there is a large area to cover. In addition to the mummies, archaeologists also found six sarcophagi, two clay coffins, two papyri written in demotic script, and several vessels.