ANCIENT ARTIFACTS

Two 3,500-Year-Old Tombs Discovered in Egypt

Archaeologists found an ancient mummy thought to belong to a top official from the 18th Dynasty.

Egyptian officials have excavated two tombs dating back to the 18th Dynasty in the southern city of Luxor. Antiquities Minister Khaled al-Anani announced the discovery on Saturday, declaring an “exceptional day” for the country after unearthing the final resting places of two ancient officials. “It’s the first time to enter these two tombs,” al-Anani told reporters. The tombs, located in an ancient cemetery for noblemen and top officials on the west bank of the Nile River, were previously known but had never been opened. Archaeologists found wooden funerary masks, clay vessels, hundreds of statues, and a linen-wrapped mummy among the many artifacts. The mummy is thought to belong to a top official from the early 18th Dynasty.