Archaeologists discovered 2,500-year-old gold troves hidden in dozens of intact tombs in Egypt’s ancient necropolis. The site is remarkably free of looting, with hoards of bronze coins, gold foil, and sculptures depicting deities such as Isis, Bastet, and Horus. This amazing discovery provides insights into ancient Egyptian rituals and customs during the 26th Dynasty, which lasted from 644 to 525 BCE.
The necropolis, dating from the Late Period of ancient Egypt, served as the final resting place for both commoners and wealthy persons. The tombs, which were constructed with mud brick for commoners and limestone for the wealthy, also had miniature canopic jars used to store organs during mummification. Mohamed Ismail Khaled, Secretary-General of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities, stated that the undamaged artefacts, including scarabs, burial amulets, and pottery vessels, highlight the era’s cultural norms.
Salima Ikram, a university professor of Egyptology at the American University in Cairo, emphasised the significance of these discoveries, claiming that the gold amulets and other artefacts reveal important information about the period’s social stratification and wealth. This discovery is significant because many ancient Egyptian tombs were stolen during the reign of the pharaohs, making it a rare find for scholars and historians.
