Egypt uncovers three historic tombs and artifacts in Bahariya Oasis
Archaeologists discovered tombs from the Late Period and Roman era alongside sarcophagi, mummies, pottery, and ritual objects
BAHARIYA OASIS, Egypt (MNTV) — An Egyptian archaeological mission has uncovered three tombs from different historical periods along with a collection of artifacts at the Sheikh Sobi archaeological site in the Bahariya Oasis.
The site, located about 365 kilometers southwest of Giza, contains a sandstone necropolis that was used to bury governors and priests of the oasis during Egypt’s Late Period.
It also includes the Bawiti Temple, built during the 26th Dynasty by oasis governor Djed-Khonsu-Iuf-Ankh in honor of King Ahmose II.
Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said the latest excavations revealed three separate burial structures: a family tomb cut into rock dating to the Late Period, a Roman-era stair tomb without funerary decoration and a collective Roman-era tomb built around a burial shaft.
The first tomb features a square shaft about three meters deep that leads to two burial chambers.
Archaeologists found a limestone sarcophagus in the western chamber containing a mummy wrapped in linen, while the larger northern chamber contained four additional limestone sarcophagi with linen-wrapped mummies, indicating that the tomb was used by several members of a family.
The second tomb consists of a small shaft descending through three steps into a burial chamber. Archaeological evidence suggests that the chamber was never used for an actual burial.
The third tomb contains a rectangular shaft leading to an open-air reception area believed to have been used for preparing mummies before their burial.
Two chambers were connected to the area, with the southern chamber containing fragments of a terracotta sarcophagus and the eastern chamber yielding a damaged limestone sarcophagus.
Archaeologists also discovered a secondary burial near the eastern entrance of the shaft. It contained a broken cylindrical terracotta coffin with an anthropoid lid displaying clearly defined facial features.
The excavation produced a range of additional artifacts, including pottery vessels, small flasks, plates and offering tables made of limestone and sandstone.
The team also recovered small terracotta votive figurines depicting maternal figures and stylized animals.
The ministry said archaeological work at Sheikh Sobi will continue during future excavation seasons, with researchers seeking to identify additional tombs and develop a clearer understanding of the successive communities that lived and were buried in the Bahariya Oasis.
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