Now scientists have made another extremely rare find at the Tel el Deir necropolis in Damietta, where excavations have revealed dozens of tombs that have remained untouched for thousands of years – mud-brick chambers that still contain precious treasures where the dead were buried more than 2,500 years ago.

Details of the find

The treasures include clay vessels, funerary amulets and scarabs, which are thought to protect the dead in the afterlife, and ushabti figurines, which are thought to serve the dead, bronze coins, and images of religious symbols and deities such as Isis, Bastet, and Horus made of gold foil.

Some of the gold items found in Tel el Deira / Photo by Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities/Facebook

Such intact burials give us a better idea of ​​the burial customs of ancient Egyptians and could help unlock the secrets of an ancient, fascinating culture, according to Mohammed Ismail Khalid, secretary-general of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities.

The archaeological mission at Tel el Deir has been ongoing for several years and is gradually uncovering a complex of tombs dating back to the 26th Dynasty, between 644 and 525 BC. Previous excavations have found 20 tombs, including amulets, gold leaf, scarabs and miniature jugs in which the organs of the deceased were placed during the mummification ceremony.

Some of the amulets and scarabs recently discovered at Tel el Deir / Photo by Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities/Facebook

Since then, excavations have unearthed not only 63 individual mud-brick graves, but also simpler ones. The necropolis appears to have contained all kinds of graves, from the more modest to the lavishly decorated tombs of high-status individuals.

Statuettes found in the Tel el-Deir necropolis / Photo by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities/Facebook

Interestingly, the 38 bronze coins found in the ceramic jug date to the reign of the Ptolemaic dynasty, which ruled from 305 to 30 BC, several hundred years after the complex was built. Archaeologists say this shows that Damietta was an important trading centre for a long time in ancient Egyptian history.

Ceramic container for bronze coins / Photo by Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities/Facebook

According to archaeologists, the artifacts are impressive in their craftsmanship, demonstrating a wide range of skills, access to materials and even trade between other Mediterranean coastal cities, with some of the pottery imported to Egypt.