Detail

The team working in the Güney Asasif necropolis found the remains of 11 people, including five women, two men, three children and one more person whose gender or age was unknown. Analysis of the tomb inventory showed that the tombs were furnished during the Twelfth Dynasty (approximately 1981-1802 BCE) and the Thirteenth Dynasty (approximately 1802-1640 BCE), Channel 24 reported, citing Daily News Egypt. For this reason Graves found between 3,664 and 4,005 years old and probably represent different generations of the same family.

The dead were first wrapped in cloth and buried in wooden coffins. However, archaeologists say that the flood that occurred after the grave damaged the remains.

The tomb dates back to the period known as the Middle Kingdom, when Egypt was united and prosperous.

The first Middle Kingdom tomb found in this area.
– write researchers.

Artifacts recovered from the graves include many pieces of jewelry, including scarab necklaces, bracelets and rings. Two graves contained copper alloy mirrors with ivory handles. One of the handles depicts the four-faced Hathor, an ancient Egyptian goddess associated with fertility and love.

One artifact in particular caught the attention of archaeologists: A necklace of 30 amethyst elements and a Ba amulet in the middle. In ancient Egypt, Ba was considered a part of the human soul and was often depicted as a bird.

Another important find is a faience figurine dedicated to fertility. “It is well modeled and decorated with various ornaments and diamond-shaped markings on the legs and torso.” There are holes on the figure’s head into which beaded threads, which once served as hair, were inserted. Although the “hair” was fragmented, approximately 4,000 clay beads were found next to the figurine.