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Egyptian Archaeologists Discover Five Ancient Tombs At Saqqara

Egyptian officials said five "well-painted, well-decorated" tombs were found at the foot of the Djoser Pyramid near Cairo, complete with small statues and pottery.

The five tombs were unearthed earlier this month and date back to the Old Kingdom - a period spanning roughly from around 2700 BC to 2200 B.C., as well as to the First Intermediate Period, which lasted for over a century after the Old Kingdom collapsed, according to the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

Mostafa Waziri, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said Egyptian archeologists started excavating the site in September. The tombs, he said, were for senior officials including regional rulers and palace supervisors in ancient Egypt.

The Saqqara site is part of a sprawling necropolis at Egypt's ancient capital of Memphis that includes the famed Giza Pyramids as well as smaller pyramids at Abu Sir, Dahshur and Abu Ruwaysh. The ruins of Memphis were designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in the 1970s.

InFocus

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Egypt Saqqara-Temple (file photo).

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