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Artifacts displayed in a showcase, in an ancient necropolis near the famous Egyptian pyramids in Saqqara, Giza, Egypt, Saturday, November 10, 2018. A senior Egyptian antiquities official said that local archaeologists had discovered seven tombs in Egypt. 39 Pharaonic era near the capital Cairo, containing dozens of cat mummies with wooden statues depicting other animals. (AP Photo / Nariman El-Mofty)
An Egyptian antiquities official said on Saturday that archeologists had discovered seven tombs from the Pharaonic era near the capital of Cairo, containing dozens of cat mummies and a set of wooden sculptures representing various other animals.
The official, Mostafa Waziri, told reporters that the discovery in Saqqara also included scarab mummies, the first ever found in the region, the Associated Press reported.
Among the statues found, those representing cats were dominant, which reflects the respect with which it is believed that the Egyptian culture considered the felines. Other statues include that of a lion, a cow and a hawk, according to reports.
According to a report from Reuters press service, while the site was preparing the latest discoveries, archaeologists have discovered the door of another tomb still sealed, told the press the secretary general of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities, Waziri.
The tomb dates from the fifth dynasty of the Old Kingdom. The fifth dynasty ruled Egypt from around 2,500 to 2,350 BC, Reuters said shortly after the construction of the Great Pyramid of Giza.
It should be noted that this facade and its door are intact, which means that its content may not be altered, said Mohamed Youssef, director of the Saqqara region. He added that experts plan to open the grave in the coming weeks.
Egypt has been advertising its new historical discoveries in hopes of reviving a devastated tourist sector that is still recovering from the 2011 uprising that overthrew Hosni Mubarak.
