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4,000-Year-Old Tomb In Egypt Opens To Public For The First Time

4,000-Year-Old Tomb In Egypt Opens To Public For The First Time

The tomb belonged to the Sixth Dynasty and is around 4,300 years old

Rachael Grealish

Rachael Grealish

It was a historic moment in Egypt as the for the first time since its discovery in 1940, the tomb of Mehu in the Saqqara necropolis near Giza has opened to the public.

PA

Egyptian officials have opened an ancient tomb, estimated to be 4,300 years old, to the public for the first time, after restoring the site.

Dr. Khaled al-Anani, the Egyptian Minster of Antiquities, said the tomb belonged to the Sixth Dynasty, and was around 4,300 years old.

The tomb is believed to be that of a senior royal official identified as 'Mehu'.

The tomb doesn't just contain Mehu, but his son Meren Ra and his grandson Heteb Kha.

Mehu lived during the reign of King Pepi and held 48 titles, found inscribed on the walls of his chamber.

PA

"He was an important man, he was a vizier, he was a chief of the judges, he was also the director of the palace," said Dr. ZahiHawass, the former Minister of Antiquities.

The tomb has a long narrow corridor with six chambers, and also contains burial chambers for Mehu's son, Mery Re Ankh, and his grandson, Hetep Ka II.

Ancient paintings decorate the walls, including one that depicts a marriage between two crocodiles.

There are also drawings showing aspects of Ancient Egyptian lives such as hunting and acrobatic dancing.

So far, this year, Archaeologists have excavated a number of relics that include a 4,300-year-old tomb at the Giza plateau and an ancient necropolis in Minya, south of Cairo.

Egypt is hoping these discoveries will brighten its image abroad and revive interest among travelers who once flocked to its iconic pharaonic temples and pyramids but who have shunned the country since its 2011 political uprising.

We now live in a time where social media means images of the ancient scene can be shared around the world.

PA

Images on social media showed visitors queueing to enter and taking photographs of the interior - many people even took selfies inside.

Along with photos on social media, people also posted their comments and views on the open tomb.

One wrote: "Absolutely beautiful shows that there are many things left to discover in Egypt."

Another remarked: "How they made these with no machines is just mind-boggling."

Vacations to Egypt haven't been as popular since terrorist attack in 2015 which caused a plane to crash in Sharm El-Sheikh, previously tourists once flocked to the cheap resorts in the country.

However, Thomas Cook has reported an increase in bookings to Egypt, along with Tunisia and Turkey, since security was tightened.

The political tension in the region has also caused uncertainty for travellers.

In 2013, a coup forced Mohammed Morsi, the first freely elected president, from his position who remains in prison today.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: World News, News, egypt