Egypt Discovers Ancient Tombs of Palace Officials

The five ancient tombs were discovered northwest of the Merenre Pyramid, in the Saqqara necropolis, or ancient cemetery, in Giza, Egypt, March 19, 2022. (Hamada Elrasam/VOA)

Among the findings are well-preserved paintings, funerary objects, sacred oil jars, and symbolic limestone gates to the afterlife, in Giza, Egypt, March 19, 2022. (Hamada Elrasam/VOA)

The tombs belonged to a senior statesman, a priest, a prince, and two noblewomen, with only remnants left of their coffins and mummies, in Giza, Egypt, March 19, 2022. (Hamada Elrasam/VOA)

The shafts leading to the burial chambers range between 3 and 8 meters deep. According to excavators, they use ladders and hand-woven buckets to avoid damaging the site, in Giza, Egypt, March 19, 2022. (Hamada Elrasam/VOA)

Mostafa Waziri, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, says their discovery started off with the tomb of a high-ranking diplomat named Eri, in Cairo, Egypt, March 19, 2022. (Hamada Elrasam/VOA)

Inside the tomb of a priestess and noblewoman named “Petty,” only a figurine of her and a mummy headrest remain, in Giza, Egypt, March 19, 2022. (Hamada Elrasam/VOA)

Murals in the tombs show tables filled with meat and fruit as well ancient oils, in Giza, Egypt, March 19, 2022. (Hamada Elrasam/VOA)

Archaeologists say the first tomb they discovered appeared to have been deliberately attacked in ancient times, in Giza, Egypt, March 19, 2022. (Hamada Elrasam/VOA)

During the years these tombs were created, Egypt suffered a long drought and eventually a country divided, in Giza, Egypt, March 19, 2022. (Hamada Elrasam/VOA)

The discovery is one of many recent finds in Saqqara and officials say they expect to unveil more in the coming months and years in Giza, Egypt, March 19, 2022. (Hamada Elrasam/VOA)