Big Discovery in Egypt!
Archaeologists have been unearthing mysteries and ARTIFACTS in Egypt for more than 200 years, but they continue finding surprising pieces of history preserved for thousands of years.
In central Egypt, archaeologists recently discovered a 3,500-year-old cemetery. The team found more than 25,000 ushabti statues, which are small figurines to serve the deceased in the afterlife. Researchers also found utensils, stone and wooden amulets, and jars. They even found stone and wood coffins containing mummies! One of those mummies was the daughter of a high priest of the ancient god, Amun.
Perhaps the most exciting discovery was a 43-foot-long papyrus scroll containing part of the Book of the Dead, which experts have called a truly rare find.
The Book of the Dead is a term used to refer to texts that had many uses in ancient Egypt. One of the best-known uses of these types of scrolls was to assist people when they died on their journeys to the afterlife. Scribes would prepare the scrolls for burials, sometimes preparing them in advance with blank spaces to later fill in the name of the person who died.
The text, better translated as “The Chapters/Book of Going Forth By Day,” could provide valuable information about this important part of ancient Egyptian culture. Researchers hope studying the scroll will teach them more about ancient Egyptians’ religion and beliefs about the afterlife.
“The Book of the Dead reveals central aspects of the ancient Egyptians’ belief system, and, like many topics in Egyptology, our theories are constantly changing, growing and adapting with every new translation of this text,” according to the American Research Center in Egypt. “These texts were certainly important to ancient Egyptians, and now they constitute one of the most important resources for Egyptologists hoping to understand the Egyptian religion and afterlife.”
The Egyptian ministry said they anticipate the scroll being displayed in the Grand Egyptian Museum, meaning visitors will have a chance to take a look at the scroll!
EGYPT FACTS
- Age of cemetery: 3,500 years old
- Papyrus scroll: 43 feet
- Number of statues found: 25,000
