Ancient Egyptian embalming materials unearthed near Cairo

Czech archaeologists unearth haul which includes 370 clay urns and a set of empty canopic jars

Hundreds of clay urns found in a burial shaft dating back to the 26th dynasty of ancient Egypt, found at the Abusir necropolis near Cairo. Photo: Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities

A Czech archaeological mission working in the Abusir necropolis, on the outskirts of the Egyptian capital, have unearthed a cache of embalming materials dating back over 2,500 years.

Egypt's Tourism Ministry said the haul was found by accident during excavations of burial shafts in the western portion of the necropolis near Cairo.

The burial shafts were created during the rule of the 26th dynasty of ancient Egypt, the last native dynasty to rule the country before the Persian conquest in 525BC.

Mostafa Waziri, head of Egypt's antiquities authority, said the cache was found at the bottom of a particularly large burial shaft 14 metres deep.

The dig uncovered 370 large clay urns containing traces of materials used by priests to embalm bodies before they were mummified and buried, the ministry said.

The team also found empty canopic jars, inscribed with the name of their owner in hieroglyphs.

Canopic jars were an integral part of the mummification process in ancient Egypt as they were used to preserve the deceased’s visceral organs, which were believed to be vital for them to thrive in the afterlife.

The ministry said the cache of urns will now undergo analysis using the latest scientific techniques.

Miroslav Barta, head of the Czech mission, said the find was part of a larger excavation at Abusir to unveil details about “a time in ancient Egyptian history when new ways of preserving the national identity were being explored”.

He said the Abusir necropolis had contributed greatly to revealing lesser known aspects of ancient Egypt.

The necropolis is famous for yielding some of the oldest pharaonic relics, including a number of step pyramids which date back to the 3rd dynasty of ancient Egypt (2670–2650BC).

Further excavations at Abusir are planned throughout the year, the ministry said.

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