Two New 6th Dynasty Tombs Discovered at Saqqara

There have been some exciting discoveries made at Saqqara over the last few years, and in July 2010, it was announced that two sixth dynasty tombs had been discovered.  These were the tombs of a father and son called Shendwa and Khonsu.  Both of these individuals had important jobs, with Shendwa's titles including 'Head of the Royal Scribes' and 'Supervisor of the Missions'.  His son Khonsu appears to have taken over theses same titles from his father.

Shendwa's tomb incorporates a beautifully painted false door, which pictures the deceased Shendwa seated before an offering table.The tomb contained a wooden sarcophagus, that had unfortunately deteriorated badly because of the conditions in the tomb, and a set of offering vessels in the shape of a duck.

Khonsu's tomb also contains a painted false door, an offering table and an engraved stone lintel on the floor.

Read on to find out more about the discovery of the 6th dynasty tombs at Saqqara

New Ancient Egyptian Tombs Discovered at Lahun

A group of 45 ancient Egyptian tombs has recently been discovered at Lahun, which is south of Cairo in the Fayum. There are four seperate cemeteries, one that dates back to the first and second dynasties and is composed of 14 tombs, one which dates from the Middle Kingdom containing 31 tombs, one from the New Kingdom and one from the Late Period.

One of the tombs from the first and second dynasty cemetery has been discovered almost completely intact with all its funerary equipment and a sarcophagus containing a mummy.  Many of the other tombs were also found to contain mummies still within their wooden painted sarcophagi.  One of the tombs dating to the 18th dynasty was found to have 12 painted wooden sarcophagi piled on top of one another.

Read on to find out more about the discovery of amazing new tombs at Lahun