Culture

4,000 year-old Egyptian Tomb opens to the public for the first time

Published

6 years ago

September 14, 2018

An ancient Egyptian tomb hidden away from public eyes for more than 80 years has opened near Giza, the home of the ancient pyramids.

The 4,000-year-old Tomb of Mehu belonged to a high-ranking official.

Archeologists say its colorful wall decorations shed light on how Egyptians lived more than a thousand years before the pyramids were constructed.

It was originally discovered back in 1940 by Egyptologist Zaki Saad, but was closed to the public until the recent completion of restoration work.

The tomb is one of the most beautiful in the Saqqara necropolis, an ancient burial ground south of Cairo, says Mostafa Waziri, secretary general of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities.

It’s the final resting place of Mehu, an offical who lived during the time of King Titi in the Sixth dynasty. The chambers also house Mery Re Ankh, Mehu’s son, and his grandson Hetep Kha II.

Mehu’s tomb is notable for its colorful walls, adorned with vibrant drawings and inscriptions chronicling ancient Egyptian life. The Ministry of Antiquities notes the scenes include hunting, fishing, cooking and dancing.

According to the Ministry of Antiquities statement, the tomb consists of a long narrow corridor with six chambers.

In August 2018 the UN’s latest Tourism Highlights Report highlighted Egypt as the fastest growing tourist destination in 2017, with a 55.1% growth in 2017 international arrivals.

Related Topics:000 year-old Egyptian Tomb 4 4000 year-old Egyptian Tomb Egypt Egyptologist Zaki Saad king titi Mostafa Waziri tomb

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Culture

Egypt reclaims 3,400-year-old stolen statue of King Ramses II

Published

16 hours ago

April 23, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

Egypt has received a 3,400-year-old statue depicting the head of King Ramses II that was stolen and smuggled out of the country more than three millennia a ago, the country’s Antiquities Ministry said in a statement.

According to the Ministry, the statue was stolen from the Ramses II temple in the ancient city of Abydos in Southern Egypt more than three decades ago.

Head of Egypt’s Antiquities Repatriation Department, Shaaban Abdel Gawad, who received the artefact said though the exact date the artefact was stolen is not known, the piece is estimated to have been stolen in the late 1980s or early 1990s.

“The statue is now in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo but not on display. The artefact will be restored,” he said.

He stated that Egyptian authorities spotted the artefact when it was offered for sale in an exhibition in London in 2013 before it was moved to several other countries before reaching Switzerland.

“This head is part of a group of statues depicting King Ramses II seated alongside a number of Egyptian deities,” Abdel Gawad said.

King Ramses II is one of ancient Egypt’s most powerful Pharaohs. Also known as Ramses the Great, he was the third pharaoh of the 19th Dynasty of Egypt and ruled from 1279 to 1213 BC.

“Egypt collaborated with Swiss authorities to establish its rightful ownership and Switzerland handed over the statue to the Egyptian embassy in Bern last year, but it was only recently that Egypt brought the artefact home, he added.

Culture

Ghana mourns as top gospel music icon Koda passes away

Published

2 days ago

April 22, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

The Ghanaian entertainment industry has, once again, been thrown into mourning following the death of renowned gospel musician, Kofi Owusu Dua Anto, known professionally as Koda, who passed away on Sunday at the age of 46.

According to reports, the gospel music icon and producer died from a kidney-related condition he had been suffering from for sometime.

Koda, renowned for hit songs like “Hossana”, “Nkwaa Abodo”, “Nsem Pii” and “Adooso”, was also a producer of repute who gained fame for his inspiring compositions and his captivating, soul-stirring vocals that struck a chord with audiences nationwide.

A local media reports that he worked with a lot of Gospel musicians in Ghana and Nigeria including popular Nigerian gospel singer, Nathaniel Bassey.