Culture

Egyptian archaeologists discover ancient human, animal embalming workshops

Published

11 months ago

May 28, 2023

Egyptian archaeologists
have announced the discoveries of ancient human and animal embalming workshops at the Saqqara necropolis in the south of Cairo.

Head of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, Mostafa Waziri, who made the disclosure on Saturday, said the new discoveries included two human and animal embalming workshops, as well as the tombs of two priests.

“We found two big workshops, one for human and then used in mummifying animals, while the second workshop is for humans only, we found also beds, mummification tools, and materials,” Waziri said.

“During the excavation we also found a tomb that belonged to Ne Hesut Ba, a priest who served in the fifth dynasty of the old kingdom, 4,500 years ago.”

The Supreme Council of Antiquities recently unveiled a string of major archaeological discoveries which Waziri said were key components of Egypt’s attempts to revive its vital tourism industry.

Mohamed Youssef, the Director of the Saqqara Archaeological site, who also spoke on the discoveries, said it was the first of such discoveries.

“This is the first time we discovered embalming workshops in Saqqara, associated with the temples.

“All the previous embalming workshops were related to Apis, the old Egyptian God of fertility and death, in Memphis which is part of Giza governorate now.

“That means it is an important discovery to have found embalming workshops here in Saqqara.

“We also found many statues representing the masterpieces of the art in the old kingdom which date back 4,500 years, and we also discovered antiquities and pieces dating back 3,300 years that represent the new kingdom, plus some jewellery and accessories.

“Also, we found cheese made by ancient Egyptians who used to store it in pottery jars and put it behind the dead.”

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Culture

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

Published

11 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

1 day 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.