The first-ever Roman-era tomb found carved directly into a natural rock site was revealed Monday by Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.
The graves were uncovered near El-Bahnasa, Egypt, by a Spanish archaeological team from the University of Barcelona, and members of the Old Near East Institute, according to a post shared on the Ministry’s Facebook page. The Roman-era tombs reveal a new style of burial, wherein a pit was dug into the natural rock and inner ground.
Within the natural rock were at least 23 mummies in coffin-style burials, dug directly into the ground. “The new discovery is shedding more light on the rich history of the region, as the team uncovered a series of rock-cut tombs dating back to both the Ptolemaic [305-30 BC] and Roman [30 BC-641 AD] periods, showcasing unique burial practices and artistic expressions of the time,” Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) secretary general Mostafa Waziri told Arkeonews.
Along with the mummies, a slew of other artifacts were recovered from the site. These included a terracotta statue depicting Isis-Aphrodite wearing a crown, colorful funeral masks, and two tongues made of gold, and a poem from the Roman empire, and some feminine perfume. The interior of the tombs were adorned with depictions of plants, grapes, animals and birds. (RELATED: The Asteroid That Killed The Dinosaurs Did Not Create A ‘Nuclear Winter,’ Scientists Claim)
Archaeologists believe there is far more left beneath the site to reveal. Excavations are ongoing, and we’ll let you know what else they find next!