Dozens of tombs dating back even to 16th cent. BC discovered in Aswan

Archaeologists discovered dozens of tombs cut out of rock, child burials, and animal remains investigating the ancient quarry site at Aswan from which ancient Egyptians took stone to build the pyramids.

Rock-cut tombs at the site (by The Gebel el Silsila Project)

The burials found at Gebel el Sisila, a site north of Aswan, date from the reign of Pharaohs Amenhotep II and Thutmose III of the famous 18th Dynasty. Archaeologists excavated 26 rock-cut tombs dating back to 3400 years. They contained burials of 80 individuals of various age and sex. Moreover three crypts cut into rock and two niches possibly used for offerings, and a tomb containing multiple animal burials, and three individual child burials were discovered.

Human remains from the site (by The Gebel el Silsila Project)

These three children were buried in different styles. One child was resting in a crypt cut into the rock, another in a shallow grave covered with stone, while a third infant was wrapped in textile and placed within a wooden coffin. An intriguing finds was a single room crypt with a dozen sheep and goats, and a couple of Nile perch, possibly used in sacrificial offerings in the necropolis. An even more strange discovery was an almost complete adult crocodile skeleton, with head missing and tail pointing to south, resting on the floor in the courtyard outside the crypt. According to the experts it might be connected to Sobek, the god of crocodiles, who was the main deity of Gebel el Silsila.

Rock-cut tomb (by Lund University)

(after Seeker,  Lund University & The Gebel el Silsila Project)

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