Three Ptolemaic tombs were unearthed in El-Kamin El-Sahrawi, Minya, Egypt. These finds are believed to point to existence of a large cemetery from the period from the 27th Dynasty and the Greco-Roman era.

Archaeologists have unearthed three rock-hewn tombs south-east of the town of Samalout in the Minya governorate. The tombs contain a number of sarcophagi of different shapes and sizes, as well as a collection of clay fragments. According to the researchers pottery  fragments suggest the tombs are from the 27th Dynasty and the Greco-Roman era, and that the area was a large cemetery over a long period of time.

Previous excavation work at the site uncovered about 20 tombs built in the catacomb architectural style, which was widespread during the 27th Dynasty and the Greco-Roman era. The three newly discovered tombs are said to have a different architectural design from the previous ones. The first tomb is composed of a perpendicular burial shaft engraved in rock and leading to a burial chamber containing four sarcophagi with anthropoid lids. Nine burial holes were also uncovered inside.

The second one consists of a perpendicular burial shaft and two burial chambers. The first chamber is located to the north and runs from east to west, with the remains of two sarcophagi, suggesting that it was for the burial of two people. A collection of six burial holes was also found among them, one for a small child. According to the researchers examination of the bones shows them to be from men, women and children of different ages, supporting the notion that the tombs were part of a large cemetery for a large city, and not for a military garrison as some suggest.

(after Ahram Online & Nevine El-Aref)