Press Release - New Tomb Discovered in Ismailia

Press Release - New Tomb Discovered in Ismailia











A new tomb was discovered by an SCA mission at
Tell el-Maskhuta in the Ismailia governate, announced Farouk Hosni,
Minister of Culture. The tomb dates to the 19^th Dynasty
(1315-1201 BC), is constructed of mud brick and consists of a
rectangular room with a domed ceiling made of stone, and a deep
square-shaped shaft. The interior is decorated with scenes depicting the
owner of the tomb, whose name was Ken-Amun.
[ندعوك للتسجيل في المنتدى أو التعريف بنفسك لمعاينة هذه الصورة]The newly discovered tomb, shown
with the 35 Roman Period tombs nearby. (Photo: SCA)

Dr. Zahi
Hawass, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities,
reported that this is the first Ramesside tomb to be discovered in Lower
Egypt. The tomb is very high quality, and is beautifully decorated and
inscribed with scenes known from the Ramesside Period, added Dr.
Hawass. In addition to this tomb, the excavation has found 35 tombs
dated to the Roman Period.

The excavation discovered a limestone stela
inscribed with hieroglyphs containing the name of the capital of the
Hyksos, Avaris (Het-Waret). The stela depicts the god Set in front of a
king of Dynasty 19, whose name is not written. This stela shows the
relationship between the site at Tell el-Maskhuta and the Hyksos capital
Avaris, located at Tell el-Daba in Sharqiya.

Dr. Mohamed Abdel Maqsud, the supervisor of the
Department of Antiquities of Lower Egypt, said there was a large
limestone sarcophagus found inside the tomb that belonged to the owner,
Ken-Amun. He was the overseer of the royal records during the 19^th
Dynasty. The sarcophagus contained inscriptions on its inner and outer
surfaces. The tomb walls were inscribed with the titles of the deceased
and the name of his wife, Isis, who was a singer of the god Atum. The
tomb is decorated in sunken relief with different religious and funerary
scenes; the most important scenes were one from the Book of the Dead
Chapter 125, as well as one of women mourning the dead. Other important
scenes include a depiction of the goddess Hathor in the shape of a cow,
emerging from the Delta marshes, as well as a scene of the four sons of
Horus. The scenes and titles in the tomb show that Ken-Amun was an
important man, who was in charge of keeping the royal records.
[ندعوك للتسجيل في المنتدى أو التعريف بنفسك لمعاينة هذه الصورة]Interior
decoration of the tomb, showing a scene from Chapter 125 of the Book of
the Dead. (Photo: SCA)


The discovery of this tomb will provide information
about the history of the Delta and the geography of the area, as well
as the relationship between this area and the eastern border of Egypt.
Excavations will continue at the site, and conservation and restoration
work will begin at the tomb, and the tomb and its scenes will be
completely documented and registered, under the supervision of Dr.
Mohamed Abdel Maqsud.



Tell el-Maskhuta is located in the Wadi Tumilat near
the eastern branch of the Nile that connects with the Suez Canal. When
the Suez Canal was being constructed, many sphinx statues of Ramesses II
and stelae were found. It is known that the ancient city at Tell
el-Maskhuta contained a settlement in the Ramesside Period with a temple
for Atum. It also contained a garrison, which stored supplies to equip
the ancient Egyptian army before they went east to the border on their
military campaigns.