A Swedish-Egyptian mission led by Maria Nilsson and John Ward from Lund University has discovered a New Kingdom sandstone workshop and several sculptures during excavations carried out at Gebel El-Silsila archaeological site in Aswan.
Mostafa Waziri, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said that the mission discovered among the debris in the workshop a large criosphinx (ram-headed sphinx) statue.

The statue, approximately 5 metres long, 3.5 metres high, and 1.5 metres wide, is carved in a style comparable to the criosphinxes to the south of Khonsu Temple at Karnak. The sphinx is believed to be dated to Amenhotep III of the 18th Dynasty.

Minister of Antiquities Dr.Khaled El-Enany announced today Saturday the first discovery of year 2019 from Tuna El-Gebel archaeological site in Menia.

A joint mission from the Ministry of Antiquities and the Research Center for Archaeological Studies of Menia University has stumbled upon a collection of Ptolemaic burial chambers engraved in rock and filled with a large number of mummies of different sizes and genders.

The Egyptian-Austrian mission working in Kom Ombo has discovered a large number of cylinder seals bears inscriptions of 5th Dynasty King’s names.

Dr. Mostafa Waziri said that the names discovered on one of the seals is the King “Userkaf” as well as King “Neferirkare”. He added “It is the first time that Kom Ombo witness Kings names of Old Kingdom.”

Dr. Irene Forstner-Müller, director of the Austrain Archaeological Institute mission at the site said” The mission started working at the site in 2018 to investigate the history of the town of Kom Ombo. The first season of survey and excavation brought to light a First Intermediate Period Cemetery with the town of the Old Kingdom below it as well as a seal of King “Sahure”. These discoveries emphasise the great importance of old Kom Ombo as an administrative capital in Upper Egypt during the Old Kingdom.

The Swedish-Egyptian mission at Gebel el-Silsila, Aswan Region, led by Dr. Maria Nilsson and John Ward (Lund University), under the supervision of the inspectorates of Aswan and Kom Ombo, has discovered an undecorated shaft tomb (5 m deep) with two chambers dating to the 18th Dynasty (Thutmosid period). The tomb is water filled and requires pumping to allow excavations. Since a recent looting attempt in the tomb is also filled with sand and silt, and the extent of damage that was caused to the monument is still to be assessed. Mr. Abdel Moniem, General Director of Aswan and Nubia, says that the team is currently estimating the preservation of the tomb, as the movement of water and sand has caused great disturbance to the interior, artefacts and osteological remains, but it appears to be intact and undisturbed from looting. So far, the team has discovered three sandstone sarcophagi, two of which have been excavated, revealing an infant and a young child. The third sarcophagus was also made for an infant; its contents await excavation.

The burial goods contain several artefacts of importance, including dozens of scarabs, amulets, beads, seals, bracelets, large amphorae, beer jugs, bowls, pilgrim flasks, and various storage jars, etc.

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Chronologically, there are indications of at least three generations, ranging from Thutmosis II to Amenhotep II (c. 3400 years ago). Exceptionally, the team has documented the remains of so far a minimum of over 60 individuals (2/3 adults and 1/3 children) have been discovered, but with excavations still ongoing the team estimates the amount to increase. No other tomb documented at Gebel el-Silsila previously has contained such a high number of entombed individuals. One of the more important results of the discovery at Gebel el-Silsila is the amount of buried children and women, indicating that there was a complete society with entire families living and working in ancient Kheny. Excavations are scheduled to continue until the end of the year.

The Egyptian archaeological mission working at Kom El Khelua necropolis in Fayoum directed by Dr. Aiman Ashmawi has discovered during their work started last month, a burial shaft to the east of Prince Waje’s Middle Kingdom tomb.

Dr. Mostafa Waziri said “El Khelua is located at the far south of Fayoum about 40 km from the town. It is a Middle Kingdom necropolis and precisely the time of King Amenemhat III (1842-1799 B.C) and it was reused as a Christian settlement during Byzantine time, The tomb of prince Waje the govener of Fayoum was also found along with the tomb of his mother Nebt Mot.

Dr. Ashmawi said that this tomb looks like it was robed long time ago and then reused ages later.