A cache of burial objects discovered beneath a tomb in Cairo’s Ain Shams district is providing archaeologists with new evidence about funerary practices at ancient Heliopolis.
The discovery was made during excavations at the Banhsi Cemetery by an Egyptian team from the Supreme Council of Antiquities. The cemetery forms part of the wider necropolis of Heliopolis, one of the most important religious centres of ancient Egypt.
The objects were found beneath a mudbrick tomb containing human remains. Excavators uncovered a group of items deposited as part of the burial, including a copper mirror, two alabaster vessels with traces of their contents still preserved, and a vessel made from black obsidian.
Other finds included two blue faience vessels, one of which contained six miniature ritual jars. Two of the jars were decorated with fittings believed to be gold.
The team also recovered a number of amulets, including examples in the form of a duck and the Atef Crown. Four decorative stones were found nearby, among them pieces thought to be agate. One featured a red design mounted within a gold setting.
Five pairs of earrings, likely made of gold, were also uncovered. The jewellery ranges between 1.5 and 2.5 centimetres in diameter.
The latest finds follow earlier discoveries at the cemetery this season. Archaeologists have identified mudbrick and limestone burial structures, fragments of two coffins and a Roman-period coin. One coffin, decorated with red-painted motifs, contained skeletal remains that researchers believe may belong to a military figure.
Limestone blocks bearing hieroglyphic inscriptions have also been recovered from the site.
Researchers say the cemetery is significant because it remained in use from late Roman times to early Christian times. The place is evidence that burial customs were implemented in a period of great social and religious change.
Ancient Heliopolis, also known as Iunu in ancient Egypt, was the center of the cult of the sun god Ra. Archaeologists hope that the continuation of excavation will aid in understanding the history of the cemetery and the people buried there.
Sources : Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
