Two ancient tombs uncovered in Egypt

Dec. 9 (UPI) -- Archaeologists have discovered two small ancient tombs in the southern Egyptian city of Luxor that date to 3,500 years ago, the government announced Saturday.

The tombs are on the west bank of the Nile River in a cemetery for noblemen and top officials, Antiquities Minister Khaled al-Anani announced during a ceremony on Luxor's West Bank

The Antiquities Ministry said one tomb includes a number of small artifacts, a mummy and five pathways to a hall. The other one contained fragments of wooden coffins and other artifacts in a burial shaft leading to four chambers.

"It is a very important discovery because both tombs contain very rich funerary collections, and one of them has a very distinguished painted statue of a lady in the Osirian shape," al-Anani said. "It seems that our ancient Egyptian ancestors are bestowing their blessing on Egypt's economy as these discoveries are good promotion for the country and its tourism industry,"

An Egyptian archaeological mission led by Mostafa Waziri made the discovery near the Osrahat tomb and the Amenemhat tomb.

In September, the mission discovered the tomb of god Amun-Re's goldsmith in Draa Abul Naga.

Wall inscriptions suggest the tombs date to the 18th dynasty.

El-Enany said one tomb had two possible owners. It may belong to a person named Djehuty Mes, as this name is engraved on one of the walls. The owner may also be a scribed named "Maati," because his name and his wife's name, "Mehi," are also inscribed on dozens of cones in the tomb.

The only scene included on one of the tomb's pillars shows a man feeding four oxen and five people building furniture.

The mission uncovered 100 funerary cones, painted masks, 450 statues carved in different materials and a small box shaped like a coffin.