Spain, February 21, 2013 -- The sarcophagus was found during excavations being carried out by the CSIC team at the necropolis of Dra Abu el-Naga on the western bank of the Nile at Luxor, the ancient city of Thebes. The Spanish team, which is carrying out its work as part of the 12th season of the Djehuty Project, financed by Spain’s Unión Fenosa Gas, marks a very important milestone in the work to further our understanding of Egyptian society in the 17th Dynasty, of which very little evidence has yet been found.

The sarcophagus, of a child who lived in around 1550BCE, has no decoration or inscription whatsoever. “This discovery is of particular importance because the tomb is intact and this, along with its accompanying grave goods, can provide a huge wealth of informationabout an epoch in the history of ancient Egypt about which very little is known”, say CSIC researchers working at the dig
During the excavations they have also discovered eight wooden figures (shabtis) and pieces of linen bearing the name of Ahmose, a crown prince who was venerated at the necropolis.

According to the researchers, the location of this tomb in this part of Dra Abu el-Naga could explain the finding of an enormous hoard of over 2,000 ceramic vessels among the adobe sanctuaries, as well as the reason for Djehuty’s funerary monument being located at this end of the necropolis.

The twelve seasons of digs carried out so far by the CSIC have been extremely fruitful and have received international recognition. Some of the most important finds, among many others, have been the so-called apprentice’s board, the tomb of the warrior Iker and the sepulchral chamber of Djehuty himself, decorated with drawings and hieroglyphs from the Book of the Dead.

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