The preserved body of a high-ranking nobleman, discovered in 2019, turns out to be much older than previously thought, which could lead to rewriting of history textbooks
The ancient Egyptians performed complex procedures to mummify the dead about a thousand years earlier than previously thought, the electronic edition of the British Guardian newspaper reported.
The preserved body of a high-ranking nobleman named Huvi, discovered in 2019, turns out to be much older than previously thought and is probably one of the oldest Egyptian mummies ever discovered. It dates back to the Old Kingdom and proves that about 4,000 years ago, mummification technology was very advanced.
The complex techniques in the mummification process and the materials used, including extremely fine linen, have so far indicated a period about 1,000 years later.
“If this is indeed an Old Kingdom mummy, all the books on mummification and the history of the Old Kingdom must be edited,” Prof. Salima Ikram, head of the Egyptology Department at Cairo American University, told the Observer.
The opening ceremony of the Great Egyptian Museum next to the Giza pyramids will be a surprise and will not yield in splendor to the parade of royal mummies from April 3, writes “Daily News Egypt”, quoting the Minister of Tourism and Cultural Heritage Khaled el Anani who participates in the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai.
According to him, the choice of date for the event will depend on the health situation on a global scale.
The large Egyptian museum, which is being built on an area of over 480 thousand square meters, will be the largest in the world dedicated to a civilization. It is expected to be completed and opened by the end of 2021.
Among the exhibits will be more than 5,000 artifacts from the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun, which will be displayed in one place for the first time since their discovery a century ago.
El Anani notes that the “Golden Parade of the Pharaohs”, which transported the mummies of 18 pharaohs and four queens to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Cairo, has provoked interest not only in the museum but also in Egypt as a tourist destination.
Three million people from more than 20 countries have visited the country since the resumption of tourist travel last July, with the number of tourists in April this year. is nearly 50 percent of the average for 2019, the minister was quoted as saying.
Egypt Today, meanwhile, said a team of restorers and archaeologists had completed the installation of Tutankhamun’s third sarcophagus at the Great Egyptian Museum. The unpacking and cleaning work lasted 14 hours.
The transfer of the first and second sarcophagi is forthcoming, and the scientific documentation has already been prepared. It includes X-rays, photographs and video recordings of the artifacts, as well as a detailed report on their condition. Tutankhamun’s first sarcophagus is the largest exhibit of his treasures, weighing 2,600 kilograms.
