Egypt: The Minister of Tourism and Archaeology, Mr Ahmed Issa, visited the site of the excavations of the Egyptian Archaeological Mission, working at the Holy Animals (Popastion) in the Saqara Archaeology Region. This was his first visit to the archaeological area since receiving the tourism and archaeology bag. He thanked the staff for their extraordinary effort in the excavations.
On his part, Minister Ahmed Issa also emphasized the richness and uniqueness of the tourist experience in the archaeological area. He was accompanied by Dr Mostafa Waziri, Secretary General of the Supreme Council for Archaeology and the Head of the Egyptian Archaeological Mission working at the site, Mr Ahmed Obaid.
Furthermore, the assistant Minister for Affairs of the Minister’s Office Sector, Mr Sabry Faraj, General Manager of the Saqara Archaeology Region, and Mr Mohamed Youssef, the director of Saqara Archaeology and several restorers and workers in the area, were also present during the tour.
During the tour, Mr Ahmed Essa listened to a detailed explanation by Dr Mostafa Waziri about the achievements of the Mission over the years of its work at the site from 2018 until now. The tour included a visit to a cemetery that the Mission was able to uncover in 2018.
Moreover, the staff explained the history of the cemetery and its engravings. The Minister expressed his admiration for how perfect and magnificent the engraving was and was keen to descend inside one of the wells discovered in 2020, which contains a collection of coffins From the late days.
The Minister expressed his admiration for the archaeological area and its discoveries, restoration and development, emphasizing the richness and uniqueness of the tourist experience there.
Mr Ahmed Essa also made sure to meet the Mission team of archaeologists and restorers, listen to their opinions, suggestions and take memorial photos with them, thanking them for this great effort which was apparent in the archaeological discoveries the Mission has found over the past years and restoration work carried out.
It is worth noting that the Egyptian archaeological Mission started work at the site in 2018, where it succeeded in uncovering the unique tomb of the fifth family priest “Wahti”, as well as seven rock tombs, including three modern state tombs, four tombs of the Old State tombs, and an ancient state tomb.
In 2019, a sacred animal hideout was discovered containing more than a thousand fiance mascots, dozens of wooden cat statues, cat meows, wooden statues and animal meows.
The Mission also succeeded in uncovering more than 100 wooden coffins in their first late-age condition inside burial wells, 40 statues of the cowardly god of Saqara Batah Sukkar with stunning parts and 20 wooden boxes of the god Horus.
The discovery has been rated one of the ten most important archaeological discoveries of 2020 and the most eye-catching, according to Archaeology magazine.
During the mission excavation season last year, I was able to uncover the first and largest bronze bustards of the Popastion cheese in Saqara, containing 150 bronze statues of ancient Egyptian gods, as well as 250 closed-coloured wooden coffins containing mummies.
