1,400 mummies found in ancient city

Tombs full of mummies dating back 2,500 years have been found in an ancient city in Egypt. About this writes Daily Mail.

In the city of Aswan, archaeologists have discovered another 36 tombs containing about 1,400 mummies. The remains date back to between 600 BC and 200-300 AD. Archaeologist Patrizia Piacentini of the University of Milan said that the area where the tombs are located extends for 82 kilometers.

Many of the mummies found belong to people who suffered from infections during their lifetime. Scientists have also found that bone diseases and tuberculosis were common among ancient Egyptians, and that children suffered from anemia and symptoms of malnutrition. According to Ayman Ashmawy of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, about 30 to 40 percent of the mummies belong to newborns and adolescents.

Thanks to the new findings, scientists have determined that the placement of remains in the tombs depended on the social status of the person. Mummies of the elite were found on the hill, while those of the middle class were found on lower levels.

Piacentini stressed that the mummies would be taken away for study and the tombs themselves would be cleaned. “We will learn their history and then put them back and close the tombs. That was important to me from the beginning,” she added.

The first tomb in Aswan was found back in 2019. It contained four mummies. New research has shown that they were a family. Aswan was founded more than 4.5 thousand years ago and became an important trading and military point. There was also a quarry here, where granite was mined for many ancient Egyptian buildings.

Earlier it was reported that an ancient labyrinth was accidentally discovered on the Greek island of Crete, which resembles the labyrinth of the Minotaur from myths. It was most likely used for religious and ceremonial purposes, since many animal bones were found inside.