Archaeologists in Egypt have discovered the final resting place of a high priest, which has been untouched for almost four and a half thousand years.
The tomb was found in the pyramid complex of Saqqara, south of the capital, Cairo, and contains numerous colourful hieroglyphics and statues of pharaohs.
According to the Antiquities Ministry, the tomb belongs to Wahtye, a high priest who served during the reign of King Neferirkare Kakai (born 2483 BCE – died 2465 BCE) during the fifth dynasty, The National reports.
Antiquities Minister Khaled El-Enany, told an invited audience on Saturday (December 15):
Today we are announcing the last discovery of the year 2018, it’s a new discovery, it’s a private tomb.
It is exceptionally well preserved, coloured, with sculpture inside. It belongs to a high official priest … [and] is more than 4,400 years old.
Wahtye’s tomb is decorated with scenes of the royal priest alongside his mother, wife and other family members, the ministry said.
Archaeologists will begin excavating the tomb on Sunday (December 16) and expect more discoveries, including Wahtye’s tomb.
Since the revolution in 2011 and in the wake of terrorist attacks, tourism in Egypt – one of its main economic industries – has struggled, with many observers believing Mr El-Enany is trying to use ‘the power of Egyptian monuments’ to get positive images of the country back into the press.
The last few years have seen a number of large choreographed press events for announcements of impressive discoveries, leading to suspicions the ministry is strategically releasing finds for maximum effect, although ministry officials deny this.
In July, archaeologists are said to have risked unleashing the seven plagues of Egypt upon our world when they cracked open a 2,000-year-old, sinister, black sarcophagus, found buried under the sands of Alexandria.
Speculation was rife as to what was inside the alabaster coffin, with people guessing everything from the remains of Alexander the Great, to a deadly magical curse.
Thankfully, when archaeologists lifted the sinister sarcophagus’ lid, what they found was far more mundane than the decaying skeleton of a golden god or an evil enchantment.
Inside there were three skeletons, who, due to their wounds, are believed to have been military personnel, floating in a red liquid officials have described as sewage.
Because it’s 2018 and self-control is an impulse from a more civilised age, people took one look at the literal red water and thought: ‘Gosh! I’d like to drink that’.
Perhaps we spoke too soon when we said disturbing the warrior’s resting place hadn’t unleashed a curse on the land, because it seems rampant stupidity’s on the rise.
Turns out, the sarcophagus juice was sewage water.
Hopefully the Ministry of Antiquities has made precautions in case they find any liquids in Wahtye’s tomb.
If you have a story you want to tell send it to UNILAD via stories@unilad.co.uk
Tim Horner is a sub-editor at UNILAD. He graduated with a BA Journalism from University College Falmouth before most his colleagues were born. A previous editor of adult mags, he now enjoys bringing the tone down in the viral news sector.