The Egyptian archaeological mission from the Supreme Council of Antiquities, operating at the Tell Quweisna cemetery in Menoufia Governorate (Nile Delta), announced on Wednesday the discovery of a new funerary unit, along with a set of important archaeological finds that shed light on unusual funerary practices and cultural and commercial interactions during the Late and Greco-Roman periods.

The excavation and preliminary documentation work recorded a number of unusual funerary phenomena at the Quweisna cemetery, which are currently under scientific study, according to mission head Dr. Nermine El Morsy. Among the most prominent are 'the discovery of pottery plates placed under the arms of one of the burials in an Osirian position, and another plate between the thighs. Some of these vessels contained residue of materials likely associated with funerary rituals, representing an important scientific addition to understanding burial practices and funerary rituals at the site during that era,' according to a statement from the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. She added that 'the excavations revealed examples of imported pottery from the island of Rhodes, including a part of a vessel handle bearing the name of its maker, providing material evidence of active trade relations between Egypt and the Mediterranean basin during the Late and Greco-Roman periods, reflecting the site's openness to regional trade networks at that time.'

Scarab icons discovered at the archaeological site (Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities)

The Tell Quweisna cemetery is considered one of the most important individual cemeteries in the central Delta region, as it was discovered in 1991 and contains a number of funerary units dating back to successive historical periods, making it one of the most prominent archaeological sites for studying the evolution of burial methods, beliefs, and funerary rituals in the Egyptian Delta through the ages.

For his part, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy affirmed that this discovery reflects the scientific and archaeological importance of the Tell Quweisna cemetery as one of the most important individual cemeteries in the central Delta region, pointing out that 'its value lies not only in the diversity of the discovered artifacts, but also in the new information it provides that contributes to understanding funerary practices and cultural and economic interactions during that period, helping to reconstruct a more comprehensive picture of the religious and economic life of the region's inhabitants,' as stated in the ministry's press release.

The Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Dr. Hisham El Leithy, explained that the discovered funerary unit features an organized architectural plan, consisting of a main hall connected to several rooms with vaulted entrances. Archaeological evidence indicates that these rooms were originally roofed with vaults, while their entrances remain standing, allowing for a reconstruction of the original architectural layout of the funerary unit.

Part of the discovered artifacts (Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities)

He added that 'the excavations also resulted in the discovery of several human burials in Osirian positions and varying degrees of preservation, along with a distinguished collection of artifacts associated with funerary rituals, representing an important scientific addition to understanding religious beliefs and burial practices that prevailed during that period.'

He noted that the mission found inside one of the chambers two large groups of 560 ushabti figurines made of faience, varying in shape and size in the traditional Osirian form, some of which bore texts from the Book of the Dead.

The head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector at the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Mohamed Abdel Badi, pointed out that the mission also uncovered a set of protective amulets made of semi-precious stones, including the finger amulet, the Wadjet eye, the Knot of Isis, as well as amulets representing several ancient Egyptian deities, all associated with meanings of protection, power, and resurrection in ancient Egyptian belief.

Artifacts reveal new dimensions of funerary rituals (Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities)

He added that 'the excavations also resulted in the discovery of a variety of pottery vessels, including plates and bowls of different sizes, in addition to a pottery vessel containing residue of materials likely used in mummification processes or funerary rituals accompanying burial, as well as two pottery lamps.'

In the same context, the head of the Central Administration for Lower Egypt Antiquities, Dr. Hisham Hussein, said, 'the mission found large quantities of faience beads in blue and green, likely forming part of a net or funerary covering for one of the burials inside the funerary unit,' according to the statement.