In a tomb near Cairo, archaeologists have uncovered what some believe to be the oldest, most complete mummy ever to have been discovered in Egypt, the Guardian reports.
The remains were found among a group of tombs dating to the 5th and 6th century BCE, at the bottom of a 49-foot shaft near the Step Pyramid at Saqqara. Experts say the mummy, which was in a limestone sarcophagus that has been sealed with mortar, could be 4,300 years old.
“This mummy may be the oldest and most complete mummy found in Egypt to date,” said Zahi Hawass, one of Egypt’s former ministers of antiquities.
The mummy belonged to a man named Hekashepes, according to the Guardian, and was not the only one found in the tombs. One tomb that was decorated with scenes of daily life belonged to a priest and supervisor of nobles named Khnumdjedef, who served under last pharaoh of the 5th dynasty, Unas.
Another housed the remains of a man called Meri, who was described as the “keeper of the secrets and assistant to the great leader of the palace.”
Should any of these discoveries be displayed in a British museum in the future, it’s possible that visitors will not see the word “mummy” in the description. At least three U.K. institutions recently decided to use the phrase “mummified remains of” or “mummified person” in leu of the word “mummy,” in order to “encourage visitors to think of the individual.”
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