May 31 – A vast tomb that belonged to a pharaonic army commander was discovered by Egyptian archaeologists on Sunday, said the Supreme Council of Antiquities. According to details, the commander also oversaw the kingdom’s treasures.
Known as the tomb of Betah Mes, a royal scribe and in charge of the state granaries, the find goes as far back as the 19th dynasty. Mes ruled Egypt between 1320 and 1200 BC.
The tomb is 70 metres long and was discovered in the Saqarra necropolis, located south of Cairo, said Antiquities chief Zahi Hawass. Reliefs that showcased offerings to deities and the dead, Betah Mes’ family in worship, his wife Mut and son Khonsu were also discovered, said Ola el-Ugaizi, who was leading the expedition.
Sadly, however, the tomb has already been looted to build churches, said Heba Mostapha, the expedition’s spokesperson. “Part of the destruction we found in the grave was because its pillars were used to build churches in the Christian period and it was looted in the 19th century in the period of Mohammed Ali Pasha,” she said.
