In March 2019, a team of archaeologists were excavating an extensive burial ground in Egypt that was once used for the interment of early pharaohs. The burial ground comprised of tombs and pyramids that concealed the contents of the burials from the public eye as dynasties came and went.
However, the researchers persevered and discovered something amazing in the process. Archaeologists in Egypt uncovered a 4400-year-old tomb complete with perfectly preserved paintings. Since the 19th century, groups of excavators have combed the ruins of secara in search of relics from the region’s fascinating past.
During Egypt’s first dynasty, the earliest nobles were buried here after all, meaning 1000s of years worth of history lies hidden somewhere beneath the arid rocky ground. But in July 2018, the gilded burial mask was unearthed at secara, with the discovery being the first in a string that has put work here firmly under the spotlight. And perhaps the most impressive find so far came several months later in March 2019, when archaeologists stumbled upon a tomb in an extraordinary state of preservation despite its staggering age. When we think of ancient Egypt today, we tend to recall famous landmarks such as the Pyramids of Giza in the Great Sphinx.
However, even these priceless treasures don’t reveal that the Egyptian Kingdom once covered much of the Nile Valley, where it served as the most influential civilization in the Mediterranean for nearly 3000 years. In around 3100 BCE, Egypt’s first Pharaoh came to the throne, thus kickstarting a period known as the first dynasty, for the next 30 centuries. Then, a series of further dynasties ruled over the ancient kingdom until the first century BCE, when the region ultimately became part of the Roman Empire.
Yet while the kings of ancient Egypt eventually faded away, their impact on the region can still be seen today. In fact, from the earliest dynasties onwards, the pharaohs showcase their vast wealth by building ornate and elaborate tombs, and even now we’re discovering monuments to rulers who died many 1000s of years ago.
