February 09, 2009

Archaeological News From Egypt

Looks like there's been another large tomb discovered at the necropolis of Saqqara.

hawas

A storehouse of 30 Egyptians mummies has been unearthed inside a 2,600-year-old tomb, in a new round of excavations at the vast necropolis of Saqqara outside Cairo, archeologists said Monday.

The tomb was located at the bottom of a 36 foot (11-meter) deep shaft, announced Egypt's top archaeologist Zahi Hawass and eight of the mummies were in sarcophagi, while the rest had been placed in niches along the wall.

Hawass described the discovery as a "storeroom for mummies," dating to 640 B.C. and the 26th Dynasty, which was Egypt's last independent kingdom before it were overthrown by a succession of foreign conquerors beginning with the Persians.

The tomb was discovered at an even more ancient site dating back to 4,300-year-old 6th Dynasty.

Most of the mummies are poorly preserved and archeologists have yet to determine their identity or why so many are in a single room. One of the sarcophagi is made of wood and bears the name Badi N Huri, but no title.

"This one might have been an important figure, but I can't tell because there was no title," Hawass' assistant Abdel Hakim Karar told The Associated Press.

He added that the rest of the sarcophagi — including four which are tightly sealed — have yet to be opened yet.

sarcophagus.jpg

This find is unusual, given that the use of such rocky niches were common in much earlier periods, rather than in late periods like the 26th Dynasty. It is unclear which sarcophagus is pictured above.

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February 02, 2009

Martha Washington – Hottie

AinÂ’t it great what computer technology can do?

Using age progression software to regress a portrait of our nationÂ’s first First Lady, historians have come up with a very different image of the dowdy old matron we see depicted in the history books.

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Examination of records from her lifetime reveal an intelligent, competent, and passionate woman who would certainly have been a proper match for the studly young man we know George Washington to have been. It certainly makes one wonder if there was the sort of lively intellectual repartee between these two that we know existed between John and Abigail Adams – a couple who we also know had a smoldering passion for each other as well.

Posted by: Greg at 12:41 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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