A COLLECTION of painted wooden sarcophagi dating from the Late Period have been unearthed at the Saqqara necropolis, Nevine El-Aref reports. To the south of the causeway of the pyramid of Unas at Saqqara, a team from Cairo University has been uncovering more secrets about this necropolis, which served as an important burial ground for nobles from the early dynasties to the Late Period. While removing surface sand, archaeologists from the university stumbled upon a part of the tomb of Wadj-Mes, overseer of the guards during the reign of Pharaoh Ramses II (1304-1237 BC), as well as a number of burial shafts on the tomb's eastern side. The tomb is a maze of corridors and underground tunnels that lead nowhere but contain fragments of pots, sarcophagi and blocks painted with the figures of deities. Ola El-Aguizi, former dean of the Faculty of Archaeology and head of the mission, said that owing to the poor condition of the tomb, excavation inside it has been put on hold until the next archaeological season. Accumulated dust and sand would be removed in an attempt to facilitate further excavations. Exploring the neighbouring shafts, the mission found a number of canopic jars, painted wooden pots, remains of ropes, burnt human skeletons, fragments of linen and a small sarcophagus of a bird or an animal. The well-preserved, empty Osirian- shaped sarcophagus of Maayi, a scribe in the place of Maat during the reign of Ramses II, was also unearthed, along with four unidentified Osirian- shaped sarcophagi, one of which contained three badly-preserved human skeletons and a large collection of beads of various sizes, shapes and colours. Gold earrings, pots, blocks painted with faces of deities and offering tables have also been found. Ahmed Said, assistant head of the mission, pointed out that a group of clay and wooden ushabti (spirit model) figures uncovered in the tomb of Wadj-Mes, as well as a part of his chapel, reaffirm the importance of this area during different periods of Egyptian history. The ushabti and Maayi's sarcophagus are now under restoration ready for display in the Egyptian Museum.
