Minister of Culture Farouk Hosni has announced the discovery of a new tomb in Sakkara, with 30 mummies and wooden coffins that have not been opened since the time of the Pharaohs. Dr. Zahi Hawass, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said the tomb was discovered to the west of King Zoser's Pyramid, the first pyramid built of limestone in Ancient Egypt. He said the tomb dates back to the sixth dynasty of the old kingdom (4300 B.C.), and that it belongs to Sennedjem the priest. It is built of mud-brick, and was found next to the tomb of the head singer and that of the director of the King Unas pyramid missions of the fifth dynasty (2356 - 2323 BC.) that were found before.
He said two deep shafts of 11 meters were found inside the tomb, leading to the burial chamber. Hawass said that he was also surprised to find the intact mummy of a man called Paddy Hery from the Sawy period (640 BC.), the mummy of his father Jehouti Sesh Nob and that of his grandfather Iroro.
