CAIRO — The Czech archeological mission of the Czech Institute of Egyptology announced on Feb. 9 the discovery of a cache of embalming materials during the excavation of burial pits dating to the 26th Dynasty (about 2600 BC), located in the western part of the Abusir necropolis (south of the Giza pyramids and north of Saqqara).

Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities Mostafa Waziri said in a press statement, “This cache was found inside a pit measuring 5.3 by 5.3 meters, and more than 14 meters deep, containing unique embalming materials including 370 large pottery vessels.”

Waziri added, “These pots contain remains of materials that were used during the embalming process. In [one] group of pots, four empty limestone canopic jars were found, with a hieroglyphic inscription bearing the name of their owner, Wahibre.”

Imad Mahdi, a member of the Egyptian Archeologists Union, told Al-Monitor, “The discovery indicates the presence of an embalming site in this area. Although archeologists and Egyptologists are fully aware of the materials used by the ancient Egyptians in this process, including resin oils and natron salt, the analysis of utensils may reveal other unrecognized materials.”