Discovery of five 4,000-year-old tombs in south Saqqara - AL-MONITOR: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

Members of the media gather in the area where five ancient Pharaonic tombs were recently discovered at the Saqqara archaeological site, south of Cairo, Egypt, March 19, 2022.

Subscribe for as low as $2/week to access this story and all reporting.

Why AL-MONITOR?

AL-MONITOR is an award-winning media outlet covering the Middle East, valued for its independence, diversity and analysis. It is read widely by US, international and Middle East decision makers at the highest levels, as well as by media, thought and business leaders and academia.

Read by

Live news & notifications

Follow over 100 expert journalists based across the region and get notified in real time of breaking stories and exclusives. *Expanded coverage on Energy & Defense sectors.

Premier analysis of the Middle East

Access the sharpest and most diverse regional minds giving you all the angles on regional trends.

Live events & video

Priority access to roundtables, summits and other events alongside AL-MONITOR's global community of regional influencers.

Specialized Newsletters

Get timely reporting on key countries and sectors with up to 10 daily and weekly newsletters straight to your inbox.

Big, exclusive interviews

Follow conversations with the region's biggest names in politics and business.

AL-MONITOR archives since 2012

Access a repository of over a decade's worth of regional coverage, insights and trends.

Members of the media gather in the area where five ancient Pharaonic tombs were recently discovered at the Saqqara archaeological site, south of Cairo, Egypt, March 19, 2022.

Subscribe for unlimited access

By becoming an AL-MONITOR subscriber, you drive our team’s rigorous and independent journalism spanning the Middle East.

More intact coffins among archaeological discoveries in Egypt

Rasha Mahmoud

A picture taken on October 3, 2020 shows sarcophaguses, excavated by the Egyptian archaeological mission which discovered a deep burial well with more than 59 human coffins closed for more than 2,500 years, displayed during a press conference at the Saqqara necropolis, 30 kms south of the Egyptian capital Cairo. - They were unearthed south of Cairo in the sprawling burial ground of Saqqara, the necropolis of the ancient Egyptian capital of Memphis, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Their exteriors are covered

Egypt discovers ancient coffins in major archaeological find

Doaa Fareed

A picture shows wooden sarcophagi on display during the unveiling of an ancient treasure trove of more than a 100 intact sarcophagi, at the Saqqara necropolis 30 kms south of the Egyptian capital Cairo, on November 14, 2020. - Egypt announced the discovery of an ancient treasure trove of more than a 100 intact sarcophagi, the largest such find this year. The sealed wooden coffins, unveiled on site amid fanfare, belonged to top officials of the Late Period and the Ptolemaic period of ancient Egypt. They were

Egypt announces largest archaeological discovery yet

Rasha Mahmoud

A workman stands along the steps leading to the southern tomb near the step pyramid of the third dynasty Pharaoh Djoser (27th century B.C.), at at the Saqqara Necropolis, Egypt, May 27, 2021.

Tomb of royal treasurer under Ramses II discovered

Ibrahim Ayyad