The discovery of unique tomb in Egypt’s Giza
The archaeological discovery provides new insight into the turbulent period of the beginning of the era of Persian domination of ancient Egypt and puts forward the first evidence of true globalization in the ancient world.
CAIRO — The Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities announced July 15 that an archaeological mission of Czech Institute of Egyptology, Faculty of Arts, Charles University in Prague found the sarcophagus of Wahipra Merinit, who was the “commander of foreign soldiers” during the late 26th dynasty and the beginning of the 27th dynasty, in the archaeological area of Abu Sir, Giza.
In a press release, the ministry said that the discovery is “unique of its kind” and provides the first evidence of a real globalization era in the ancient world.
Mohamed Youssef, director of Saqqara Antiquities, explained that the cemetery documents a period in which the ancient Egyptians lived in the sixth century B.C., and was a model for the concept of political and economic globalization.
“The influence of the ancient Egyptians extended outside the country throughout the Mediterranean, which was why the kings of the 26th dynasty [664-525 B.C.] brought in foreign mercenaries and integrated them in many parts of the country, including the army, until the fall of Egypt under Persian occupation,” he told Al-Monitor.
