CAIRO, 24th February, 2023 (WAM) — The Egyptian-Spanish archaeological mission from Barcelona University uncovered 22 tombs from the Persian, Roman and Coptic periods during excavation work carried out at the Al Bahnasa archaeological site in the upper Egyptian governorate of Minya, Egypt's AhramOnline reported today.
Among the discovered tombs are six funerary complexes from the Roman and Persian periods and 16 individual tombs belonging to the Coptic-Byzantine period, according to a statement from the mission.
Many of the bodies found inside the tombs were protected with decorated shrouds. One of the more notable finds were offerings consisting of two frogs deposited inside two jars.
Elsewhere in the necropolis, consolidation work has been executed on the structure of a Basilica found within the necropolis as well as the restoration of the mural paintings in the crypt, the statement added.
Mostafa Waziry, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said that work at the Al Bahnasa site over the past archaeological season, which ended in January, focused on the upper necropolis, one of the most important and relevant areas of the site.
“It has been a very interesting season due to the numerous and unprecedented archaeological findings and the new scientific hypotheses raised,” he noted, adding that all the recovered material will advance study of the area.