Ancient Egyptian finds continue to amaze archaeologists and history lovers around the world. From mummified cats and golden-tongued mummies to hidden coffins and a lost ancient city, these discoveries reveal new details about life, religion, death and daily work in ancient Egypt.
Archaeologists have uncovered remarkable treasures at famous sites such as Saqqara, Dahshur, Giza and Luxor. Some discoveries are thousands of years old, while others were found only recently after careful excavation and research. These ancient Egyptian finds also help experts understand how people built great pyramids, prepared the dead for the afterlife and lived during different periods of Egyptian history.
Remarkable Ancient Egyptian Finds From Recent Archaeological Discoveries
These discoveries include religious objects, burial sites, royal buildings, ancient tools and other fascinating remains that continue to change our understanding of Egypt's past.
Mummified cats, Userkaf Pyramid, Saqqara
In November 2018, archaeologists discovered three mummified cats in sarcophagi (coffins) at the edge of the Userkaf Pyramid complex at Saqqara. They also uncovered a colossal statue of a bronze cat dedicated to a goddess in another tomb.
Priests and devotees sometimes mummified animals as religious offerings, with cats being the most frequent choice, likely because the ancient Egyptians believed that this particular animal played a crucial role on the journey to the afterlife. This expedition also revealed mummified scarabs, which ancient Egyptians regarded as powerful symbols of Ra, the god of the sun.
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Mummies, Bent Pyramid, Dahshur
In July 2019, archaeologists unearthed a significant group of intact mummies in the area of the Bent Pyramid of Dahshur, a complex that builders constructed for pharaoh Sneferu back in the 25th century BC.
They entombed these mummies in stone, clay, and wooden sarcophagi, which date from the Late Period (664-332 BC), and they also unearthed funerary masks. Many scholars consider the Late Period to be the last era when Egyptian rulers genuinely took the reins before Persian invaders conquered them, sometime around 525 BC.
Ancient wood fragments, Khufu Pyramid, Giza
Waynman Dixon found these slivers of wood, which are all that remains of a small piece of a timber rule that may have been used during the construction of the Great Pyramid (Khufu), on the site in 1872. The other two pieces of the 'Dixon Relics' included a hook made from copper and a small ball made from dolerite.
The artifact shown above disappeared for over 100 years until a curatorial assistant at Aberdeen University discovered it during an inventory, where it had been left inside a cigar tin. Carbon dating reveals that this simple object dates back over 500 years before Khufu's pyramid, suggesting that it may be time to reassess the age of this fascinating wonder.
Wooden coffins, Saqqara
After a team of archaeologists discovered 100 perfectly preserved sarcophagi at Saqqara in November 2020, they revealed another astonishing discovery at the site in January 2021: another 50 brightly painted wooden sarcophagi, which once belonged to cemetery grounds at Memphis, the historic capital city of Egypt.
Along with these wooden coffins, the team, led by the renowned Egyptologist Zahi Hawass, unearthed numerous burial shafts containing various artifacts along with mummies such as amulets, funeral statues, and masks. They also uncovered the funeral temple of Queen Naert King Teti’s wife and a brick warehouse. These unearthed items date back over 3,000 years and belong to the period of the New Kingdom.
Historic graffiti, Bent Pyramid, Dahshur
Not truly an ancient discovery, but this YouTube video from 2021 is really quite cool because it documents graffiti that John Shae Perring left during his visit to the Bent Pyramid on a date of September 1839 (written in the same graffito): The video, produced by author and tour leader Anyextee, also shows this stone gate that someone would have lowered across the passageway at one point to barricade the entryway. Truly Indiana Jon like.
Golden-tongued mummies, Tap Osiris Magna Temple, Alexandri
In February 2011, archaeologists working at a burial ground at the Taposiris Magna Temple uncover 16 ancient, deep shafts dating back to the Greek or Roman period, one of them dating back two thousand years.
They unearth even more astonishing discoveries: in the shafts, mummified bodies covered with what they have declared to be golden tongues lie, and they place amulets of gold foil in the shape of tongues inside the mouths of the deceased, presumably allowing them to plead their case in front of the court of Osiris.
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An ancient city, Luxor
The Rise of Aten is the largest city ever discovered in Egypt, and researchers first launched the excavations at the site in September 2020.
Experts announced the findings of a 3,000-year-old city titled ‘Lost Golden City’ in April 2021, and they believe it to be one of the greatest discoveries by archaeologists in the history of the ancient empire. Archaeologist Zahi Hawass found the ‘Lost Golden City,’ which dates to the reign of Amenhotep III (1391–1353 BC), in Luxor.
Mud-brick structures, Rise of Aten, Luxor
However, the team conducting the excavations at the same site during the dig uncovered some intact mud brick residential buildings, as well as baking areas and industrial sites.
Each room in what archaeologists believed to be a large royal city contained numerous artifacts such as jewelry and pottery, including a number of mud bricks from the reigns of Amenhotep III. Archaeologists found some notable items inside pottery or storage boxes, including those that may once have contained boiled or dried meat.
FAQs
1. What are some famous ancient Egyptian finds?
Mummified cats, ancient coffins, pyramid artefacts, golden-tongued mummies and the Lost Golden City are among the notable discoveries.
2. Where were many recent Egyptian discoveries found?
Important discoveries have been made at archaeological sites including Saqqara, Dahshur, Giza, Alexandria and Luxor.
3. Why did ancient Egyptians mummify cats?
Cats were closely connected with Egyptian religious beliefs, and some were mummified as offerings to the gods.
4. What is the Lost Golden City?
The Lost Golden City, also called the Rise of Aten, is a large ancient settlement discovered near Luxor and linked to the reign of Amenhotep III.
5. Why are ancient Egyptian discoveries important?
They help archaeologists understand ancient Egyptian religion, burial customs, construction, work, culture and everyday life.