Associated Press
CAIRO, Egypt — Archaeologists have uncovered two tombs dating back more than 2,500 years in a part of Cairo where the ancient city of Heliopolis once stood, Egyptian antiquity authorities said Saturday.
One of the limestone tombs contained a sarcophagus and 16 statuettes, said the chief state archaeologist for the Cairo-Giza area, Zahi Hawass.
The 26th dynasty (664-625 B.C.) tombs were found during an archaeological inspection of an empty plot of land in the Ein Shams, a district of northeastern Cairo. The landowner was seeking construction rights, and by law building cannot begin without a permit certifying that a site has no historical importance.
Hawass said in a statement the tombs were found in a residential area about 10 feet below the ground. It is believed the tombs have not been raided by grave robbers, but they have been damaged by leaking sewage water.
The one tomb belonged to Waja-Hur, a builder. His name was engraved on the statuettes, which the ancient Egyptians placed in tombs, the statement said.
Egyptian archaeologists planned to open the second tomb today.
The district of Ein Shams, which means Eye of the Sun in Arabic, covers part of the ground that used to be the ancient city of Heliopolis, or City of the Sun in Greek. Heliopolis was a center of learning and academic study in the ancient Mediterranean world.
A modern suburb of Cairo called Heliopolis lies southeast of the site of its ancient namesake.
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