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Egypt unveils ancient 'secret keeper' tomb and golden mummy

Archaeologist Zahi Hawass, Egypt's former antiquities minister, announced the latest discovery, dating from the fifth and sixth dynasties -- around the 25th to the 22nd centuries BC -- to reporters at the dig site. The largest tomb, "decorated with scenes of daily life," belonged to a priest, inspector and supervisor of nobles named Khnumdjedef, said Hawass.

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Egypt unveils ancient secret keeper tomb and golden mummy

Another tomb belonged to Meri, who according to Hawass served as the pharaoh's appointed "secret keeper", a priestly title held by a senior palace official bestowing the power and authority to perform special religious rituals.

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Egypt unveils ancient secret keeper tomb and golden mummy

A third tomb belonged to a priest in pharaoh Pepi I's pyramid complex, and the fourth to a judge and writer named Fetek, Hawass added.

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Egypt unveils ancient secret keeper tomb and golden mummy

Fetek's tomb included a collection of "the largest statues" ever found in the area, Mostafa Waziri, head of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, told reporters.

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Egypt unveils ancient secret keeper tomb and golden mummy

Down a 15-metre shaft, the expedition also found a large limestone sarcophagus that had remained sealed "just as the ancient Egyptians left it 4,300 years ago", Hawass said.

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Egypt unveils ancient secret keeper tomb and golden mummy

Inside was a mummy featuring "gold-leaf covering" that belonged to a man named Hekashepes, according to Hawass, who described it as one of the oldest and most complete non-royal mummies ever found in the country.

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Egypt unveils ancient secret keeper tomb and golden mummy

Egypt has unveiled many major archaeological discoveries in recent years.

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Egypt unveils ancient secret keeper tomb and golden mummy

Critics say the flurry of excavations has prioritised finds shown to grab media attention over hard academic research.

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Egypt unveils ancient secret keeper tomb and golden mummy

But the discoveries have been a key component of Egypt's attempts to revive its vital tourism industry after years of political unrest, as well as after the Covid pandemic.

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Egypt unveils ancient secret keeper tomb and golden mummy

The government's plans -- the crowning jewel of which is the long-delayed inauguration of the Grand Egyptian Museum at the foot of the pyramids in Giza -- aim to draw in 30 million tourists a year by 2028, up from 13 million before the pandemic.

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Egypt unveils ancient secret keeper tomb and golden mummy

The country of 104 million inhabitants is suffering from a severe economic crisis.

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Egypt unveils ancient secret keeper tomb and golden mummy

According to official figures, Egypt's tourism industry accounts for 10 percent of GDP and some two million jobs.