Just days ago, at a temple in Luxor, Spanish archaeologists came upon an extravagant treasure - an Egyptian mummy bedecked in jewelry. It was uncovered in the necropolis under the temple of the Pharaoh Thutmose III.
The discovered mummy has been named the Lady with Jewelry. For nearly 4 millennia, it has managed to elude thousands of treasure hunters. The reason for this is that the sarcophagus in which it was found was trapped under a cave-in.
The statue is from the Middle Kingdom period. It is in horrible condition but the jewelry attached to it during the process of mummification is fully intact.
The decorations on the mummy reveal its high status. The largest of these is the necklace, with alternating semiprecious stones and gold plates. Attached to it is a finely crafted golden shell, weighing 0.71 oz (20 g).
Her wrists are adorned with 2 golden bracelets and her ankles - with silver ones. Even though the gold is untarnished, the silver anklets have been quite darkened and worn by time.
Archaeological excavation in the temple began in 2008. The new find confirms the theories of the existence of a hidden necropolis for the ruling elite under the temple of Thutmose III, where high-profile individuals and their families were buried. Excavation continues even today.
This is not the only unique find in the temple this year. A few months ago, Japanese archaeologists found the tomb of an ancient Egyptian brewer. It is more than 3200 years old.
The tomb is T-shaped and belonged to the brewer Honso Im-Hebu. He was in charge of preparing drinks for the rituals dedicated to the goddess Mut.
The walls of the tomb have pristine pictures, depicting scenes from the brewer's life - from his everyday routine to ritual ones. They unveil a lot not only about his life but also about the way life was back then.
Today, mere months after the discovery, the tomb is open for visitors.
