Cairo, July 05 (QNA) - The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced Saturday the discovery of several rock-cut tombs dating back to the Greco-Roman period in the western bank area of Aswan, southern Egypt.

According to a statement by the Ministry, the discovery was made by the joint Egyptian-Italian archaeological mission affiliated with the Supreme Council of Antiquities and the University of Milan. The newly uncovered tombs feature well-preserved hieroglyphic inscriptions.

The statement highlighted that the most notable of these tombs is distinguished by its unique architectural design and excellent structural condition. Located more than two meters below ground level, the tomb is accessed via a stone staircase consisting of nine steps, flanked by mudbrick benches that were likely used for placing funerary offerings.

Inside the tomb, archaeologists found a limestone sarcophagus approximately two meters high, placed on a rock-cut platform carved directly into the mountain. The sarcophagus features a human-shaped lid with facial features adorned with a wig and intricate decorative elements.

The Ministry emphasized that this discovery provides evidence of the continued funerary use of the area by various social classes, from the elite, who were buried in the upper tombs on the plateau, to the middle class. The inscriptions and artifacts found offer valuable material for Egyptologists, particularly in understanding funerary traditions and religious symbolism during the later periods of ancient Egyptian civilization. (QNA)