Ancient Egypt

The sealed wooden coffins, unveiled at Saqqara amid fanfare, belonged to top officials of the Late Period and the Ptolemaic period of ancient Egypt.

Archaeologists Are Just Beginning to Unearth the Mummies and Secrets of Saqqara

The latest finds hint at the great potential of the ancient Egyptian pilgrimage site

Detail of a medical treatise from the Tebtunis temple library with headings marked in red ink

Why Did Ancient Egyptian Scribes Use Lead-Based Ink?

A new study uncovers the science behind ancient writing traditions

The deceased's mummified remains were wrapped in burial linen and laid to rest in a wooden coffin.

Ancient Egyptian Coffin Opened for the First Time in 2,600 Years

The sarcophagus is one of 59 unearthed at the Saqqara necropolis in recent months

A "mummy portrait" affixed to a 3- to 4-year-old Egyptian boy's mummy (left) and a 3-D facial reconstruction based on the child's bone structure (right)

3-D Reconstruction Reveals the Face of an Ancient Egyptian Toddler

The digital likeness bears a striking similarity to a portrait attached to the front of the boy's mummy

One of the 14 sealed coffins found at the Saqqara necropolis

Trove of 27 Sealed Sarcophagi Unearthed in Egypt

Authorities say the 2,500-year-old coffins, found during excavations at the Saqqara necropolis, have likely remained unopened for millennia

The Meroe pyramids in northeastern Sudan sit about1,650 feet from the banks of the Nile. Now, the site's royal bath is at risk of damage from record flooding.

Record Flooding Threatens Millennia-Old Pyramids in Sudan

Rising water levels could damage ancient structures at Meroe and Nuri

The vast trench dug by treasure hunters is visible at the center of this image.

Treasure Hunters Destroy 2,000-Year-Old Heritage Site in Sudan

Illegal gold diggers dug an enormous trench at Jabal Maragha in the eastern Sahara Desert

Many of the monkeys died young, perhaps as a result of their rapid introduction to a drastically different environment.

Monkeys Found Buried in 2,000-Year-Old Egyptian Pet Cemetery

The primates—likely imported from India to the then-Roman province—were laid to rest with care

Studying the cat's bone structure revealed it was probably a domesticated cat, rather than a wildcat, swamp cat or sand cat.

Scientists 'Digitally Unwrap' Ancient Egyptian Animal Mummies

Detailed scanning technology provides a detailed look at a kitten, cobra and bird

Excavations at this site in Israel's Negev Desert yielded evidence of olive oil soap manufacturing dating back roughly 1,200 years.

Archaeologists Find 1,200-Year-Old Soap Factory in Israel

To create the cleaning concoction, ancient workers mixed olive oil with ashes from saltwort plants

This "grain mummy" honors the Egyptian god Osiris.

CT Scans Reveal Miniature Mummies' Surprising Contents

One appears to hold the skeleton of a bird, while the other contains a tightly packed lump of grain and mud

Wall art dated to around 1900 B.C. shows visitors to Egypt wearing colorful robes distinct from the white clothing worn by locals.

New Research Reveals Surprising Origins of Egypt's Hyksos Dynasty

An analysis of ancient tooth enamel suggests the enigmatic ancients were immigrants, not invaders

The circular ovens may have been used to bake bricks or pottery.

Roman-Era Structures Found Near Sphinx-Lined Egyptian Avenue

Excavations at Kebbash Road revealed circular ovens, a mud-brick wall and a sandstone wall

One of the interior passages of the 5,000-year-old Irish megalithic tomb of Newgrange. In this photo, sunlight enters the monument's main chamber at dawn on the winter solstice.

DNA Extracted From Ancient 'Irish Pharaoh' May Reveal Royal Incest

New analysis of elite man buried in Stone Age monument suggests he was the product of either a brother-sister or parent-child pairing

Six-year-old Imri Elya was awarded a "good citizenship" certificate for discovering a rare, small Canaanite tablet near an Israeli archaeological site.

Six-Year-Old Boy Discovers Rare Canaanite Tablet

Imri Elya was hiking with his family when he spotted the 3,500-year-old object

Critics say the sphinxes' relocation will make them vulnerable to environmental damage.

Egypt Defies Archaeologists' Protests by Relocating Four Ancient Sphinxes

Now awaiting unveiling in Tahrir Square, the ram-headed sculptures join a pink granite obelisk dating to the reign of Ramses II

Researchers examine a seven-and-a-half-ton limestone sarcophagus in a mummification workshop that dates back to ancient Egypt.

Ancient Egyptian Funeral Home Reveals Embalmers Had a Knack for Business

Funeral parlors' enterprising staff offered burial packages to suit every social strata and budget

Given the quality of grave goods found, the researchers suspect that the girl hailed from a privileged background.

Archaeologists Discover Teenage Mummy Buried With Trove of Ornate Jewelry

The ancient Egyptian girl was only 15 or 16 years old when she died

Archaeologists say this inscription of an ibex may be up to 5,000 years old.

See Ancient Cave Art Found in Egypt's Sinai Desert

The carvings, which depict animals including camels, leopards, cows and mules, may date back to 3000 B.C.

A virtual view of the Red Monastery, one of five Egyptian heritage sites newly detailed in 3-D

Take a Free Virtual Tour of Five Egyptian Heritage Sites

The sites include the 5,000-year-old tomb of Meresankh III, the Red Monastery and the Mosque-Madrassa of Sultan Barquq

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