Egyptian officials this week unveiled a newly discovered, elaborately carved tomb that they estimate is 4,400 years old.
Located just south of Cairo, the colorfully decorated tomb is considered to be "one of a kind in the last decades" for its pristine condition and the fact it hasn't been looted, according to Mostafa Waziri, secretary general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities.
"The color is almost intact even though the tomb is almost 4,400 years old," Waziri said at a press conference announcing the discovery.
Decorated with statues of pharaohs, hieroglyphics, and vibrant yellows and blues, the tomb is believed to be the final resting place of a purification priest named Wahtye.
Wahtye is shown with his wife, mother, and other relatives in painted scenes along the tomb's walls.
Reliefs in the tomb show Wahtye and his family, including scenes of everyday life.
The tomb was discovered along a ridge that was buried and partially excavated only recently. This could explain why it has been left untouched, unlike so many other tombs in Egypt.
Five additional shafts were found in the tomb and while one shaft had nothing inside, four additional ones remain sealed and are expected to be excavated in the comings days, Reuters reported.
“I can imagine that all of the objects can be found in this area,” Waziri told reporters on Saturday, pointing at a sealed shaft. “This shaft should lead to a coffin or a sarcophagus of the owner of the tomb.”
According to Waziri, the tomb is 33 feet long, almost 10 feet wide, and just under 10 feet high.
