Arts & Entertainment

Egypt opens millennia-old tomb of King Djoser

Cairo, Sep 14 (EFE).- The tomb of Egypt’s King Djoser, a pharaoh who lived 4,500 years ago, was opened to the public Tuesday after undergoing 15 years of restoration at a cost of $8.2 million.

Mustafa Waziri, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities of Egypt, described as “historic” the re-opening of the tomb at the massive Saqqara archaeological site south of Cairo.

The Southern Tomb, as it is known, lies near Djoser’s Step Pyramid, the oldest major stone structure in Egypt.

“After descending the deep stairs and reaching the burial pit, one finds a coffin that is considered one of the largest made with pink granite stone, composed of 16 pink granite blocks with a total weight of 120 tons,” Waziri said.

“Fifteen years ago nobody could go down to the tomb because of collapses,” Ashraf Owais, director of Saqqara Monument Restoration, said in comments cited by state-run news agency MENA. EFE ar-cgs/ta/dr

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