The Egyptian archaeological mission working at the Sheikh Soby site in Bahariya Oasis, headed by Dr. Sabry Farag, Director General of Bahariya Oasis Antiquities, has uncovered a number of tombs dating to different historical periods, along with a collection of artifacts, during its current excavation season at the site.
Dr. Hisham El Leithy, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said the mission uncovered 3 tombs. The first is a collective tomb carved into sandstone, probably intended for a single family of 5 members. The second is uninscribed, probably dates to the Roman period and belongs to the staircase tomb type. The third is a collective tomb also probably dating to the Roman period and belonging to the shaft tomb type.
Mohamed Abdel Badie, Head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector at the Supreme Council of Antiquities, explained that the first tomb consists of a square shaft around 3 meters deep, at the bottom of which are two burial chambers. The first, on the western side, is a small rectangular chamber in which a limestone sarcophagus was found containing a mummy wrapped in linen. The body of the sarcophagus rests in a cavity in the chamber floor, consistent with the way sarcophagi were placed in Late Period tombs at the site.
The second chamber is on the northern side of the shaft. It is larger and also rectangular, and appears to have been used to bury the remaining family members, as 4 limestone sarcophagi were found inside, each containing a mummy wrapped in linen.
He added that the second tomb consists of a small shaft leading to a 3-step staircase ending in a burial chamber, and archaeological evidence suggests it was never used for burial.
The third tomb consists of a rectangular shaft, at the end of which is an entrance leading to a small roofless hall. This hall was probably used to receive the mummy during the burial process before it was moved to its final place in one of the tomb's chambers, as was common in tomb types of this period. The hall leads to two chambers: the first, on the southern side, contained parts of a pottery coffin, while the second, on the eastern side, contained a limestone sarcophagus with parts of its lid missing.
There are also 4 small entrances on the eastern, northern and western sides of the shaft. Excavation of the eastern entrance revealed that it leads to a side burial, in which a cylindrical pottery coffin was found broken into several pieces, its lid bearing a raised depiction of a human face with clear features.
Qutb Fawzy, Head of the Central Administration for Cairo and Giza Antiquities, added that the excavations also uncovered a number of artifacts, including a varied collection of pottery vessels, small flasks and plates of different shapes and sizes, as well as a number of offering tables made of limestone and sandstone.
A number of small votive figurines made of fired clay (terracotta) were also found, including maternal figures and stylized animal figures.
Dr. Sabry Farag, head of the Egyptian mission, said the mission will continue its work at the site in the coming seasons, given the site's importance and wealth of archaeological evidence, expressing hope that future excavations will uncover more tombs that may reveal successive generations of the oasis's inhabitants and shed more light on its history.
The Sheikh Soby site contains the necropolis of the governors and priests of Bahariya Oasis during the Late Period, carved into the archaeological mound known as "Sheikh Soby," one of the most important archaeological sites in Bahariya Oasis. The site also includes the Bawiti temple, built by Djed-Khonsu-iuf-ankh, governor of Bahariya Oasis during the 26th Dynasty, in honor of King Ahmose II.
