The Japan-Egypt Joint North Saqqara Survey Team, headed by Professor Nozomu Kawai of the Kanazawa University New Academic Creation Research Organization, is the first unstolen catacomb (underground group cemetery) during the Roman rule (1st and 2nd centuries) at the Saqqara site in Egypt. ) Was found.
This research was conducted in collaboration with researchers from Waseda University, East Japan International University, National Museum of Nature and Science, Cairo American University, and the Ministry of Archeology of Egypt.The expedition has been working on the Necropolis (ancient cemetery) of Memphis, the central city of the ancient Egyptian dynasty since August 1550, with the aim of investigating the cave tombs of high-ranking officials during the New Kingdom (c. 1069-2017 BC). Started excavation in the north. A survey from August to September 8 discovered the first ungrave robbed catacombs during the Roman rule in the Nile basin.
Inside the catacombs' cave tombs, dozens of mummies and other bodies were buried almost untouched.In addition, a stone monument with Greek letters depicting Egyptian and Greek gods and a statue of Isis Aphrodite, a combination of Egyptian goddess Isis and Greek goddess Aphrodite, were excavated.
This discovery provides valuable material on the fusion of ancient Egyptian culture and ancient Greek-Roman culture, and further research on Egypt during the Roman rule is expected.
The results of this research were officially announced by the Ministry of State of Antiquities of the Government of Egypt on November 2019, 11.
