An intact 16-meter-long ancient papyrus scroll was discovered in Egypt – the first find of its kind in the last century, the Egypt Independent reports.
The discovery was made in the archaeological zone of a settlement 25 km south of Cairo, where the ancient necropolis of the capital of the Old Kingdom, the city of Memphis, is located.
The papyrus contains texts from the Book of the Dead.
Earlier in the course of excavations in Egypt, a group of scientists from the Institute of Archeology of the Czech Republic discovered a cache of embalming materials from the 26th dynasty of Egyptian pharaohs (685-525 BC)
At first, scientists thought the ancient scroll was only nine meters long, but after it was fully restored and translated, it became clear that it was actually 16 meters long, reports Arkeonews. Mostafa Waziri, secretary general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, announced the discovery of the papyrus on Archaeologist’s Day. The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities celebrates the Day of Egyptian Archaeologists on January 14.
Waziri added that the papyrus was restored at the laboratory of the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir and was given the name “Waziri Papyrus”.
This papyrus is the first papyrus ever found by an Egyptian and is named after an Egyptian.
A papyrus containing texts from the pharaoh’s “Book of the Dead” was found in one of the 250 tombs at Saqqara. The Books of the Dead is a funerary text from Ancient Egypt containing declarations and incantations to assist the dead in the afterlife.
Waziri added that the papyrus, which will be exhibited at the opening of the Great Egyptian Museum.
