Emily Chan
In 2019, researchers stumbled upon a sprawling ancient Egyptian burial site in Aswan, a city that once thrived along the Nile River.
The site came to be known as the “City of the Dead.” It takes up more than 270,000 square feet and contains the buried remains of hundreds of people from as far back as the 6th century B.C.E.
Over the past five years, a team of Italian and Egyptian archaeologists have been excavating the area.
Recently, they discovered at least 33 more tombs, each containing the remains of 30 to 40 individuals.
Many of the people who were laid to rest there had likely died from infectious diseases. The latest discovery tells experts more about the history of the ancient city of Aswan.
Aswan was a major center of economic and political power about 4,500 years ago. Over time, much historical information on Aswan was lost.
However, the massive burial site, which was used for 900 years, is teeming with potential information that can be used to piece together the city’s background.
Hundreds of tombs were found on a hill stacked in terraces near the mausoleum of Aga Khan III. The first tomb uncovered at the site contained a family of four mummies—two children and a mother and father.
After further investigation, the archaeologists realized that the dead were buried according to their social class.
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