Archaeologists were shocked to discover an ancient tomb complex with 11 burials near the famous city of Luxor.
Egyptian authorities said teams from Egypt and the United States discovered the tomb in the southern necropolis of Asasi, near the Temple of Hatshepsut on the West Bank of the Nile in Luxor.
Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said in a statement that the tomb dates back to the Middle Kingdom, 1938-1630 BC.
The joint Egyptian-American mission excavating the necropolis found coffins for men, women and children, suggesting it was a family tomb used for generations during the 12th and early 13th Dynasty, Mohamed Ismail Khaled said. , secretary general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities in Egypt.
He showed that ancient floods destroyed most of the wooden coffins and wrappers.
However, some items such as jewelry in women's burials were found intact, including a finely crafted necklace of 30 amethyst beads and two cylindrical beads.
Catherine Blakeney, the lead American archaeologist on the mission, said they found two copper mirrors, one with a lily-shaped handle and the other with a unique design of Hathor, the goddess of the sky, women, fertility and love in Ancient Egypt.
The revelation came as Egypt has redoubled efforts to attract more tourists, an important source of foreign currency for the cash-strapped North African country. Tourism, which depends heavily on Egypt's rich pharaonic artefacts, suffered a long decline after the political unrest and violence that followed a 2011 uprising.
Last month the Great Egyptian Museum, a mega project near the famous Pyramids of Giza, opened 12 halls displaying pharaonic artifacts to visitors as a trial run ahead of the yet-to-be-announced official opening.
A year ago, a new airport "Sphinx International" was opened east of Cairo. It allows easy access to Giza, the pyramids and to other archaeological sites without traveling through the Egyptian capital.
Some would-be tourists have stayed away because of rising tensions in the Middle East. But Philip Breckner, director of specialist tour operator Discover Egypt, told The Independent earlier this year: "Egyptian life on the streets, in shops, hotels, on cruises is completely normal - and quite oblivious to events. abroad and in neighboring countries".