Archaeologists Dig Into Royalty of Ancient Egypt With 4,500-Year-Old Discovery

Czech archeologists in Egypt have discovered a 4,500-year-old tomb believed to belong to Khentakawess, the wife or mother of Pharaoh Neferefre, Egyptian officials said Sunday.

According to Agence France-Presse, the ancient tomb was found in Abu-Sir, an area southwest of Cairo with the queen's name inscribed on its inner walls, thereby revealing something else that was previously unknown: Egyptian Antiquities Minister Mamdouh al-Damaty said it's the "first time we have discovered the name of this queen who had been unknown before the discovery of her tomb".

Two previous queens with the same name have already been unearthed and identified, making the newly discovered royal Khentakawess III. Her tomb was discovered in Pharaoh Neferefre's funeral complex, suggesting she was his wife or mother, said Miroslav Barta, head of the Czech Institute of Egyptology, according to BBC News.

Officials from Egypt's antiquities ministry say the unearthed tomb, which dates back to the fifth dynasty (2994-2345 B.C.) will provide more information to more of their unanswered questions.

"This discovery will help us shed light on certain unknown aspects of the fifth dynasty, which along with the Fourth Dynasty, witnessed the construction of the first pyramids," Damaty said.

Archaeologists were also able to unearth at least 28 utensils, 24 of which were made from limestone and four of which were constructed from copper, Yahoo News reported.

Watch the video for more photos of the fascinating discovery:

(H/T: MSN)

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