3,100-year-old tomb of military leader found in Egypt. Take a look at its treasures
Sifting through the sandy dirt of eastern Egypt, archaeologists found an ancient grave filled with distinctive artifacts. The treasures testified to the long-ago importance of the tomb’s occupant: an ancient military leader.
Archaeologists excavated a site in Ismailia Governorate as part of some routine research work and found an ancient four-room tomb, Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said in a March 20 news release.
The tomb was built of mud bricks, its interior walls decorated with a layer of white paste, archaeologists said. Photos show what remains of the structure.
Archaeologists identified the tomb as belonging to a high-ranking military leader who served under Ramesses III, a pharaoh who ruled ancient Egypt around 1100 B.C. Officials described the tomb as evidence of the region’s strategic importance during Ramesses III’s reign.
The ancient tomb had several artifacts related to military rank, such as bronze tools, arrowheads and part of a scepter. A photo shows these sharp, brown arrowheads.
Excavations also unearthed a collection of ancient alabaster jars, officials said. Photos show these smooth, cream jars. Some still have their lids, or stoppers, while others have carved designs and some flecks of light blue paint.
Egypt’s State Information Service also shared photos of the tomb’s artifacts in a March 21 Facebook post.
The 3,100-year-old tomb also contained a gold ring with the name of Ramses III, as well as an ivory box and various beads and stones. A photo shows one unidentified artifact, which looks like a stone mosaic.
To their surprise, archaeologists found a second skeleton buried in the tomb, likely predating the military leader and suggesting the tomb may have been reused for the latter’s burial.
Other excavations at the site in Ismailia Governorate uncovered a large collection of graves from the ancient Greek and Roman eras, officials said.
Ismailia Governorate is in northeastern Egypt and includes the middle section of the Suez Canal.
Google Translate was used to translate the Facebook post from Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and State Information Service.
This story was originally published March 21, 2025 at 9:00 AM with the headline "3,100-year-old tomb of military leader found in Egypt. Take a look at its treasures."
