The Egyptian government has announced the discovery of ancient burial chambers containing some 40 mummies in the province of Minya, south of Cairo.
At least 10 of the mummies – who are in good condition – are children, according to the officials who spoke with reporters on Saturday.
On some of the mummies, archaeologists found decorations with a form of ancient Egyptian script used by ordinary people, called “demotic handwriting.” Colorful mummy cases, pottery and papyri were also found.
The chambers were cut out of rock and belonged to a middle-class family believed to have lived during the Ptolemaic, early Roman or Byzantine period.