Cairo - A previously unknown pyramid estimated to be 4,300
years old was discovered in Egypt's desert, Egypt's Secretary General
of Antiques Zahi Hawass said on Tuesday.
The pyramid, five metres high with a square base of 22 metres on
each side, is believed to belong to Queen Seshseshet, mother of King
Teti, the first king of ancient Egypt's Sixth Dynasty, Hawass said.
Teti came to power in 2323 BC.
The pyramid is the 118th discovered in Egypt and originally was 14
metres tall, Hawass said at a press conference.
The tomb is located near the pyramids of two of Teti's wives,
Queen Kuit and Iput I, and only metres away from the Saqqara step
pyramid, the world's oldest stone pyramid.
'We have previously discovered two pyramids that belonged to
Teti's wives, this made us think that the only missing one is that of
his mother,' said Hawass.
Archeologists have never found a tomb for Teti's mother at the
Saqqara burial ground, south of Cairo.
'We hope to find inscriptions with Seshseshet's name on it,'
Hawass said, referring to the queen is known from mentions of her
name in a medical papyrus. The papyrus contained a recipe for a
treatment for her hair.
The pyramid was found when dozens of men clearing dirt and stones
happened upon what appeared to be an entrance.
'Since we found this mound of sand we knew that there was
something underneath it', said Hawass. He said the Egyptian team had
discovered the pyramid two months ago.
'In about two weeks we will enter the queen's burial chamber,'
said Hawass.
He added that no treasures are expected to be found as most of the
chamber's contents would likely have been stolen.
USA
Your Talkback on this Story