Archeologists in Egypt have stumbled upon an ancient tomb of a queen who lived 4,500 years ago during the rule of Pharaoh Neferefre , Egyptian officials announced on Sunday.
After studying the inscriptions uncovered along with the tomb, the scientists identified the mysterious queen as Khentakawess 111, the wife of the Pharaoh Neferefre, AFP reports.
Neferefre ruled Egypt during the Fifth dynasty and reigned between 2460 and 2458 BC.
The tomb, which reportedly dates back to the middle of fifth Dynasty, was discovered by Czech archaeologists inside an old kingdom necropolis located southwest of Cairo in Abu-sir. The area is a part of Neferefre's funeral complex.
Thirty utensils made of limestone and copper were also unearthed from the site, local publications have noted.
The name of the queen was not known before the discovery, Egypt's antiquities minister Mamdouh al-Damaty said in a statement.
"We have discovered the name of this queen who had been unknown before the discovery of her tomb," he said, reported ABC. Her name and rank were found inscribed on the inner walls of the tomb, most probably by those who built the tomb, Damaty said. She has been identified as Khentakawess 111 as two previous queens with the same name are already known.
"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," he added.
