The treasure was reached by the joint Egyptian-German archaeological mission from the University of Würzburg headed by Dr. Mohamed Ismail Khaled and working in the Abu Sir area.

Treasure Details

The head of the mission, Dr. Mohamed Ismail Khaled, said that:

  • The number of warehouses discovered amounted to about eight, and although the northern and southern parts of the warehouse area were severely damaged, especially the ceiling and floor, it is still possible to see the remains of the original walls and parts of the floor.
  • The discovered stores have been restored and thoroughly documented, which contributed to a great understanding of the interior design of the pyramid of King Sahora.
  • The team also succeeded in uncovering the original dimensions and design of the front chamber of King Sahora's burial chamber, which was damaged over time as the eastern wall suffered severe damage.
  • Only the north-eastern corner and 0.30 metres of the eastern wall could be discovered, but the mission built new supporting walls in place of the demolished walls.
  • The expedition also succeeded in uncovering traces of a low corridor mentioned by the English architect John Bering, one of the first explorers of the interior design of the pyramid in 1836.
  • The Egyptian-German mission cleaned the corridor using the latest technology, including three-dimensional laser scanning using the ZEB Horizon GeoSLAM scanner.
  • The Egyptian-German team in collaboration with the 3D Geoscan team conducted a survey of the areas discovered within the pyramid, which allowed for the comprehensive mapping of both the vast exterior areas and the narrow corridors and rooms within it.
  • The Egyptian-German archaeological mission began its work at the site in 2019 through the Conservation and Restoration Project of the Pyramid of King Sahora, with the support of the Antiquities Endowment Fund (AEF) of the American Research Center in Egypt (ARCE), with the aim of protecting the interior parts of the Sahora Pyramid.

The importance of treasure

The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said that this archaeological discovery is of great importance, especially as it contributes to unveiling the philosophy of architecture of the pyramid of King Sahora, the second king of the Fifth Dynasty (2400 BC) and the first king to be buried in Abu Sir.

She stressed that the discovered warehouses will be made available for future study as soon as the mission completes its work, and will be opened to receive Egyptian and foreign visitors in the near future.

Ahmed Badran, a professor of Egyptian archaeology at Cairo University, told Sky News Arabia that this revelation:

  • Its importance lies in knowing the details of the pyramid group of King Sahora, the second king of the Fifth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom, because the pyramid in ancient Egypt was an integrated institution.
  • This institution consists of the pyramid building itself, ritual temples, pyramidal cities, a city for workers and another for priests in charge of ritual service, in addition to ancillary stores for the disbursement of appointments, rations and in-kind salaries for workers, administrators, priests, craftsmen, scribes and others.
  • The disclosure also sheds light on the architectural and engineering development in the construction of the pyramids, the symbol of Egyptian civilization, because Egypt since ancient times has been an organized institutional state and therefore has achieved an ancient Egyptian civilization that still fascinates the world and takes the hearts of its beholders.
  • The site subject of the inspection will be made available for tourist visit, which is an addition to the tourist program in the Abu Sir area in Giza Governorate.