More Saqqara Discoveries

Following the discovery of 59 painted wooden Late Period coffins reported in AE122, the Egyptian team at Saqqara has now revealed another 100 intact painted wooden coffins in three 10 to 12 meter deep burial shafts. Dating to the Late Period and Ptolemaic Period, the finds were made near to the sacred animal necropolis.
 

Esna Reliefs Revealed

Restoration work by a German-Egyptian team has revealed the original colours of the reliefs at the Temple of Esna. The team have cleared thick layers of soot and dirt from the reliefs in the Roman era columned pronaos, the only part of the temple that survives.
 

Gynaecological Treatment

The Spanish team excavating at the Middle Kingdom necropolis of Qubbet el-Hawa near Aswan, have found evidence for a gynaecological treatment in the burial of the Lady Sattjeni: a fire-damaged cup discovered between her legs is thought to be part of a fumigation treatment for the vagina, where smoke from burning foods was used to relieve pelvic pain.
 

Egyptian Lead Ink

European scientists  have found evidence that lead was added writing ink in Roman Period Egypt specifically to help dry and bind the written words to the paper, a technique that was used by Renaissance painters to help paint stick to the canvas.
 

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