French team discovers Old Kingdom necropolis in

A new cemetery containing a number of rock-carved tombs of senior temple officials from the Old Kingdom (2400-2100 BC) has recently been discovered in Sakkara.

The excavation team from the French Institute of Eastern Antiquities made the find while working at the western side of south Sakkara.

The first tomb excavated belonged to the priest Haunefer who worked in the funerary temple of Pepi I, the second king of the 6th Dynasty.

Supreme Council of Antiquities Secretary-General Zahi Hawass said that the priest, his wife Khotie and their 12 children are shown in relief paintings on the wall of the tomb, Which have so far preserved their beautiful colors.

Hawass added that the tomb's entrance bears a splendid inscription with bright colors, showing Haunefer and his eldest son receiving an offering from Khotie.

Below the inscription are three servants carrying further offerings. On the eastern wall, the tomb owner appears with another woman called Hatek, who is preceded by a young girl.

Next to the entrance are four rooms, the largest of which includes an inscription of Haunefer, Khotie and their four daughters and eight sons. Among his titles, Haunefer was the priest of Pepi I's Pyramid and the Chanting Priest.

His wife was the priestess of Hathur, the goddess of love and beauty. Scattered remains which might be those of Haunefer were found in one of the western chambers of the tomb.

Team head Vassil Dobrev said that another tomb belonging to Khnum Hetep (father-in-law of Haunefer) has been unearthed.

The tomb bears the inscriptions of Khnum Hotep, his wife Etki and their daughter Khotie (Haunefer's wife). Excavators also found several burial shafts ending in small rooms which contained skeletal remains.

They found 12 small statues of Khnum Hotep shown in several positions in one of these shafts.The statues measured 15 to 26 cm high.