Ancient Greco-Roman cemetery unearthed at archaeological site in Egypt's Nile Delta

Archaeologists in Egypt have unearthed an ancient Greco-Roman cemetery at the Tel Kom Aziza site in the Beheira Governorate, northern Egypt. The discovery, announced by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, reveals a variety of burial practices, from simple pits to mud-brick framed tombs.

Among the significant finds are painted plaster and barrel-shaped pottery coffins, common during the Ptolemaic period. The burial orientations varied, with some interred on north-south axes and others east-west. The positioning of the deceased also differed, with hands found folded, crossed over the chest in the Osirian style, or resting alongside the thighs.

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This new archaeological discovery reflects the great importance of the Tel Kom Aziza site as one of the most promising archaeological sites in the Delta region.

A rare discovery at the site includes the complete burial of wild boars, animals associated with the deity Set. Older artifacts found at Tel Kom Aziza indicate that the cemetery was built over earlier settlement levels, with evidence of habitation dating back to Egypt's Old Kingdom, New Kingdom, and the Late Period, extending through the Greek and Roman eras.

These older finds include pottery and stone vessels, bread molds, stone tools, ovens, storage vessels, and numerous animal bones. Officials described the site as a "multi-period archaeological site" that has witnessed continuous settlement and funerary activity across millennia, offering a comprehensive record of human interaction with the environment.

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This new archaeological discovery reflects the great importance of the Tel Kom Aziza site as one of the most promising archaeological sites in the Delta region.