Archaeological cachette found in Egypt

A new archaeological cachette was found early this week in the western area of the Egyptian museum. This new discovery was part of a project by the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) to enhance the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square in Cairo.

SCA secretary general Dr. Zahi Hawass said that the cachette includes nine artifacts, among them an offertory table, the upper part of a limestone stela, stones bearing hieroglyphs, and an engraved Ramesside limestone column base, with a cobra found next to it.

Hawass said that two cachettes had previously been found in the museum’s garden. Before 1952, archaeologists used to bury artifacts of questionable authenticity there, but only after they had been recorded in the museum’s registry and scientifically published. Nothing, however, had yet been found concerning this latest cachette.

The museum development project will create a new route for people visiting the museum. The museum entrance will remain the main gate, but the exit will be at the museum’s western side where visitors will find a large bookstore, a cafeteria and facilities. Hawass added that the development project will also organize the museum’s basement in order to accommodate lecture halls, a temporary exhibition hall and study halls.