In Photos: Burial chamber of 12th dynasty high-society woman in Assuit, Upper Egypt discovered

A joint Egyptian-German archaeological mission from Sohag and Berlin Universities has discovered the burial chamber of a woman named Edi, daughter of Jifai-Hapi who was governor of Assuit in Upper Egypt during the reign of King Senusret I of the 12th dynasty (1991–1778 BC).

The discovery was made during excavation work carried out on the father's tomb in Western Assuit Mountain, which is considered the largest non-royal tomb from that period in ancient Egypt.

"Preliminary studies suggest that Edi died before reaching the age of 40 and suffered from a congenital foot defect," said Mohamed Ismail, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA).

He explains that the tomb contained two intricately painted wooden coffins, one tucked inside the other and both fully inscribed with texts depicting the journey to the afterlife.

The coffins also contained canopic jars and wooden statues.

Unfortunately, he pointed out, the burial chamber had been looted in antiquity, with the mummy found dismembered and the canopic jars smashed.

Further excavations inside the tomb and studies will continue on the discovered remains to learn more about the governor and his daughter, and shed more light on the historical era they lived in.