Egyptian tombs to reopen
8th August 2012
The tomb of Meresankh in Giza has been shut from public view for almost 25 years, but in a bid to attract visitors Egyptian officials have decided to reopen it
The tomb of Queen Meresankh III – located at Giza – is reportedly set to open later this year. Along with statues, the tomb is also home to vivid wall paintings and enlightening inscriptions. Five tombs containing Pharaohs and ancient high priests are set to re-open to the public as well.
“A very unusual, if not unique, feature of the tomb of Queen Meresankh is provided by two inscriptions, one on each side of the outer doorway, which give the date of the death of the queen and the date of her funeral,” American archaeologist George Reisner wrote on his discovery of the tomb in 1927.
Tourism officials hope the openings will boost tourism to the country: “We want to give people a reason to come back, to give them something new,” said Ali Asfar, director general of archaeology on the Giza plateau.
Further plans are in place in the south of the capital city, Cairo, to re-open the Serapeum at Sakkara – a huge underground temple thought to house sacred bulls in huge granite and basalt sarcophagi. The Grand Egyptian Museum is under construction in Cairo and, according to the tourist board, will open in 2014, providing another attraction for tourists.
Egypt’s tourism trade has suffered greatly in the past year, largely due to the revolution in the spring/summer of 2011. Recent figures have revealed tourism to the country has fallen by 35%, compared with pre-revolution figures.
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