Khaled al-Anany, the Antiquities in Egypt, last week announced the completion of the Southern Tomb of King Djoser. It has taken almost 15years for the renovation to end. Egypt is on the way to earning much foreign exchange through the tourist attraction.
South Tomb is located in Saqqara near the capital city of Egypt, Cairo. Since 2006., the building has been under restoration and conservation. The lower corridors, ceilings, and walls were very weak. Therefore, the hospitality industry decided to renovate everything, including the interior designs. There was a need to complete the inspections inside the tomb.
Their construction was to end in 2020, but the pandemic affected the process. However, after the Covid-19 vaccines, it has taken almost 6 months to varnish all the remaining works. It’s now ready for business.
On Monday, the Minister of Tourism Egypt and Khalid opened the South Tomb in Saqqara necropolis. The report came late in the evening, as only a few government officials went to the ceremony. The Egyptians are one of the countries that were poorly affected by the pandemic, hence they still follow the rules by WHO. The released statement from the Ministry of Tourism report indicated that the King Djoser tomb was ready to accept all tourists.
The tomb was found in a hidden southwestern corner, where King Djoser got married to the Third Dynasty. The Supreme Council of Antiquities, Mr. Mostafa Waziri, said the southern tomb belongs to the Old Kingdom and deserves respect.
It is the oldest stone in the ancient world. The name Southern Tomb originated from an English archeologist Mallabay Cecil Firth in the year 1928. Most people opposed the name, but at long last, it came to stick in the mouth and hearts of the people.
The upper part of the tomb is a rectangular stone building. The walls are mounted with a series of different stones. They look very fine, and it’s difficult to differentiate the entrance and exit. Also, it has a frieze of cobra heads that symbolizes the power and protection of the citizens of Egypt.
On the lower side, there exists an entrance to the interior region. There is a ramp leading to the exact place where the burial chamber is located. You have to travel a depth of 31 meters before arriving at the door of the chamber. Then, there exists a large sarcophagus, which looks like pink granite. On the other side, there is a well with stagnant water.
Waziri said the sarcophagus and the well look the same as those found in the interior location of Step Pyramid. But in the Southern tomb, they have made large and modernized well.
Starting from Tuesday, everyone willing to visit the tomb is welcomed. Both internal and external visitors will have a chance to enter the south tomb. However, the Egyptians will have higher priority over external tourists. This shows how the government values its citizens over foreigners.
The tomb was first built in 2667 to 2648 BC. It was designed for a symbolic purpose for Djoser’s internal organs. Egypt has made sure that they have utilized the Covid-19 period by innovating most regions. Now, almost all of them are ready. New museums and restaurants are also ready to accept tourists.
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