Egypt has uncovered a 7,000-year-old city and a cemetery dating back to its first dynasty in the southern province of Sohag, the antiquities ministry announced. The discovery, made 400 metres from the temple of Seti I near Luxor, includes huts, pottery, iron tools, and 15 large graves.
The city is believed to have housed high-ranking officials and grave builders, potentially offering new insights into Abydos, one of ancient Egypt's oldest cities. Experts suggest Abydos served as Egypt's capital towards the end of the predynastic period and during the first four dynasties.
The graves are notably larger than some royal tombs from the first dynasty in Abydos, indicating the high social status of those buried there. The find could boost Egypt's struggling tourism industry, which has suffered since the 2011 uprising and the 2015 bombing of a Russian plane.
