E gy pt i a n s Mu mmy di s c ov e r y r e f l e c t s l i v e s of mi ...

[Pages:3]Mummy discovery reflects lives of middle-class Egyptians

By John Bacon, USA Today, adapted by Newsela staff on 02.12.19 Word Count 460 Level MAX

Image 1. An archaeologist brushes a newly discovered mummy laid inside a sarcophagus, part of a collection found in burial chambers dating to the Ptolemaic era (323 to 30 B.C.) at the necropolis of Tuna el-Gebel in Egypt's southern Minya province, about 150 miles south of the capital Cairo, in February 2019. Photo: Mohamed El-Shahed/AFP/Getty Images

Egyptian archaeologists have uncovered burial chambers they say can shed light on the lives of "middle-class" ancients dating back more than 2,000 years. The country's Supreme Council of Antiquities said the tomb containing more than 40 mummies was discovered in Minya. Minya is a desert province 150 miles south of Cairo. About a dozen of the remains were those of children, said Mostafa Waziri, secretary-general of the council. The discovery was one of the largest and most important in recent times. It helps detail the day-today lives of ordinary people living over a period of hundreds of years until Cleopatra's death in 30 B.C., Waziri said. Waziri also said the mummies appeared to be in good condition. The mummification method used was sophisticated, indicating the deceased were probably upper-middle class.

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"Middle class may be a stretch, but they were not royals," Jennifer Gates-Foster, assistant professor of classics at the University of North Carolina, told USA TODAY. "They probably had standing in their communities. But this class does not get much attention, so this is a great find." Waziri stressed that the find was made by Egyptians. Many such discoveries are made by Americans and Europeans. "It is a source of pride, as it should be," Gates-Foster said. Waziri said the identities are not known. "We have not found names written in hieroglyphics," he said. He estimated that the remains date back to the Ptolemaic era, a period of about 300 years that ended with the death of Cleopatra and Roman rule in 30 B.C. The mummies were discovered in the Tuna el-Gebel archaeological site. They were inside four 30-footdeep burial chambers. Some were wrapped in linen or decorated with Demotic handwriting. The handwriting is a form of cursive hieroglyphic writing used by ordinary people in the region from the early seventh century B.C. until the fifth century A.D. Kathryn Bard is a professor of archaeology and classical studies at Boston University. She said the large number of mummies found in one context, unplundered, is a rarity. A year ago, the antiquities ministry announced the discovery of eight tombs containing about 40 coffins of Pharaonic priests and more than 1,000 statues near the site. The tombs were full of jewelry, potteries and jars. In December, Egyptian officials said they discovered a 4,400-year-old tomb linked to the fifth dynasty of pharoahs. That find was in Saqqara, west of Cairo. Egypt has been widely promoting archaeological finds. They hope this will energize a tourism industry that has struggled since the 2011 revolution. Minister of Tourism Rania al-Mashat said the discoveries were an important message to the whole world that Egypt "has it all."

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Quiz

1 2

3 4

Read the sentence below.

The mummy discovery in Minya is particularly unusual because of the condition of the burial site.

Which detail from the article provides the BEST support for the statement above?

(A)

Waziri said the identities are not known. "We have not found names written in hieroglyphics," he said.

(B)

The mummies were discovered in the Tuna el-Gebel archaeological site.

(C)

She said the large number of mummies found in one context, unplundered, is a rarity.

(D)

The tombs were full of jewelry, potteries and jars.

One conclusion a reader could make after reading the text is that there are several reasons to believe the mummies were upper middle class but not royals.

Which of the following statements accurately paraphrases evidence from the text to support the conclusion?

(A)

"Middle class may be a stretch, but they were not royals," said Jennifer Gates-Foster, assistant

professor of classics at the University of North Carolina.

(B)

The mummies were well preserved using advanced techniques, but they were decorated with Demotic

hieroglyphics used by ordinary people at that time.

(C)

Some archaeologists estimate that the mummies date back to the Ptolemic era, and were found in the

desert 150 miles south of Cairo.

(D)

"Middle class" mummies were also found in a 4,400-year-old tomb linked to the fifth dynasty of the

pharaohs, suggesting they died during Roman rule.

Which answer choice accurately characterizes the Egyptian government's reaction to its recent archaeological discoveries?

(A)

The Egyptian government is advertising finds in Minya as well as Saqqara to encourage more tourists to

visit the country.

(B)

The Egyptian government is working to use the mummies to bring more attention to its current middle

class population.

(C)

The Egyptian government is using the mummies' relationship to Cleopatra to attract more Egyptians to

study archaeology.

(D)

The Egyptian government is promoting all of its most recent discoveries in the hopes of avoiding

another revolution.

Read the selection below.

Waziri stressed that the find was made by Egyptians. Many such discoveries are made by Americans and Europeans.

Why did the author include this information in the article?

(A)

to emphasize why American and European tourists should visit Egypt

(B)

to illustrate why the find in Minya is especially meaningful for Egyptians

(C)

to introduce Waziri's role in explaining the find to other archaeologists

(D)

to elaborate on Waziri's opinions about problems in archaeology

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