53 New Mummies Found in Egypt???

Story at Middle East Online First Published 2009-04-13, Last Updated 2009-04-13 09:10:28 Painted mummies found in ancient Egypt necropolis Mission finds dozens of mummies in 53 rock-hewn tombs dating to Egyptian Middle Kingdom. CAIRO - Archaeologists working in an Egyptian oasis have found a necropolis containing dozens of brightly painted mummies dating back as far as 4,000 years, the country's antiquities chief said on Sunday. "The mission found dozens of mummies in 53 rock-hewn tombs dating to the Middle Kingdom" from 2061-1786 BC, Zahi Hawass said. "Four of the mummies date back to the 22nd Dynasty (931 to 725 BC) and are considered some of the most beautiful mummies found," he said. The linen-wrapped mummies are painted in the still-bright traditional ancient Egyptian colours of turquoise, terracotta and gold. The necropolis was uncovered near the Ilahun pyramid in Fayoum oasis south of Cairo. Abdel-Rahman el-Ayedi, who headed the mission, said that a Middle Kingdom funerary chapel with an offering table was also found, and that it was probably used up to the Roman era which lasted from 30 BC to 337 AD. The team also found 15 painted masks, along with amulets and clay pots, Hawass said.

******************************************************************************

What "mission," exactly? Is this an Egyptian "mission?" Sponsored by whom? Hmmmm, is this for real? No dates are provided in this article as to when the discoveries were first uncovered - or how long the excavations have taken. Is this a Hawi hose-job? Oops - I lapsed into my former irreverent ways from message boards long ago and far away... - I meant to say - is this a Zahi hose-job? The mummy in the photo is very pretty - is it a she, or a he? No identification information given. Why not? If this is spur of the moment news with on-site photographs,, why has the sarcophogus of the mummy been so carefully dug out and cleaned of all dust and clumps of clay??? More importantly, where is Hawi - I mean, Zahi Hawass? He's usually got his face somewhere nearby any photograph of an important ancient Egyptian discovery. Is this just a rehash of much older news??? Well, we know the Iranians do it, so why not the Egyptians too? I suspect this is just a re-report of an earlier discovery.