Valley of the Golden Mummies

Location:
The Valley of the Golden Mummies is located in the Bahariya Oasis, about 420 km from Cairo.

Who built it?
This necropolis was established during the period of Greco-Roman rule over Egyptian territory. Findings discovered so far suggest that it was intended for members of the middle and upper classes of society.

Explanation:
It was discovered by chance on April 17, 2001. So far, four tombs have been excavated, yielding 105 mummies preserved by the desert sands; many of these mummies wear gold masks, which have given the valley its name. Richly decorated with religious motifs, the mummies have allowed researchers to better understand the period in which they were buried, as few details were known prior to their discovery.

Today, archaeologists continue to explore the valley, and through various exploration methods, they have concluded that there may be more than 10,000 mummies in the area occupied by the ancient necropolis.

Valley of the Golden Mummies:

No inscriptions, drawings, texts, or names of the mummies’ owners were found inside the tombs. However, numerous personal belongings were discovered, including treasures, ornaments, and jewelry; most importantly, many Roman coins were found, which helped determine the era, the date, and the secrets hidden for hundreds and thousands of years.

This era dates back to the third century B.C.E., and X-rays helped us obtain important information such as the ages of the deceased, their gender, and the cause of death; the main cause of death for most of them was the spread of cholera or the plague, which led to rapid death. People at that time attempted to emulate the ancient Egyptians in the mummification process but failed to achieve the advanced techniques mastered by the ancient Egyptians. Consequently, most of the discovered mummies suffered damage, decay, and charring. The ten best-preserved mummies are on display for visitors in a hall within the museum’s storage facility at the Bahariya Oasis.