Egypt is opening two of its earliest pyramids, located about 25 miles (40 kilometers) south of the capital Cairo, to visitors for the first time since 1965.
Antiquities Minister Khaled el-Anany also told reporters on Saturday that Egyptian archeologists have uncovered a collection of stone, clay and wooden sarcophagi, some of them with mummies, in the Dahshur royal necropolis.
He says archeologists also found wooden funerary masks along with instruments used in cutting stones, dating to the Late Period (664-332 B.C.).
Egyptian tourist police stand with a recently discovered artifact at the Memphis necropolis during an event opening the Bent Pyramid and its satellites for visitors in Dashur, Egypt, Saturday, July 13, 2019. An Egyptian mission led by Dr. Mostafa Waziri discovered a collection of stone, clay and wooden sarcophagi which some of it still houses its mummies in addition to wooden funerary masks and instruments used in cutting stones from the Late period. (AP PhotoMaya Alleruzzo)
The Dahshur necropolis area is home to what is considered to be some of the earliest pyramids, including Sneferu's Bent Pyramid and the Red Pyramid.
Egypt hopes such discoveries will spur tourism, which is partially driven by antiquities sightseeing hit hard by political turmoil following the 2011 uprising.
Women visit the Bent Pyramid during an during an event opening the pyramid and its satellites for visitors in Dashur, Egypt, Saturday, July 13, 2019. The Bent pyramid, listed on UNESCO's world heritage list as part of the Memphis necropolis, is considered a transition phase in pyramids construction that comes between step pyramids and complete pyramids. (AP PhotoMaya Alleruzzo)
Detail of a recently discovered sarcophagus at the Memphis necropolis during an event opening the pyramid and its satellites for visitors in Dashur, Egypt, Saturday, July 13, 2019. An Egyptian mission led by Dr. Mostafa Waziri discovered a collection of stone, clay and wooden sarcophagi which some of it still houses its mummies in addition to wooden funerary masks and instruments used in cutting stones from the Late period. (AP PhotoMaya Alleruzzo)
Women look at recently discovered artifacts at the Bent Pyramid during an event opening the pyramid and its satellites for visitors in Dashur, Egypt, Saturday, July 13, 2019. An Egyptian mission led by Dr. Mostafa Waziri discovered a collection of stone, clay and wooden sarcophagi which some of it still houses its mummies in addition to wooden funerary masks and instruments used in cutting stones from the Late period. (AP PhotoMaya Alleruzzo)