Egypt’s archaeologists discover secret unfinished tomb inside pharoah’s grave

Egypt finds unfinished secret tomb inside grave

CAIRO — Egypt’s antiquities department has announced the excavation of an unfinished tunnel, possibly meant to be a secret tomb, inside a 3,300-year-old pharaoh’s grave.

The 570-foot long tunnel (174 meters) stretches away from the main tomb of New Kingdom Pharaoh Seti I (1314-1304 B.C.) descending two staircases before abruptly ending.

Antiquities chief Zahi Hawass said in Wednesday’s statement that the unfinished tunnel may have been an attempt by the pharoah to build a secret tomb-within-a-tomb before he died.

Archaeologists found figurines, pottery shards and written instructions from the architect to the workmen in the tunnel.

The tunnel was first discovered in 1960, but only now has the whole length been excavated.