Ancient mining office complex found in Upper Egypt's Aswan

CAIRO, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- An Egyptian-American archaeological mission discovered in Upper Egypt's Aswan province a complex of two ancient buildings that used to serve as administrative offices and storehouses for mining projects, the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities revealed on Thursday.

Found in Tel Edfu site northern Aswan city, one of the two buildings belonged to the era of ancient King Djedkare Isesi of the 5th Pharaonic Dynasty that ruled Ancient Egypt more than 4,400 years ago, according to the ministry.

The other was built during the time of 6th Dynasty that ruled Ancient Egypt some 4,200 years ago, between 2,323 B.C. and 2,135 B.C.

"The internal structures of the complex were once used as storehouses for the products and goods of royal expeditions sent by the king to bring minerals and precious stones from the eastern desert," said Nadine Mueller, head of the U.S.-Egyptian archaeological mission from the University of Chicago that has been working in the monument-rich North African country since 2014.

Mostafa Waziri, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, described the administrative complex as "the oldest archeological evidence found in Tel Edfu till now as the earliest one previously found dates back to the second half of the 6th Dynasty."

Inside the complex, a variety of artifacts were also found, including a collection of 220 mud brick stamps of King DjedKare Isesi and senior mining workers, Red Sea shells, Nubian pots and fragments of mining activities.

Meanwhile, an Egyptian mission working in Kom Ombo temple discovered four artifacts on the western side of the temple.

The uncovered artifacts included a limestone stele for a man and his wife giving offerings to a seated deity, a sandstone statue of a seated man and two sandstone statues of god Horus in the form of a falcon.

Over the past year, Egypt has witnessed several big archeological discoveries nationwide, including Pharaonic tombs, statues, coffins, mummies and burial sites, remains of a Roman-style Hellenistic gymnasium, ruins of a funerary garden, a pyramid's burial chamber and a huge statue believed to be of ancient King Ramses II. Enditem