Egyptian archaeologists shared details of a burial site discovered in April near the Saqqara necropolis, south of Cairo. The 2,000-year-old site might help provide insight into the oils used in the ancient mummification process.

The site, believed to be from the Saite-Persian period, 664-404 BC, is located 30 meters underground. The burial shaft contains 35 mummies and stone sarcophagi, as well as a mummification workshop with hundreds of artifacts: vessels, jars and small stone statues.

A rare gilded silver mask is the most significant artifact unearthed during the excavations, making it just the second of its kind to ever be discovered, Minister of Antiquities Khaled al-Anany stated.

Egypt hopes that these continuous archaeological discoveries will revive tourism and bring back travellers to the iconic pyramids and the pharaonic temples, ever since the flow of tourists was crippled following the 2011 political uprising.