This may be an attempt 'to preserve as much as the living appearance of the deceased,' Triadritti said, something that might shine light on religious beliefs at the time this man died.Ī wall painting found inside the tomb of Khnumdjedef, a man who was the 'inspector of officials' hieroglyphic inscriptions say.
The deceased seems like he was buried wearing a tunic with a belt and large necklace. There are older ancient Egyptian mummies - such as several mummies that date back more than 5,000 years at the site of Gebelein, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) south of ancient Thebes (modern-day Luxor) - but those are not covered with gold.Īccording to images posted online of Hekashepes' remains, it appears that his mummy is wearing clothes and doesn't have bandages, Francesco Tiradritti, an Egyptology professor at the Kore University of Enna in Italy who was not involved with these excavations, told Live Science in an email. Hekashepes' mummy was mummified using artificial methods, is intact and is covered with gold. There is little information about Hekashepes, but it appears that 'he was wealthy,' Hawass said. (Image credit: Photo courtesy Egyptian Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities) This sarcophagus belongs to a man named Hekashepes, whose mummy was found covered with gold.