Archaeologists in Egypt
have unearthed a trove of artifacts at the ancient necropolis of Saqqara, including 250 complete mummies
The artifacts date to
around 2,500 years ago, during Egypt's Late Period, according to a statement from Egypt’s antiquities ministry.
The trove was found
at Saqqara's "Cemetery of Ancient Animals," a temple complex outside Cairo once dubbed "Bubasteion"
"Bubasteion" — a reference to
the ancient Egyptian goddess Bast or Bastet, who was worshiped there in the form of a cat
Today's discovery
confirms that the temple wasn't exclusively for cats, but for other Egyptian deities too
The necropolis at
Saqqara is near the edge of a desert plateau about 15.5 miles (25 kilometers) south of Cairo.