Adding to the overwhelming plethora of archaeological discoveries made last year, the Supreme Council of Antiquities announced yesterday the discovery of 83 tombs in the midst of archaeological excavations in the Dakahlia governorate in the Umm Al-Khilajan region. This fascinating discovery dates back to the first half of the fourth millennium BC. The tombs are oval-shaped and contain funeral furniture as well as pottery coffins.

The discovery is hugely important as it indicates the heavy population of the area. And, look. Put on that Indiana Jones/Zahi Hawass hat for a second and think about the seashells and pottery vessels were that were also discovered in the tombs, in addition to two rectangular and circular kohl pots and jewellery pieces. These are a lot of essential clues about ancient lifestyles that we're frankly lucky have survived this long. Even more interestingly, some ovens and stoves dating back to the Hyskos period were uncovered, in addition to stone utensils and utensils made of semi-precious stones. Looks like people were getting fancy about their kitchens for longer than we knew.