Culture minister Farouk Hosni announced today that an Egyptian archaeological mission headed by Dr. Zahi Hawass, secretary general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), has discovered two rock-cut tombs at the El-Deir bridge area in the Saqqara necropolis, 400 meters south of the step-pyramid.

The first belongs to Iya-Maat, the supervisor of king Unas’ missions to bring limestone from the Tura area, granite from Aswan, and Mafet from the western desert. He also bore several titles, such as ‘supervisor of the king’s property’.

The second tomb belongs to a Fifth Dynasty singer called Thinh. At the front of the tomb is a lintel engraved with the singer’s different titles, including ‘supervisor of all singers’. A relief showing such a singer during a performance is found on one of the tomb’s walls.