Archaeologists in Egypt have just discovered a more than 7,000-year-old city located in the southern province of Sohag, lying close to the Temple of Seti the First in Abydos.
The size of the 15 newly discovered graves indicate that the city was most likely home to high-ranking officials and grave builders. Houses, tools, pottery and the huge graves were among the things discovered.
“The size of the graves discovered in the cemetery is larger in some instances than royal graves in Abydos dating back to the first dynasty, which proves the importance of the people buried there and their high social standing during this early era of ancient Egyptian history,” the ministry said.
The discovery of the city puts Abydos, one of the oldest cities in ancient Egypt, in the spotlight, the ministry said, according to The Guardian.
It could boost Egypt's tourism industry, which has struggled significantly since President Hosni Mubarak was overthrown in 2011.
Earlier this month, more than 2,000 foreign tourists visited the ancient city of Luxor for the first time since 2011.
It's the latest telltale sign that tourists are finally returning to Egypt, and this latest ancient discovery may just be the cherry on top.