A new archaeological catastrophe has been discovered in Alexandria.
A full cemetery dating back to the Ptolemaic era and located in the Moustafa Kamel area, was found buried under a pile of garbage.
Over time, the historic cemetery turned into a garbage dump after its metal fence was stolen. The fence, which was created to protect the grave site during the January 25th revolution, was illegally broken, seized and sold. Officials who were aware of the ongoing misuse of the site failed to report the issue.
After the civil unrest that hit the country following the Egyptian uprising on January 25th, many Egyptian archaeological sites and museums were broken into and multiple items went missing or trashed . The grave site, which was a major tourist attraction, is just another victim.
Dalia Ezzat, Director of Development and Cultural Awareness of Archaeology in Alexandria, stated that the grave site is one of five located in the Moustafa Kamel area.
"The grave site in itself is in good condition as it was carved out from one big rock" she explained.
"The current owner of the land or property has not be located or notified," she added.
Ezzat called for assistance from students who graduated with Egyptology or Archaeology to help clean and preserve the area. This initiative, is pushing young Egyptian men and women to help take care of the Egyptian heritage and is also aiming to enhance their ''bond'' with their ancestors.