Ancient tomb of princess unearthed near Cairo

CAIRO -- Czech archaeologists have unearthed the 4,500-year-old tomb of a Pharaonic princess south of Cairo, in a finding that suggests other undiscovered tombs may be in the area, an official from Egypt's antiquities ministry said Saturday.

Mohammed El-Bialy, an Antiquities Ministry official, said that Princess Shert Nebti's burial site is surrounded by the tombs of four high officials from the Fifth Dynasty dating to around 2500 BC in the Abu Sir complex near the famed step pyramid of Saqqara.

"Discoveries are ongoing" at Abu Sir, El-Bialy said, adding that the excavation was in a "very early stage" and not open to the public.

Inscriptions on the four limestone pillars of the princess' tomb indicate she is the daughter of King Men Salbo.

"But only her tomb is there, surrounded by the four officials, so the question is, are we going to discover other tombs around hers in the near future? We don't know anything about her father, the king, or her mother, but hope that future discoveries will answer these questions," El-Bialy said.

The archaeologists working at the site are from the Czech Institute of Egyptology.