This led to the discovery of the first Valley of Mummies ever found in Egypt. It is a very important find which will change the position of Bahareya Oasis on Egypt's tourist map. It extends for six kilometres in the oasis town of Bawiti and includes four tombs, where the mummies are stacked. He added that a specially designed and decorated pottery collection, showing Bess, deity of joy and happiness, was found beside the mummies, as well as scarabs of different deities, ornamental instruments, faience and amulet necklaces, red carnelian earrings and copper bracelets. Zahi Hawass, director-general of the Giza Plateau, who was also the excavation's field director, said that the necropolis has a distinguished architectural style.
Some tombs are hewn in sandstone, others have holes or deep shafts leading to the burial chamber.
The mummies have different configurations. Some of them wear golden masks, with magnificent designs of Ancient Egyptian divinities on their chests. He explained that the first one belongs to a woman whose face is coated with a coloured layer of plaster showing its beautiful features in depth. The third mummy belongs to a man wearing the sacred cobra on his head and a Horus-shaped mask on his face, while his chest is decorated with precious stones. He added that a new method of mummification was used for the newly discovered mummies which is different from the one used in Pharaonic times.