Archaeologists discover the 4,400-year-old tomb of a powerful Egyptian woman

Egyptian archaeologists have revealed the discovery of a 4,400-year-old tomb belonging to Hetpet, a powerful official in the royal court of the Old Kingdom who served as a priestess to the fertility goddess, Hathor.

"We know of course that [Hetpet] was a high official and that she had a strong link with the royal palace," said Egyptian Antiquities Minister Khaled al-Anani on Saturday. Her tomb features rare wall paintings al-Anani said are in "a very good conservation condition, depicting Hetpet standing in different hunting and fishing scenes or ... receiving offerings from her children."

The tomb's location has been undergoing excavation for more than a century. It is home to the graves of many royal officials and is expected to be a source of new finds for years to come. Watch a BBC report with footage of the tomb below. Bonnie Kristian

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