Gold Foil Figurines Were Designed to Serve Wealthy Egyptians in the Afterlife

Egyptian archaeologists recently discovered a trove of 2,500-year-old golden artifacts at the Tell al-Deir necropolis in Egypt's Nile Delta city of Damietta. Among the items buried at the site were gold foil figurines that were intended to act as servants for the tomb occupants in the afterlife.

An Egyptian archaeological mission from the Supreme Council of Antiquities unearthed a group of 63 mudbrick tombs dating back to Egypt's Late and Ptolemaic periods — a time just before Egypt became part of the Roman Empire.

Also found in the tombs were a collection of funerary amulets, funerary statues, pottery vessels and 38 bronze coins from the Ptolemaic Period.

The collected included a mix of imported and local pottery vessels, highlighting the importance of the city of Damietta as a center for foreign trade throughout various historical eras.

Archaeologists believe the tombs were occupied by some of Egypt's wealthiest members of society — those who could afford to be buried with riches.

Archaeologists are currently restoring and classifying the finds, according to the country's Supreme Council of Antiquities. Neveine el-Arif, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, told CBS News that she anticipates that some of the items from Tell al-Deir necropolis will be displayed at one of the country's museums.

The burial site in the port city of Damietta is located about 125 miles north of Cairo.

Credits: Tomb and artifact images courtesy of Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.