An Egyptian archaeological mission uncovered wall paintings inside the tomb of an Old Kingdom priestess, Hetpet, on the Giza plateau on the southern outskirts of Cairo, Egypt. Egyptian Antiquities Minister Khaled al-Anani announced the discovery Saturday. Photo by Khaled Elfiqi/EPA

Feb. 3 (UPI) -- Archaeologists in Egypt have discovered near Cairo the 4,400-year-old tomb of an ancient priestess.

The Ministry of Antiquities on Saturday unveiled the tomb near the Pyramid of Khafra and said it belonged to Hetpet, a priestess to Hathor, the goddess of fertility, who lived during the Fifth Dynasty and assisted women in childbirth.


Mostafa Waziri, general secretary of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, led the mission that discovered the tomb. This site in Giza's western cemetery has been dug up since 1842.

"We know of course that she was a high official and that she had a strong link with the royal palace," Egyptian Antiquities Minister Khaled al-Anani said Saturday.

Waziri said her main tomb is believed to be in the same area as the new discovery.

"The mission will continue digging in the area and I believe that very soon, we will discover other things," Waziri said.

Hetpet's remains were first discovered in the area in 1909 and currently rest at a museum in Berlin.

Waziri explained the entrance of the tomb leads to an "L" shape shrine with a purification basin and wall paintings are in "a very good conservation condition.

"Scenes of reaping fruits, melting metals, and the [making] of leather and papyri boats, as well as musical and dancing performances, are also shown on walls," Waziri told Ahram Online.

The walls show Hetpet hunting and fishing, and include scenes depict her sitting in front of a large table receiving offerings from her children.