Egyptian archaeologists have uncovered a Pharaonic tomb containing 50 mummies south of Cairo.

Key points: Of the 40 mummies on display, 12 are of children

Of the 40 mummies on display, 12 are of children Some were decorated with "demotic handwriting", a form of ancient Egyptian script

Some were decorated with "demotic handwriting", a form of ancient Egyptian script Egypt has been heavily promoting archaeological finds after the 2011 uprising

Officials at the site in Minya said the chambers, which were cut out of rock, belonged to a middle-class family who probably lived during the Ptolemaic period, from the fourth century BC to just before the birth of Jesus.

About 40 mummies are currently being exhibited, 12 of which are of children, according to Mostafa Waziri, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities.

"The grave that we are talking about here has a well that is almost nine metres deep, leading to four chambers underground holding a great number of mummies — over 50 mummies," he said.

Mummies were found along with pottery, papyri and exquisite mummy cases from the Ptolemaic period. ( AP: Roger Anis )

Mr Waziri said there were a number of lingering questions about their origins, but it was clear from the method of mummification that the dead people held prestigious, important jobs.

"This discovery has something special, namely that it even survived the Byzantine era," he said.

"But who are they? Who are the owners of these mummies? This is the beginning of the discovery."

The mummies are in good condition and some are decorated with "demotic handwriting" — a form of ancient Egyptian script used by ordinary people.

Some of the mummies were found wrapped in linen, while others were placed in stone and wooden coffins or sarcophagi.

It is thought the mummies likely belonged to a middle-class family. ( AP: Roger Anis )

Pottery, papyri and colourful mummy cases were also unearthed.

The archaeological finding was the first of 2019 and was unearthed through a joint mission with the Research Centre for Archaeological Studies of Minya University.

Egypt has made a series of archaeological finds recently, and it has been heavily promoting them to revive its tourism industry, a staple of its economy that was decimated by the chaos that followed its 2011 uprising.

The mummies are in good condition and some were decorated with "demotic handwriting" — a form of ancient Egyptian script used by ordinary people. ( AP: Roger Anis )

Reuters/AP