Egypt says archaeologists have uncovered an ancient tomb with mummies believed to date back about 2,000 years in the southern city of Aswan.

The Antiquities Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday that the tomb is from the Greco-Roman period, which began with Alexander the Great in 332 B.C.

It is located near one of Aswan's landmarks, the Mausoleum of Aga Khan, who lobbied for Muslim rights in India and who was buried there after his death in 1957.

The statement said archaeologists found artifacts, including decorated masks, statuettes, vases, coffin fragments and cartonnages — chunks of linen or papyrus glued together.

Egypt often announces new discoveries, hoping to spur the country's tourism sector, which has suffered major setbacks during the turmoil following the 2011 uprising against autocrat Hosni Mubarak.