Not sure whether this thread is appropriate for this forum; I just find it highly interesting.  Anyway, if it's not a good fit for the forum, just nuke the thread  

That prelude aside, Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities said in a statement on Sunday that archeologists have unearthed 57 ancient Egyptian tombs, most of which hold an ornately painted wooden sarcophagus with a mummy inside.  The findings were unearthed at Lahoun, in Fayoum, some 70 miles south of Cairo.

The oldest tombs date to around 2750 BCE, during Egypt's first and second dynasties (this would be third millenium BCE, right?).  Twelve of the tombs date to the 18^th dynasty, which ruled Egypt during the second millennium BCE.

According to the council, these discoveries shed new light on Egypt's ancient religions.

The mummies dating to the 18^th dynasty are covered in linen decorated with religious texts from the Book of the Dead and scenes featuring ancient Egyptian deities.  Some of the tombs are decorated with religious texts that ancient Egyptians believed would help the deceased to cross through the underworld.

One of the oldest tombs is almost completely intact, with all of its funerary equipment and a wooden sarcophagus containing a mummy wrapped in linen.

In 31 tombs dating to around 2030-1840 BCE, archaeologists discovered scenes of different ancient Egyptian deities — such as Horus, Hathor, Khnum and Amun — decorating some of the tombs.

I'm neither an Egyptologist (professional or armchair :-) nor a student of ancient Egyptian religions.  So I'm sure many of you know more about this stuff that I.

So what do you think and/or make of these finds and their significance?