Egypt discovers archaeological industrial zone in Luxor's 'Valley of the Monkeys'

Egypt on Thursday unveiled two archaeological discoveries in Luxor including an industrial zone at the southern city's West Valley, also known as the Valley of the Monkeys, situated near Valley of the Kings.

An artifact is displayed during the presentation of a new discovery in the Monkey Valley near the Valley of the Kings in Luxor.

An Egyptian archaeologist works on objects discovered through an archaeological mission in the Monkey Valley near the Valley of the Kings in Luxor, Egypt October 10, 2019.

Egyptian archaeologists have discovered 30 workshops in the industrial area, the Ministry of Antiquities said in a statement. The area is "composed of houses for storage and the cleaning of the funerary furniture with many potteries dated to Dynasty 18," the excavation team's leader, Zahi Hawass, said in a statement.

The excavation team also discovered a tomb in Luxor's East Valley, also known as the Valley of Kings, where it found the tools that the ancient Egyptians used to construct a royal tomb. The East Valley contains famous royal tombs.

Egypt has sought to promote its archaeological heritage and recent finds in a bid to revive its vital tourism sector, which has suffered due to political insecurity and terror attacks.

The 30 ornately decorated coffins of men, women and children were found only a metre underground, stacked in two rows. They are believed to belong to family members of high priests.

The manufacturing area contains a deep cut and a water storage tank that had been used by workers. Between them, the archaeologists have found a scarab ring, hundreds of inlay beads and golden objects that were used to decorate royal coffins and some inlays known as the wings of Horus.