CAIRO, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- A Czech archaeological mission on Monday unearthed in Egypt's Giza Province a large sarcophagus of a famous architect who supervised the works of the Fifth Dynasty kings, the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities said.
"The sarcophagus was made of limestone and mud brick," said Mostafa Waziri, head of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, in a statement.
The Fifth Dynasty, along with the Third, Fourth and Sixth Dynasties form the Old Kingdom, dates back to between 2494 and 2345 BC.
A statue, which was broken into two parts and made of pink granite, was found inside the sarcophagus, Waziri said.
The statue sits on a chair wearing short dress and a wig, Waziri added.
The excavation and documentation work by the Czech mission will continue, he noted.
Egypt, one of the most ancient civilizations, has been working hard to preserve its archaeological heritage and discover the secrets of its ancient antiquities in a bid to revive the country's ailing tourism sector.
Tourism sector has suffered an acute recession over the past few years because of political turmoil and relevant security issues.
