Egyptian authorities announced on Saturday the discovery of an ancient tomb in Egypt which could date back to 3,500 years ago.

The tomb was found in Luxor, near Egypt's Valley of the Queens and Valley of the Kings, in a cooperative dig involving Egypt's Ministry of State for Antiquities and archaeologists from the University of Cambridge.

While the identity of the tomb's occupant is unclear, the first elements discovered in the tomb gave the impression that it dates to the 18th dynasty of Egypt, also called the Thutmosid Dynasty after the four pharaohs named "Thutmose."

The head of the British research team, Piers Litherland, said the tomb could belong to a queen or princess from the Thutmosid Dynasty. This is the same dynasty of Tutankhamun, whose well-preserved grave contained items, which are now some of the most famous Egyptian artifacts in the world.

The Luxor tomb was discovered in poor condition due to ancient flooding, which submerged it in water, then covered much of it in sand and limestone sediment, according to Dr. Mohsen Kamel, director of the Western Wadis archaeological site. The flooding and shifting sediments caused damage to the inscriptions, making identification very difficult.

According to Mostafa Waziri, head of Egypt's Ministry of State for Antiquities, more specific information will be provided after all the discoveries are properly documented.

Egypt's Council of Antiquities has overseen a large number of digs in recent years with many discoveries. Some critics argue that the burst in excavations detracts from adequate research of preliminary finds.

However, the discoveries play an important part in Egypt's tourism industry, which struggled in recent years due to political unrest, neglected sites of interest and the COVID-19 pandemic. Tourism is one of the primary sources of revenue for Egypt and, thus, a key focus for investment.

In 2019, Egypt's Ministry of State for Antiquities merged with the Ministry of Tourism. In combination, the two ministries cooperated in developing the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza, Egypt, which is expected to open this year.

The museum will be one of the largest archaeology museums in the world and conveniently located near the famous Giza pyramids.

This article originally appeared on ALL ARAB NEWS and is reposted with permission.