Egypt revealed newly discovered ancient tombs with rich decorations in a necropolis of pharaohs near the capital Cairo, AP reported.

According to the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the five tombs discovered in early March belong to the Old Kingdom era (1570 B.C. and 1069 B.C.) and the First Intermediate Period, which lasted more than a century after the collapse of the Old Kingdom.

Mostafa Waziri, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said Egyptian archaeologists began excavations in September. He said the tombs were for high-ranking officials, including regional rulers and palace overseers in ancient Egypt.

"All of these five tombs are well painted, decorated. The excavations have not stopped. We plan to continue the excavations. We think we can find more tombs in the area," he told reporters at the excavation site.

The tombs were discovered next to the step pyramid of Djoser in the necropolis of Saqqara, 24 kilometers southwest of Cairo.

The walls are decorated with hieroglyphic inscriptions and images of sacred animals and afterlife objects used by ancient Egyptians.

In recent years, Egypt has been actively promoting the new archaeological findings to international media and diplomats in hopes of attracting more tourists to the country.

The vital tourism sector, a major source of foreign exchange for Egypt, has suffered from years of political turmoil and violence following the 2011 uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak.

The sector has recently begun to recover from the coronavirus pandemic, but has been hit again by events in Ukraine. Along with Russia, Ukraine is the main source of tourists visiting Middle Eastern countries.