Feb. 9 (Bloomberg) -- Egyptian archaeologists digging in the ancient burial complex of Saqqara outside Cairo discovered a cache of 30 mummies in a 4,300 year-old tomb that initially belonged to a priest from the time of the Pharaohs.

The find was made at the bottom of an 11-meter well and includes mummies from the fifth, sixth and 26th dynasties, the Ministry of Culture said in a faxed statement today.

While the original tomb belonged to a priest called Sangem, others were later buried in different chambers at the same site, according to the statement. The tomb was made of mud bricks and sports intertwining decorations.

Some of the mummies were found in wooden and stone sarcophagi at the site where archaeologists led by Zahi Hawas, the head of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, have been digging for a year, the ministry said.

The main step-pyramid at Saqqara of King Djoser is almost fully intact and is often visited by tourists along with the pyramids of Giza nearby.

To contact the reporters on this story: Mahmoud Kassem in Cairo at mkassem1@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: February 9, 2009 09:30 EST