"A tomb dating back to the era of King Akhenation in Pharaonic Egypt had been discovered" Minister of Culture Farouq Hosni carried the good news Wednesday.

The tomb belongs to the holder of the divine seal, "Ptah Om Waya", said Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities Dr. Zahi Hawwas, noting that it was the most important discovery in the area of Saqqarah.

A Dutch mission unearthed the tomb in excavations around Saqqarah, Dr. Hawwas added.

He made it clear that recent discoveries in the area "made us know for sure tombs of state seniors during Akhenaton's reign existed".

Born Amenhotep IV, AKhenaton (1372-1355 BC) belongs to the 18th dynasty, a period boasting powerful kings and queens.

Sabri Abdel-Aziz, the head of Pharaonic Monuments Department said the adobe tomb has an open yard and is surrounded by columns.

It has three compartments and limestone walls with scenes representing the deceased and the offerings presented to him.

The Dutch mission has been working in Saqqarah since the 1990s with the aim of finding tombs of the modern dynasty.