CAIRO, May 3 (Reuter) - A French archaeological team has
discovered the remains of a 4,000-year-old pyramid near Cairo,
an Egyptian antiquity official said on Wednesday.
    Zahi Hawas, director of the Giza antiquities area, said the
pyramid belonged to one of the daughters or wives of pharaonic
King Pepi I, the third king of the Sixth Dynasty.
    He said the expedition has been working with the Egyptian
Supreme Council of Antiquities for the past six years in the
area of Saqqarah, 20 km (12 miles) south of Cairo.
    ``They found a limestone inscribed in hieroglyphics with
Mari Eit Es, the name of the princess and daughter of King Pepi
I. Beside it, they also found the base of the pyramid,'' Hawas
told Reuters.
    He said the discovery was made on Tuesday.
    Hawas said the French team had found three pyramids in the
past six years in Saqqarah, including those of Queen Lub Weint
and Queen Inti.
    There are at least 300 pharaonic pyramids in Egypt but few
are intact.
 REUTER
Reut04:54 05-03