Egypt has discovered more than a dozen sealed coffins in the Saqqara necropolis believed to be more than 2,500-years-old.
Egyptian archaeologists have discovered more than a dozen sealed coffins dating back to 2,500 years ago in an archaeological site in Giza.
The coffins, within the ancient burial ground of the Saqqara necropolis, were found stacked on top of each other in a burial shaft 11 metres below the ground.
Despite being a couple of millenniums old, the coffins were so well-preserved that painted colours and inscriptions could still be seen on the wood.
Egyptian Tourism and Antiquities Minister Khaled al-Nany described: “The discovery marks the largest number of coffins found in one burial place since the discovery of the Asasif Cachette.”
The Asasif Cachette was discovered in October last year, containing 30 ancient coffins in Upper Egypt’s Luxor Province.
Egypt found 13 sealed coffins from 2500 years ago and I’m really hoping they don’t open them and unleash mummies into this dumpster fire that is 2020.
— Tom O’Connor (@Tommyb0t) September 8, 2020
Mostafa Waziri, who leads the Egyptian archaeological mission in Saqqara, believes that they will find even further discoveries on their mission.
“The mission continues excavation work on the site and it is expected to result in many other new discoveries of shafts, colored wooden coffins and statues,” He told Xinhua.
The identity of those within the sealed coffins is currently being analysed, however, specialists say the coffins are completely closed and haven’t been opened or compromised in any way since they were buried.
Officials are keen to use these newly found artefacts to attract tourists to the site after the tourism industry suffered devastating blows in 2020.
Saqqara is believed to have served as the necropolis for Memphis, the capital city of ancient Egypt, featuring numerous pyramids and a UNESCO World Heritage site.
