Trove of ‘perfectly preserved’ painted coffins and mummies discovered at ancient Egyptian necropolis
The finding of 59 sarcophagi and dozens of statuettes in Saqqara is just “the beginning of the big discovery” Egypt’s antiquities minister says.Egyptian archaeologists have discovered 59 ancient coffins in burial shafts at the necropolis of Saqqara, just south of Cairo.
The announcement was made during a press conference, where the colourful coffins were placed on display.
This is “a big discovery,” says Khaled El-Anany, Egypt’s Minister
The Art Newspaper
October 12, 2020
© AP Photo/Mahmoud Khaled
of Tourism and Antiquities. The wooden coffins date to Egypt’s 26th Dynasty, making them around 2,600 years old, and bear perfectly preserved painted decoration and hieroglyphic inscriptions.
Most of the coffins still contain mummies, including one opened by archaeologists during the press conference. Preliminary investigations suggest that these individuals served as priests and high officials.
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