The Egyptian Government has disclosed that the country’s archaeological team has discovered a collection of more than 13 intact sealed coffins, dating back to 2,500 years ago.
As stated, the coffins, along with three sealed niches, were unearthed inside an 11-meter-deep shaft were found at an archaeological site in Saqqara necropolis in Giza.
The Egyptian’s Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Khaled al-Anany, said that the discovery was part of the nation’s continuous excavation exercise to discover ancient art and antiques for history and reference purposes.
The Minister who visited the site alongside the Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), Mostafa Waziri, on Sunday, according to a statement by the ministry, said that the team of archaeologists were working assiduously at the shaft to uncover more.
According to him, the new discovery was coming after the discovery of 30 ancient coffins in October 2019 at Asasif cemetery in Upper Egypt’s Luxor Province.
“The discovery marks the largest number of coffins found in one burial place since the discovery of the Asasif Cachette,’’ the statement quoted him as saying.
Addressing newsmen during their visit, Waziri said that the exact number of the unearthed coffins, as well as the identity and titles of their owners, have not yet been determined.
The SCA boss, who leads the Egyptian archaeological mission in Saqqara, however, assured that details of the coffins and owners identity would be revealed in days to come.
“The discovery in Saqqara includes a wonderful collection of coloured wooden coffins whose colours and inscriptions are still in good condition despite the passage of 2,500 years.
“The mission continues excavation work on the site and it is expected to result in many other new discoveries of shafts, coloured wooden coffins and statues,’’ the SCA chief added.
The statement, however, added that the coffins were completely sealed and have not been opened since they were buried inside the shaft.
