Egypt showcases scores of 2,500-year-old coffins

3 years ago

A picture shows wooden sarcophagi on display during the unveiling of an ancient treasure trove of more than a 100 intact sarcophagi, at the Saqqara necropolis 30 kms south of the Egyptian capital Cairo, on November 14, 2020. - Egypt announced the discovery of an ancient treasure trove of more than a 100 intact sarcophagi, the largest such find this year. The sealed wooden coffins, unveiled on site amid fanfare, belonged to top officials of the Late Period and the Ptolemaic period of ancient Egypt. They were found in three burial shafts at depths of 12 metres (40 feet) in the sweeping Saqqara necropolis south of Cairo. (Photo by Ahmed HASAN / AFP) (Photo by AHMED HASAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Egypt on Saturday showcased more than 100 coffins dating back 2,500 years, the latest and largest find this year in the vast burial ground of the Saqqara Necropolis, Reuters reports.

The 26th Dynasty coffins – sealed, finely painted and well-preserved – were of a higher quality than previous finds there, said the secretary-general of the supreme council of antiquities, Mostafa Waziri, suggesting they belonged to higher ranking families.

Fifty-nine coffins were unearthed in August at the same UNESCO world heritage site. More treasures are expected to be found there, said Waziri.

The newly-discovered coffins, plus associated mummies and artefacts, will go on display at the Grand Egyptian Museum, which is expected to open next year.

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