OMG: Coffins Closed For Over 2,500 Years Unearthed In Egypt

Archaeologists in Egypt have unearthed more than 100 delicately painted wooden coffins, some with mummies inside, and 40 funeral statues in the ancient burial ground of Saqqara, the Egyptian antiquities authorities said, calling the discovery the largest find at the site this year.

The coffins have been closed for over 2,500 years.

In October, Egypt announced the discovery of 59 well-preserved and colourfully decorated ancient coffins in the same area.

“Saqqara has shown only 1 per cent of what it has.

“If we continue our excavations, various human and animal tombs are expected to be found in it. It’s a very rich area.

“The artefacts announced Saturday date back to ancient Egypt’s Late Period and the Ptolemaic era,” Tourism and Antiquities Minister Khaled al-Anani

said at a televised news conference at the site.

According to al-Anani, the collection would be put on show at Egypt’s three main museums, including the Grand Egyptian Museum being built next to the Giza pyramids.

Egypt has in recent years announced a string of archaeological discoveries in several parts of the nation in an attempt to revive its battered tourism industry, which is a main source of national income.

Tourism has been hard hit since the 2011 uprising against long-time dictator Hosny Mubarak and the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.