By 2020, the world faces a coronavirus pandemic and Egypt is opening thousands of mummy coffins in front of an audience.
What can go wrong?
Dozens of other people piled up on Saturday when archaeologists opened the first of 59 sealed sarcophagi, involving the bodies of ancient Egyptian priests who were buried about 2,500 years ago. Some spectators wore masks, but others did not because they were expecting to see and smell. – the remains of the priest buried long ago.
The first sarcophagus contained a mummy wrapped in an ornate burial cloth, which had been decorated to resemble the face of the deceased priest. She and dozens more were buried a long time ago at the end of ancient Egypt, authorities said.
Wooden sarcophagus was discovered this year in the Saqqarah necropolis, south of Cairo, near Memphis, the former seat of ancient Egypt. ‘The site houses several pyramids, in addition to the pyramids of Giza. World Heritage Site in the 1970s.
“We are very pleased with this discovery,” said Mostafa Waziri, general secretary of the Supreme Council of Antiquities. He says sarcophagus are “in the best condition” and that discovery is “the gift of the century” to Egyptian researchers.
The coffins, however, will be displayed in the new Great Egyptian Museum, which lately is under structure on the Giza Plateau.
Archaeologists announced last month that they had discovered thirteen coffins, but many more were discovered through further exploration of the necropolis. The mummies were buried in wells up to 12 meters deep.
Waziri says it is known how many others are inside the necropolis.
Archaeologists also retrieved 28 statuettes from the god of the dead, such as a bronze statue adorned with jewels by the goddess Nefertum.
The coffins are the first major discovery in Egypt since the start of the COVID-19 epidemic.
The Egyptian government expects new mummies to revitalise a tourism industry that has been devastated by the virus and local conflicts in recent years.
“I think this is the beginning of a wonderful discovery,” said Khalid el-Anany, Egypt’s minister of antiquities.
“Today is the end. “
: With The Associated Press