CAIRO (Reuters) – Egypt on Saturday displayed dozens of coffins belonging to priests and scribes of the 26th dynasty about 2,500 years ago, and archaeologists claim that dozens more were discovered in the vast necropolis of Saqqara just a few days ago.
The 59 coffins were found in August on the UNESCO World Heritage site south of Cairo, buried in 3 10- to 12-metre wells with 28 statues of the ancient Egyptian god Seker, one of the most vital burial deities.
They belonged and were secretaries of the 26th dynasty, said Mostafa al-Waziri, general secretary of the Supreme Council of Antiquities of Egypt.
The Egyptian archaeological project of the discovery had been active since 2018 and in the past had revealed a stash of mummified animals and a well-preserved tomb of a royal priest of the fifth dynasty called “Wahtye” in the area.
Waziri said the team found out the three wells where the coffins were placed in “perfect condition” with a protective seal that protects them from chemical reactions.
The project will continue to open the coffins and examine their contents before their imaginable exhibition at the Great Egyptian Museum, which is expected to open next year.
(Report via Ahmed Fahmy; written through Seham Elorathrough; edited through Nadine Awadalla and Clelia Oziel)
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