EL CAIRO (AP) – Egyptian archaeologists have unearthed a treasure trove of ancient coffins in a vast necropolis south of Cairo, the government said Monday.
The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said in a statement that archaeologists discovered the collection of colorful, sealed sarcophagi buried more than 2,500 years ago in the Saqqara necropolis.
Mostafa Waziri, general secretary of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said more than coffins had been found.
Archaeologists also discovered colorful and golden statues, the ministry said. Details of the new discovery will be announced at a press convention in Djoser’s famous stepped pyramid, he said.
Egypt has sought to publicize its archaeological finds in an effort to reactivate its key tourism sector, which has been hit hard by the unrest that followed the 2011 uprising and has also been hit this year by the coronavirus pandemic.
Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly and Tourism and Antiquities Minister Khalid el-Anany visited the domain and inspected the new discovery, which came here just over two weeks after the ministry revealed 59 sealed sarcophagus, usually with mummies inside, in the same saqqarah community. .
The undated photo provided through Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities shows a treasure trove of coffins and ancient artifacts that Egyptian archaeologists have unearthed in a vast necropolis south of Cairo, the government said Monday (October 19, 2020) in Saqqara, southern Cairo, Egypt. . . The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said in one that archaeologists have discovered a “large number” of sealed and colorful sarcophagus buried more than 2,500 years ago. (Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities through AP)
Saqqarah is part of the necropolis of the ancient Egyptian capital of Memphis, which includes the famous pyramids of Giza, as well as smaller pyramids in Abu Sir, Dahshur and Abu Ruwaysh. The ruins of Memphis were declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in the 1970s.
The plateau houses at least 11 pyramids, adding the stepped pyramid, as well as plenty of tombs of former officials and other sites ranging from the 1st dynasty (2920-2770 BC) to the Coptic era (395-642).
This undated photo provided through Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities shows archaeologists opening a sarcophagus discovered in a vast necropolis south of Cairo, component of a recent discovery through the government announced on Monday, October 19, 2020, in Saqqarah, south of Cairo Egypt The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said in a statement that archaeologists have discovered a “large number” of colorful and sealed sarcophagus buried more than 2,500 years ago (Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities through AP).