Egyptian Tourism and Antiquities
Minister Khaled al-Anany (C) and Secretary General of the Supreme
Council of Antiquities (SCA) Mostafa Waziri (R) look at a 2,500-year-old
coffin discovered in Giza, Egypt, on Sept. 6, 2020. Egypt announced on
Sunday the discovery of a collection of more than 13 intact sealed
coffins dating back to 2,500 years ago. Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities/Handout via Xinhua
CAIRO, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Egypt announced on
Sunday the discovery of a collection of more than 13 intact sealed
coffins dating back to 2,500 years ago.
The coffins were found at an archeological site in Saqqara necropolis
in Giza, said the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities in a
statement.
The coffins, along with three sealed niches, were unearthed inside an 11-meter-deep shaft, according to the statement.
Egyptian Tourism and Antiquities Minister Khaled al-Anany and Mostafa
Waziri, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA),
visited the site on Sunday and inspected the excavation work in the
shaft.
"The discovery marks the largest number of coffins found in one
burial place since the discovery of the Asasif Cachette," the minister
said, referring to the discovery of 30 ancient coffins in October 2019
at Asasif cemetery in Upper Egypt's Luxor Province.
"The discovery in Saqqara includes a wonderful collection of colored
wooden coffins whose colors and inscriptions are still in a good
condition despite the passage of 2,500 years," Waziri, who leads the
Egyptian archeological mission in Saqqara, told Xinhua.
Waziri said the exact number of the unearthed coffins, as well as the
identity and titles of their owners, have not yet been determined, but
they will be found out in the coming few days as the excavation work
still continues.
"The mission continues excavation work on the site and it is expected
to result in many other new discoveries of shafts, colored wooden
coffins and statues," the SCA chief added.
Initial studies revealed that the coffins are completely sealed and
have not been opened since they were buried inside the shaft, according
to the ministry.
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