Sarcophagi buried for 2,500 yrs exhumed

A total of 27 sarcophagi buried more than 2,500 years ago in an ancient Egyptian necropolis have been exhumed by the archaeologists.

They also found a newly-discovered well at a sacred site in Saqqara, south of the capital, Cairo.

According to officials, 13 coffins were discovered earlier this month, however, another 14 will be unearthed soon. – reports BBC.

Experts believed that the discovery is so far one the largest of its kind.

Images released show the colorfully painted well-preserved wooden coffins and other smaller artifacts.

“Initial studies indicate that these coffins are completely closed and haven’t been opened since they were buried,” the antiquities ministry of Egypt said in a statement on Saturday.

The statement added that Egypt’s Antiquities Minister Khaled al-Anani initially delayed announcing the find until “he could visit the site himself”, where he thanked staff for working in difficult conditions down the 11m-deep (36ft) well.

The ministry said it hoped to reveal “more secrets” in the coming days.

Archaeologists discovered a large cache of mummified animals – cats, crocodiles, cobras and birds – in November 2018 near the Step Pyramid of Saqqara which were displayed to the public for the first time.

It is worth to be mentioned that Saqqara, located around 30km (18 miles) south of Cairo, is an ancient burial ground that served as the necropolis for Memphis, the capital of ancient Egypt, for more than two millennia.

Source: BBC News