Archeologists unearth 2,500 year old coffins in Egypt3 min read
Reading Time: 2 minutes
If the title of the story scares you, don’t worry! It can happen to anyone.
After all, it is the month of Halloween!
A little historical background might help.
Did you know that in ancient Egypt, people believed that the dead had a long journey ahead of them towards the other world? To that end, they preserved the bodies of the people by wrapping them up in white cloth (mummifying them) and storing things they might need along the way in the individual coffins. The more illustrious the person, the fancier the coffin, and its contents.
But why are people so excited about mummies and unearthing them?
Mummies are relics from thousands of years ago and studying them helps us understand the past better. This is the first-ever archaeological reveal after the onslaught of COVID-19. Therefore, this proved that even in the face of crisis, a thirst for knowledge surfaces. These excavations open up a world of knowledge before us of the people who were on earth before us!
So, let’s proceed with this curiosity.
30 kilometers from Cairo (Egypt’s capital) rests a large burial ground, Saqqara. Now deemed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it was also the cemetery site of the ancient Egyptian capital of Memphis. In a landmark discovery, archaeologists unearthed 59 sarcophagi (or stone coffins) dating back over 2,500 years in the Saqqara dig site in Giza over recent weeks.
On October 4, the team of researchers and archaeologists revealed the mummified remains and hieroglyphics inside the coffins. 60 Ambassadors from 43 countries and 200 media representatives were present at this archaeological reveal. Studies show that the 59 coffins belong to top officials, priests, and elites from the Pharaonic Late Period (664-525 BCE). What makes this discovery unique is the fact that all these coffins are very well preserved retaining their original colours.
The 59 sarcophagi have been found in 3 wells. There are more to be excavated!
These coffins will be on display at the new Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza
Every new discovery marks the possibility of more learning.
Let’s see what these mummies tell us.
