WHAT’S BEING CLAIMED:
- Fifty-nine sealed coffins were found within a month in an archaeological dig in Saqqara, Egypt.
- The hieroglyphics on the coffins indicate that many of the mummies within are priests.
- Small statues were also found along with the coffins, including shabti figurines and unique statues of two Egyptian gods.
Within just one month, an archaeological dig in Saqqara, Egypt has unearthed 59 sealed coffins. In a statement, the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities said that more are expected to be discovered.
The work is currently being conducted by Mustafa Waziri, secretary-general of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, and his Egyptian team.
The coffins have hieroglyphic writing that indicates many of the mummies were priests.
According to the October 3 statement from the ministry, the coffins, with their preserved mummies still inside, were found within or close to three burial wells that date back to Egypt’s 26th dynasty (688 B.C. – 525 B.C.).
Also, the remains of 28 small statues were found with the coffins.
The most interesting of these is a 35-centimeter tall bronze statue of Nefertem, the god associated with lotus flowers and son of Ptah, a creator god popular in the first capital of Egypt, Memphis (Saqqara was the burial ground for Memphis). The statue has a lotus blossom headdress that is made of lapis lazuli, red agate, and turquoise.
Another small statue depicts an amalgamation of the gods Ptah and Soker. Saqqara was named after Soker and in the time the coffins date to, “there was a combination of Ptah of Memphis with Soker.”
Former Egyptian minister of antiquities Zahi Hawass said that it is unique and that he has “never seen this before.”
Along with the coffins, numerous shabti figurines were found. Ancient Egyptians believed these shabti figurines would work for the deceased in the afterlife, hence, buried them with the dead.
Source: Live Science
