Dozens of ancient coffins unveiled in Egypt

Dozens of 2,500-year-old coffins found in Egypt’s giant Sakkara necropolis went on display Saturday.

59 coffins belonging to 26th Dynasty Egyptian priests and clerks were found at the site south of Cairo in August. They were buried in three 30- to 40-foot shafts, as well as 28 statues of the ancient Egyptian god Saker, one of the most important entertaining deities, Reuters has reported.

Mustafa al-Waziri, secretary general of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, said the coffins were in perfect condition due to a protective seal that had protected them from chemical reactions for centuries. Preliminary studies show that the decorated coffins were made for priests, high officials and the upper class of the Pharaonic Late Period (664-525 BC).

The mummy inside opened one in front of the reporters for reporters, Associated Press report.

Excavations began in 2018, the Egyptian Archaeological Mission behind the discovery. Earlier finds include mummified animal kalash and a well-preserved tomb of a fifth-dynasty royal priest named “Vahti”.

The Sakkara Plateau hosts at least 11 pyramids, including the Step Pyramid, with hundreds of ancient officials and other sites dating from the 1st Dynasty (2920 BC-2770 BC) to the Coptic period (395-642).

The mission is expected to open next year, continuing to open coffins and study their contents before their final display at the Grand Egyptian Museum.