[ad_1]
About a week ago, Egyptian authorities announced that they had discovered 13 unopened and well-preserved sarcophagi.
The find was made at a depth of eleven meters in the Saqqara necropolis, which is located about 16 km south of the famous pyramids of Giza.
Authorities can now announce that they have made another 14 discoveries, meaning that experts now refer to the find as the largest of its kind, writes the BBC.
see more
Well preserved
The sarcophagi and the mummified people inside are estimated to be over 2,500 years old.
Despite the age, the images of the new finds show that the sarcophagi are very well preserved.
2500 years later, the color of the paint is still very light, and the same should apply to both decorations and smaller hieroglyphs.
The Saqqara necropolis, where the find was made, is part of the ancient city of Memphis, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. In this city there is also the Djoser Pyramid, which is the oldest in Egypt.
see more
Necropolis is a term for a larger burial site near an ancient city and in Egypt many of these are located near the Nile.
According to the BBC, Saqqara was used as a cemetery for more than 3,000 years.
“Just the beginning”
In ancient Egypt, corpses were embalmed to preserve them. Even if you do not know all the details of the process, it means that it is placed in the body, among other things, with resin and asphalt substances after the intestines have been removed, writes Store norske leksikon.
The body was probably also placed in a preservative liquid before wrapping it in textiles.
In Egyptian culture, the body was believed to be the home of the human soul, and was therefore thought to be indispensable in the afterlife. It was also common to mummify animals and, according to the BBC, it is estimated that up to 70 million animals were mummified and buried around ancient Egypt.
see more
As a result of burial sites being full of treasure, they have been highly vulnerable to theft. Therefore, many sarcophagi have been destroyed throughout history.
However, this does not appear to be the case with the new findings.
“Early studies indicate that these coffins are completely closed and that they have not been opened since they were buried,” Egypt’s Antiquities Minister Khaled al-Anani said in an official statement on Saturday.
Shock found in Romanian house
Due to the fact that the sarcophagi are in very good condition, it is hoped that the identity of the people can be mapped, as well as the role they had in society.
According to the scientific website Sciencealert, the Egyptian authorities are expected to announce it in the coming days.
A promotional video from Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities also claims that this find “is just the beginning.”
