(ANSAmed) - NAPLES, OCTOBER 22 - Thirty intact, sealed and
painted coffins were found at the archaeological site of Luxor,
in Egypt, inside a secret room, the Egyptian Minister of
Antiquities Khaled El-Enany told a press conference. He
described the 3,000-year-old coffins, which were buried in
Al-Asasif Cemetery, as ''exceptionally well-preserved''. The
secret room contained the tombs of priests and priestesses from
the 22nd dynasty.
The coffins, which contain the remains of 23 men, five women and three children, were discovered by an Egyptian research team led by Mostafa Waziri, secretary general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities. He said the discovery was Egypt's largest in over a century.
Well-known tombs in Luxor include the royal mummies in Al-Deir Al-Bahari discovered in 1881 and king Amenotep II discovered in 1898. El-Enany highlighted that the new coffins were grouped in a hidden tomb on two levels. The first floor contained 18 coffins, the second 12.
During the presentation, El-Enany together with famous Egyptologist Zahi Hawass and Waziri opened two coffins, revealing two well-preserved mummies of a man and woman. The coffins will now be restored before being moved to the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo, where they will be exhibited in a special room.
Waziri described the discovery as the greatest in many years, stressing that some of the coffins were painted with scenes from the book of the dead and the names of the deceased people they contained while others were only partly painted or unpainted.
The archaeologist added that research is continuing at the site.
(ANSAmed).
The coffins, which contain the remains of 23 men, five women and three children, were discovered by an Egyptian research team led by Mostafa Waziri, secretary general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities. He said the discovery was Egypt's largest in over a century.
Well-known tombs in Luxor include the royal mummies in Al-Deir Al-Bahari discovered in 1881 and king Amenotep II discovered in 1898. El-Enany highlighted that the new coffins were grouped in a hidden tomb on two levels. The first floor contained 18 coffins, the second 12.
During the presentation, El-Enany together with famous Egyptologist Zahi Hawass and Waziri opened two coffins, revealing two well-preserved mummies of a man and woman. The coffins will now be restored before being moved to the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo, where they will be exhibited in a special room.
Waziri described the discovery as the greatest in many years, stressing that some of the coffins were painted with scenes from the book of the dead and the names of the deceased people they contained while others were only partly painted or unpainted.
The archaeologist added that research is continuing at the site.
(ANSAmed).
