Egypt discovers 27 sarcophagi more than 2,500 years old

Tombs were found during an archaeological dig, and follow 13 wooden sarcophagus discovered in same burial spot

CAIRO:

Archaeologists in Egypt have discovered 27 coffins at the ancient necropolis of Saqqara, a burial ground that is also home to one of the world’s oldest pyramids, the ministry of tourism and antiquities said.

Egypt's antiquities ministry had announced the discovery of 14 coffins in the Saqqara area that had lain buried for two and a half thousand years.

The tombs were found during an archaeological dig, and follow 13 wooden sarcophagus discovered in the same burial spot last week, the ministry said in a statement.

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The wooden sarcophagi are ornately painted and covered in hieroglyphs, and were found stacked in two burial shafts, the ministry said in a statement.

They have not yet been opened, the ministry said.

The vast Saqqara necropolis south of Cairo is part of the ancient capital of Memphis, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

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In March, Egypt reopened at the Saqqara site the Djoser’s Step Pyramid, the first pyramid ever built, after a 14-year restoration costing nearly $6.6 million.

In July, Egypt restarted international flights and reopened major tourist attractions including the Great Pyramids of Giza after months of closure due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Yet despite reopening and continued safety reassurances to international tourists, many concede that the key winter season starting in October is going to be tough, further straining the economy.