Archaeologists working near Cairo have discovered hundreds of ancient Egyptian coffins and bronze statues of deities.
The discovery in a cemetery in Saqqara contains statues of the gods Anubis, Amon, Min, Osiris, Isis, Nefertum, Bastet and Hathor, along with a headless statue of architect Imhotep, who built the pyramid at Saqqara, the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said in Monday.
250 coffins, 150 bronze statues and other objects date from the late period, around 500 BC, the ministry said.
They were accompanied by a musical instrument known as the sistrum and a collection of bronze vessels used in rituals to worship the goddess Isis.
These figurines, about 2,500 years old, have also been found at the site. (Mohamed Abd El Ghani / Reuters)
The painted wooden coffins were found intact in burial pits and contained mummies, amulets and wooden boxes. Wooden statues of Nephthys and Isis from an earlier period have also been found, both with gilded faces.
One coffin contained a well-preserved papyrus written in hieroglyphs and perhaps verses from the Book of the Dead. It has been sent to the laboratory of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo for research, said Mostafa Waziri, secretary general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities.
A collection of cosmetics was found, including stake containers, as well as bracelets and earrings.
A total of 250 coffins, 150 bronze statues and other objects have been found at the site in Saqqara and date back to around 500 BC, according to the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. (Mohamed Abd El Ghani / Reuters)
The coffins will be transferred for display at the Great Egyptian Museum, which is being built near the Great Pyramids of Giza and is due to open later this year.
Saqqara, south of the Pyramids of Giza, has provided a steady stream of archeological discoveries in recent years. The mission has been excavating the area since 2018.
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