30 kilometers south of Cairo, Egypt is an archaeological site in Saqqara where new discoveries from Ancient Egypt have been revealed. The Saqqara plateau has at least 11 pyramids, along with hundreds of tombs of ancient officials. Unearthed by Egyptian archaeologists was a number of Sarcophagi buried for 2,500 years. The initial discovery was 13 coffins, then in later news was announced 27, and now a total of 59 coffins were discovered.
Inside a newly-discovered well in Saqqara, experts say that this discovery is the largest of its kind and is only the beginning of more to come. The Tourism and Antiquities Minister, Khaled al-Anani added that there is still an unknown number of coffins yet to be unearthed in the same area, near the 4,700-year-old Pyramid of Djoser. The sarcophagi were displayed and one of them was even opened before reporters to show the mummy inside. In fact, several foreign diplomats attended the announcement ceremony.
As informed by the secretary general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Mostafa Waziri, initial studies showed that the decorated Sarcophagi were made for priests, top officials and elites from the Pharaonic Late Period dating from 664 to 525 B.C. He also said that archaeologists found 28 statuettes of Ptah-Soker; the main God of the Saqqara necropolis, as well as a 35cm tall bronze statuette of God Nefertum, inlaid with precious stones and the name of its owner is written on the base; Priest Badi-Amun. Collections of amulets and a ushabti figurine were also found. This discovery has been collected from 3 different wells in the same area, but with different depths ranging from 10 to 12 meters deep.
Ancient Egypt has been the preeminent civilization in the Mediterranean world for almost 30 centuries. Egypt’s mysteries have long entranced archeologists and historians and has even created a field of its own study; Egyptology. Sources of information about Ancient Egypt come to us through monuments, objects, artifacts and more things recovered from archaeological sites. Ancient Egypt has left a lasting legacy. Monumental ruins have inspired travelers and writers for centuries. Achievements of the Ancient Egyptians include construction techniques that supported the building of pyramids, temples, and obelisks, a practical and effective system of medicine, new forms of literature, and a lot more.