Archaeologists Found 13 Fully-Sealed Ancient Egyptian Coffins In Saqqara

2020 is not all bad, first the Australian wildfires, then the coronavirus pandemic, then small catastrophes, then US wildfires raging in Oregon and all around it, which is already been the worse fires in US history, but it’s not all bad for paleontologists, scientists earlier this week discovered 200 mammoth skeletons and now 13 sealed ancient Egyptian coffins.

A team of archeologists recently found 13 Egyptian coffins that have been sealed for over 2,500 years

Image credits: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities recently shared the news on their Facebook page, revealing that archaeologists found an unexpected cache—or more accurately, a well—of more than 13 sealed wooden coffins that are as old as 2,500 years in the Saqqara Necropolis in Egypt.

They report that, according to the studies, these coffins are sealed off and haven’t been opened since their first burial a few millennia ago. It is necessary to mention that this is a rare event because it is often the case that burials are robbed by the time they are located thousands of years later.

This is good news because ancient Egyptian coffins are often looted and disturbed, hindering scientific progress

Image credits: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

The wooden coffins were found 11 meters (36 feet) underground in the Saqqara Necropolis outside Cairo

Image credits: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

It is also thought that these 13 wooden coffins are most likely only some of many more to be discovered inside the sides of the walls of the cache. The expedition found three sealed-up niches where they are expecting to find more coffins.

The burial location is south of Cairo, on the outskirts of the metropolis, and is considered to be a part of the necropolis for Memphis, the capital city of ancient Egypt. The coffins were discovered 11 meters, or 36 feet, underground.

For now, the identities and the trades of these particular owners of the coffins, and the overall numbers, are not yet sure, but dig and studies will advance in hopes of answering these questions.

Archaeologists found 3 more niches connected to this location believed to house even more coffins

Image credits: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

Image credits: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

What is known, however, is that the Saqqara Necropolis is known to be the resting place of high-ranking nobility and officials and middle and working-class people alike. The former is often found with many graves, ornaments, and even mummified animals, while the latter are given simpler burials.

One of the many purposes of the Ministry’s social media accounts is to promote archaeological discoveries such as this. So, they have also uploaded a short trailer of these findings, giving a more comprehensive glimpse at the intact ancient coffins. More details are sure to follow.

It’s unknown as to who specifically lies here as, in context, it can be anyone from a worker to a noble

Image credits: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

People are joking that 2020 can’t get any worse if someone was to release a curse by opening these coffins

Image credits: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

شعور لا يقارن كلما تشهد كشف اثري جديد،
انتظروا الاعلان عن كشف اثري جديد بسقارة، شكرا لزملائي بالوزارة.
An indescribable feeling when you witness a new archeological discovery.
Stay tuned for the announcement of a new discovery in Saqqara
Thank you to my colleagues in the ministry pic.twitter.com/RpgK6TmREo

— Khaled El-Enany (@KhaledElEnany6) September 6, 2020