Discovered in a vast cavity on two levels within a necropolis of the former royal capital of Thebes, these sarcophagi are far from having given up their secrets. Further details are expected to be communicated on Saturday, October 19, 2019 during an on-site press conference.
A photograph of the sarcophagi taken from the ground on October 15, 2019 in Luxor.
They were found "as deposited" , in the words of the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities. More than 20 wooden sarcophagi were discovered still sealed and presumably in good condition "in a huge cache" of the necropolis of El-Assasif, located on the west bank of the Nile, in the ancient ancient city of Thebes. This corresponds today to the city of Luxor, in the south of Egypt.
Still bright colors
The Egyptian government, which reported the find in a statement, is nothing less than "one of the biggest and most important discoveries of recent years" . In photographs posted in a tweet by the ministry, the sarcophagi, which were stacked two levels in a vast tomb, are seen to still feature vivid colors and preserved carvings.
© Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities (MSA)
For the moment, no information concerning the supposed dating of this tomb or the ranks and functions of its occupants has been given. But the officials and archaeologists behind the discovery will speak on Saturday October 19, 2019 at a press conference in Luxor.
© Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities (MSA)
This excavation comes barely a week after that, in the same area, of an "industrial zone" over 3,000 years old. It contained more than thirty workshops that would have been used to make coffins, furniture or even pottery. We will update this article in the coming days.