Archaeologists in Egypt have found a tightly packed rock-cut chamber containing dozens of lovely painted coffins.
The invention, which also included a cache of rare papyri, was made within the Asasif Necropolis on the west bank of Luxor archaeological site.
Dating to Egypt’s Third Intermediate Period (around 1070 to 664 BC), the 22 picket coffins are painted in an enormous array of colors. The rare papyri were found sealed inside ceramic vessels.
Most of the coffins appear to belong to women who held the title ‘Singer of Amun’, a job connected to rituals honouring the god Amun.
The invention was announced by Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities following excavations by a joint archaeological mission from the Supreme Council of Antiquities and the Zahi Hawass Foundation for Archaeology and Heritage.
Sharif Fathi, minister of tourism and archaeology, said the find ‘is a brand new addition to the record of outstanding archaeological discoveries that Egypt is witnessing.’
The cache was present in a bit of the courtyard of the tomb of Sennep within the Qurna area, a part of the vast Theban Necropolis which stretches across the desert west of Luxor.
Archaeologists discovered an oblong chamber carved directly into the bedrock. Reasonably than being an original burial site, the space appears to have been used as a secondary storage chamber for coffins moved from earlier tombs.
Inside, the 22 painted coffins had been arranged in a highly organised manner.
They were stacked in several layers across ten horizontal rows, with the lids separated from the coffin boxes as a way to maximise space.
Researchers say the careful arrangement suggests the burials weren’t carried out swiftly.
As a substitute, the layout indicates deliberate planning and controlled placement, possibly under the supervision of temple authorities.
The coffins still contained mummified stays, a notable detail as many reburials from the Third Intermediate Period were emptied or disturbed in antiquity.
Although many of the coffins don’t bear personal names, several prominently display skilled titles, providing clues concerning the individuals buried there and their roles inside temple life.
Dr Zawi Hawass said painstaking restoration work will now be carried out to preserve the coffins.
‘Due to poor condition of the timber, the mission’s restoration team intervened for urgent maintenance procedures,’ he added.
‘(This includes) treatment of the wood fibres and weakened colored plaster layers, thorough mechanical cleansing to remove stains without affecting shiny colors.’
As for the pottery and the papyri contained inside, the team say they still have their original clay seals. They will likely be restored and translated – when their secrets will likely be revealed to the world.
MORE: British Iron Age gold coins value £33,000 sold to US collectors
MORE: Ancient pile of rubbish unlocks clues about African ‘King Arthur’
MORE: 2,000-year-old ancient Roman staircase by chance discovered