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Egypt: Two-and-a-half-thousand-year-old coffin in an ancient well, trying to unravel the mystery
3 hours ago

Photo source, EPA
Photo caption,
At first 13 coffins were lifted, later 14 more coffins were lifted.
Twenty-six coffins buried more than two and a half thousand years ago have been exhumed in an ancient Egyptian cemetery.
The coffins were found in a newly discovered well at a sacred site in the Sakkara area south of the capital, Cairo.
Officials say 13 coffins were lifted earlier this month. After that 14 more coffins have been lifted from the ground.
Photo source, EPA
Photo caption,
A coffin taken from the cemetery.
Archaeologists say such a large number of coffins have rarely been excavated in Egypt before.
The pictures of the coffins that have been published show that they are made of wood. These are painted with different colors. Along with these there are also several small mums.
Bodies were buried in this tomb of Sakkara for three thousand years. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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Photo source, EPA
Photo caption,
Experts say they were never opened after the burial.
"Preliminary research has shown that these coffins were completely closed and never opened after burial," the Egyptian Ministry of Archeology said in a statement on Saturday.
'Something more secret'
The statement added that Archaeological Minister Khaled al-Anani had delayed announcing the discovery of the coffin. After inspecting the cemetery himself, the newly discovered coffins have been officially announced.
Photo source, EPA
Photo caption,
The coffins were lifted into a 36-foot-deep well.
Archaeologists descended into a 37-foot-deep well and brought the coffins up. Officials said the task was not an easy one for them.
Excavations at Sakkara Cemetery are still ongoing. Experts are trying to gather more information about these coffins.
Officials are now working to unravel the mysteries surrounding the question of who was buried in these coffins, why they were never opened.
Photo source, EGYPTIAN MINISTRY OF TOURISM AND ANTIQUITIES
Photo caption,
Some coffins are designed with color.
The ministry said it hoped the coffins would be unveiled at a press conference in the future.
In addition to these coffins, other archeological items recovered from the well are also beautifully designed and painted.
Earlier, in November 2016, archaeologists found a number of mummified animals at the Step Pyramid in Sakkara.
Photo source, EGYPTIAN MINISTRY OF TOURISM AND ANTIQUITIES
Photo caption,
In addition to the coffin, some other archeological materials have also been found.
These animals include cats, crocodiles, cobras, snakes and birds.
Sakkara is 30 kilometers south of the capital Cairo.
The people of Memphis, the capital of ancient Egypt, used this area as their graveyard.
In order to boost the tourism industry, Egypt has recently focused on finding such antiquities.
Video caption,
Watch footage of the mummified big cats on display at the exhibition