Egypt has announced a major archaeological discovery at the Saqqara necropolis south of Cairo.
Archaeologists have unveiled 54 wooden coffins, many of which can be traced back 3000 years to the New Kingdom period.
Another major discovery is the funerary temple of Queen Neit near the pyramid of her husband, King Teti of Egypt’s 6th dynasty which dates back 4200 years.
The famed archaeologist Zahi Hawass, who headed the archaeological mission said the coffins include the first dating back to the New Kingdom to be found at Saqqara, a UNESCO world heritage site.
The tourism and antiquities ministry said in a statement that the site is home to the Step Pyramid.
The coffins have been carved in human form and painted in bright colours.
Many of them are still intact with experts also discovering ancient games, statues, and masks.
“All these discoveries will rewrite the history of Saqqara and the New Kingdom,” said Hawass.
Officials hope to show off the newly discovered artefacts to revive the tourism sector which has been badly hit amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The number of tourists visiting the country dropped to 3.5 million last year from 13.1 million in 2019.
Source: Africafeeds.com
