Archaeologists find 250 coffins and treasures from 500 BC mummies in Egypt

Archaeologists working in nearby Cairo, Egypt have discovered hundreds of ancient Egyptian coffins and bronze statues of deities.

Discovery in a cemetery in Saqqara reveals statues of the gods Anubis, Amon, Min, Osiris, Isis, Nefertum, Bastet and Hathor, along with a headless statue of architect Imhotep, who built the pyramid at Saqqara, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities from Egypt on Monday (30).

The 250 coffins, 150 bronze statues and other objects date back to the Late Period, around 500 BC, according to the ministry.

They were accompanied by a musical instrument known as a sistrum and a collection of bronze vessels used in rituals to worship the goddess Isis.

The painted wooden coffins were found intact in burial pits and contained mummies, amulets and wooden boxes. Wooden statues of Nephthys and Isis from an earlier period have also been found, both with gilded faces.

One coffin contained a well-preserved papyrus written in hieroglyphics, perhaps verses from the Book of the Dead, and was sent to the laboratory of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo for study, said Mostafa Waziri, secretary general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities.

A collection of cosmetics was found, including kohl containers, as well as bracelets and earrings.

The coffins will be moved for display at the Grand Egyptian Museum under construction near the Great Pyramids of Giza and scheduled to open later this year.

Saqqara, south of the pyramids of Giza, has provided a steady stream of archaeological discoveries in recent years. The mission has been excavating in the area since 2018.