Egypt’s Min. of Tourism & Antiquities announces discovery of 14 coffins in burial shaft in Saqqara

CAIRO – 21 September 2020: A group of 14 intact wooden coffins were discovered three days ago in a burial shaft. The newly uncovered burial shaft was found next to the shaft that was revealed last week and housed 13 coffins in Saqqara Necropolis.

The total number of intact coffins in the area has now reached 27; the coffins are 2,500 years old and still keep some of their original colours.

The discovery was made by the Egyptian archaeological mission headed by Mustafa Waziri, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities.

On September 6, Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced that more than 13 intact and sealed coffins were discovered in Saqqara, which is considered massive discovery. The discovered coffins were found inside an 11-metre deep shaft, where three sealed niches were also found. 

 "An indescribable feeling every time we witness a new archaeological discovery, especially when it is an 11-meter-deep shaft encompassing a number of sealed pharaonic human coffins. A wonderful feeling that we are revealing a new secret of our great civilization... Stay tuned for the announcement of a new discovery in Saqqara! A big thank you to all my colleagues in the ministry for their efforts and dedication," Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Khaled al-Anany said on September 6. 

Waziri announced that the names of the coffin owners have not yet been discovered, but will be revealed the in the upcoming days as the excavation work continues. 

The first studies revealed that the newly uncovered coffins are sealed and have not been opened since they were buried in the shaft, and that most probably they were found in the same location. 

 It is worth mentioning that Saqqara discovery houses the largest number of coffins in one burial since the discovery of Al-Asasif cachette.