Archaeologists recently unearthed dozens of ancient mummies of priests without a curse falling on their heads, so they went back and did it again.
Egyptian authorities say they have unearthed dozens more mummies at an ancient Saqqara necropolis, adding to the 59 sarcophagi they previously announced in early October.
Each sarcophagus houses the mummified remains of a person inside a wooden box covered with ornate designs.
The initial discovery sparked many jokes about ancient curses and Brendan Fraser, who starred in the Mummy films.
The new coffins were intricately decorated and buried with gilded wooden statues in three newly discovered burial shafts at the site, the Egyptian government said in a statement.
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Authorities did not say exactly how many more coffins they have found since the initial announcement, but the number is said to be more than 80.
“We will announce the details of this discovery very soon,” said Khalid el-Anany, Egypt’s Minister of Antiquities.
Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly paid a visit to the historic site of Saqqara on Monday, where he took a personal tour of the recently excavated mummy’s mother lode. El-Anany and Mostafa Waziri, secretary general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, joined the prime minister for the tour and photo session.
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Waziri and el-Anany were also present earlier this month when archaeologists opened one of the coffins in front of a live audience.
Saqqara, which is located about 32 kilometers south of Cairo, has become a hotspot for archaeological discoveries in 2020.
The necropolis once served as an important cemetery for priests and statesmen who lived in Memphis, the seat of power of the ancient pharaohs, about 2,500 years ago. The ruined city also includes the famous pyramids of Giza, as well as several smaller pyramids.
The bodies are believed to have been mummified during Egypt’s 26th Dynasty, which spanned from 664 to 525 BC.
It is unclear exactly how many bodies remain buried in Saqqara, but their coffins are expected to boost Egypt’s tourism ambitions in the near future.
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Authorities have already announced plans to house the first batch of coffins in the Grand Egyptian Museum, a mega-museum currently under construction in Giza. It is planned to become the largest museum dedicated to a single civilization in the world, and the Saqqara sarcophagi will help complete its exhibits.
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The Egyptian government has dedicated itself to amassing its trove of mummy artifacts in recent years, after decades of watching foreigners snatch up their best items for display in remote museums.
El-Anany had promised more discoveries after announcing the first batch of coffins in early October.
“This is the beginning of a great discovery,” he said at the time.
“Today is not the end.”
— With files from Reuters and The Associated Press
© 2020 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
