Ancient coffins unearthed near Cairo

CAIRO — Egypt announced this month the unearthing of a cache of ancient coffins at a major necropolis near Cairo, the second such find in the same area this year.

Tourism and Antiquities Minister Khaled al-Anani said Egyptian archaeologists had found more than 100 sealed, intact human coffins and 40 funerary masks and statues in three shafts at the Saqqara necropolis near the famed pyramid of King Djoser.

The coffins have been closed for more than 2,500 years.

Last month, Egypt announced the discovery of 59 well-preserved and colorfully decorated ancient coffins in the same area.

“Saqqara has shown only 1 percent of what it has,” al-Anani said at a televised press conference at the site on Nov. 14.

“If we continue our excavations, various human and animal tombs are expected to be found in it. It’s a very rich area,” he added.

The artifacts date back to ancient Egypt’s Late Period and the Ptolemaic era, the official said.

Egypt has in recent years announced a string of archaeological discoveries in several parts of the nation in an attempt to revive its battered tourism industry, which is a main source of national income.