Egypt boasts biggest ancient mummy find in over a century
Mummies of ancient priests, priestesses, and children were discovered in Egypt's city of Luxor, with 3,000-year-old coffins still showing original paint and inscriptions. The find will soon be accessible to tourists.
A colorful find
Egyptian archeologists unveiled 3,000-year-old coffins in the ancient necropolis of Luxor, saying it was "the first large human coffin cache ever discovered" since the 1800s.
Resting for 3 millennia
The cache of 30 coffins contains mummies of priests, priestesses, and children. They were buried in the 10th century BC under the rule of the 22nd Pharaonic dynasty.
Come and see
Egypt has announced a series of spectacular finds in recent months, as the country struggles to rebuild its tourism industry. The sector has suffered greatly since the violent uprising against former President Hosni Mubarak in 2011 and the 2013 military coup against the Islamist government.
Decoding the mystery
Coffins are intricately carved and painted both on the inside and on the outside. Experts boasted their "good condition of preservation, colors, and complete inscriptions."
Find of the century
The southern city of Luxor is a treasure trove for Egyptologists, but discoveries such as the one made in the two-level necropolis at al-Asasif remain rare. The latest discovery prompted comparison with another cache of priests' mummies, which was unveiled in 1891.
Preparing for visitors
The coffins are set to undergo extensive restoration and eventually be moved to the Grand Egyptian Museum next to the Giza pyramids, which is set to open in 2020.