Coffins, funerary masks and a funerary temple were discovered during an archaeological mission in Saqqara, a vast necropolis about 32 kilometers (20 miles) south of Cairo, which experts say will “rewrite” the region’s history.
Three mud brick deposits – built to store provisions, offerings and tools used in the queen’s tomb – were also discovered attached to the temple.
A mummy is displayed during the official announcement of the mission’s discovery at the Saqqara necropolis in Egypt, south of Cairo, on January 17.
Khaled Desouki / AFP / Getty Images
Adorned wooden sarcophagi unearthed on display during the official announcement of the discovery of a new treasure at the Saqqara necropolis in Egypt, south of Cairo, on January 17.
Khaled Desouki / AFP / Getty Images
About 52 funerary pits, which were 10-12 meters deep and contained hundreds of wooden coffins dating from the New Kingdom period, were also discovered. The discovery marks the first time that 3,000-year-old coffins have been found in the Saqqara region, said Al-Ahram.
Scenes of gods worshiped during the period and excerpts from the Book of the Dead, believed to help the dead move to the next world, were found painted on the surface of the coffins, with experts noting that this latest discovery at the ancient site confirms that Saqqara was used as a burial place during the New Empire period – between the 16th and 11th centuries BC – and not only during the late period.
A hideout of 50 anthropoid wooden coffins, in good condition, was also discovered by archeologists, along with funerary wooden masks, a sanctuary dedicated to the god Anubis, bird-shaped artifacts and a bronze ax.
The latest findings will rewrite the history of Saqqara during the New Empire and affirm the importance of King Teti’s worship during the 19th New Kingdom Dynasty, Zahi Hawass, said the head of the Egyptian archaeological mission, according to the news website.
The new discoveries “will rewrite the history of this region, especially during the 18th and 19th dynasties of the New Kingdom, during which King Teti was worshiped, and the citizens of that time were buried around his pyramid,” the statement added.