May 31, 2022
The Egyptian archaeologists working in the Bubasteum area at Saqqara have uncovered an impressive cache of 150 bronze statues and 250 coffins which date back to the Late Period.
The statues represent various deities including Anubis, Osiris, Isis, Nephthys, Amun-Min, Bastet, and Hathor. The archaeologists have also found various ritual items, such as a bronze sistrum which was used in religious festivals and rituals and was closely related to the goddess Hathor. A unique headless statue of Imhotep, the famous architect who was in charge of constructing the Step Pyramid of Djoser, was also found at the site.
However, the most amazing discovery is believed to be the finding of various burial shafts containing a total of 250 colored coffins. They are all in an excellent state of preservation and all have mummies inside of them, dated to around 500 BCE. One coffin contained a well-preserved papyrus roll from the Book of the Dead, which was transferred to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo for further study.
Another unique find is two wooden statues with gilded faces of the goddesses Isis and Nephthys in a mourning pose. Additionally, a New Kingdom burial dated to 1500 BCE was found and included a bronze mirror, bracelets, necklaces, anklets, earrings, and items of daily life.
The archaeological team have been working at the site since 2018 and have made important discoveries in the area including a cache of 100 coffins in 2020 and the tomb of Wahty, to which only the guests of Archaeological Paths have had an access since its discovery in 2018.
Mirta Lodewyckx
