During An Excavation In A 3,000-Year-Old Ancient Egyptian Cemetery, Archaeologists Discovered A Colorful Coffin Belonging To The Daughter Of A High Priest
An excavation conducted in an ancient Egyptian cemetery has yielded hundreds of unexpected finds. The most notable artifact that archaeologists discovered was a colorful coffin belonging to the daughter of a high priest.
Aside from the colorful casket, they found decorative ornaments, amulets, and stone and wooden coffins—several of which contained mummified bodies.
According to Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the 3,000-year-old cemetery was unearthed at the Tuna el-Gebel necropolis, which is located about 170 miles south of Cairo.
The cemetery dates back to the New Kingdom of ancient Egypt, which spanned from the sixteenth to eleventh centuries B.C. Researchers determined that the site served as a burial ground for high-ranking officials and priests of that time period.
The vibrantly colored, engraved casket was the daughter’s of the high priest of an ancient Egyptian god named Djehuti, or Thoth. This deity is frequently depicted as a man with the head of a monkey or an ibis.
Thoth was a significant figure in ancient Egyptian mythology and played a number of key roles. For instance, Thoth is recognized as the inventor of the art of writing and is also thought to have served as a representative of Ra, the sun god.
Two wooden boxes that held canopic jars and a set of “ushabti” sculptures were found next to the coffin of the high priest’s daughter.
Ancient Egyptians used canopic jars for storing organs that were extracted from the body during the process of mummification.
The lungs, liver, intestines, and stomach were removed in order to preserve them for the afterlife.
Photo 93351799 – © Rania Hegazi – Dreamstime.com – illustrative purposes only
The collection of statues were figurines commonly used in ancient Egyptian burial practices. They were placed in tombs for the purpose of serving the deceased in the afterlife.
The coffin wasn’t the only intriguing discovery that archaeologists made at the New Kingdom cemetery. They also found a complete papyrus scroll that was surprisingly well-preserved and measured approximately 42 to 49 feet long. The scroll contained information related to the Book of the Dead.
The Book of the Dead is a series of ancient Egyptian funerary ritual spells to help the deceased find their way to the afterlife. The texts were written on papyrus, a material comparable to thick paper.
If true crime defines your free time, this is for you: join Chip Chick’s True Crime Tribe
In 2022, She Mysteriously Packed A Bag, Left Home, And Has Not Been Seen Or Head From Again
Want To Avoid Some Holiday Stress Later? Here’s How You Can Start Prepping To Host The Holidays Now
Sign up for Chip Chick’s newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox.
More About:News