Archaeological digs around ancient Egyptian sites still have plenty
of secrets to give up yet – like the huge, black granite sarcophagus
just discovered at an excavation in the city of Alexandria, on the
northern coast of Egypt.
What really stands out about the solemn-looking coffin is its size.
At 185 cm (72.8 inches) tall, 265 cm (104.3 inches) long, and 165 cm (65
inches) wide, it’s the biggest ever found in Alexandria.
Oh, and
then there’s the large alabaster head discovered in the same underground
tomb. Experts are assuming it represents whoever is buried in the
sarcophagus, though that’s yet to be confirmed.
It’s a fascinating find for archaeologists. Ayman Ashmawy from the Egypt Ministry of Antiquities says
the layer of mortar still intact between the lid and the body of the
coffin indicates it hasn’t been opened since it was sealed more than
2,000 years ago.
That’s particularly rare for a site like this –
ancient Egyptian tombs have often been plundered and damaged over the
centuries, which means archaeologists rarely find a final resting place
that’s still intact like this one appears to be.
The site as a whole dates back to the Ptolemaic period between 305 BCE and 30 BCE, with this particular find uncovered five metres (16.4 feet) below the ground.
Originally
found while clearing the site for a new building, the tomb is now under
guard while experts can work out what exactly lies inside the black
sarcophagus. It could almost be the start of a new Indiana Jones film.
As Jason Daley at the Smithsonian
reports, down the centuries Alexandria has developed to be such a busy,
crowded city that finding relics can be a challenge – anything that has
managed to survive is often difficult to get to.
Those are all
the details we have of the new find, so we’ll have to wait and see if
the identity of the buried Egyptian can be determined. But a sarcophagus
of this size could mean someone of pretty high status.
We haven’t been short of incredible finds in Egypt this year.
In February, archaeologists found a hidden network of tombs
south of Cairo in the Minya Governorate, which – like the giant granite
sarcophagus – have probably lain untouched for 2,000 years. Experts say
it’ll take them five years to work through that site.
Then in April, a rare Greco-Roman temple was found.
It promises to reveal secrets about the Siwa Oasis, one of the most
remote settlements in Egypt, including how foreign rule affected the
country between 200-300 BCE.
Every discovery paints in a little
more of the detail about how people lived and worked in these ancient
times. We’ll be keeping a close eye on this sarcophagus to see what it
might reveal.
IMHOTEP
Not old enough, sorry (the real Imhotep was 3rd Dynasty Old Kingdom, even though the 90s Mummy movie was 19th Dynasty New Kingdom).
It’s a Ptolemaic period tomb, but it’s probably an important dude (and judging by the alabaster head it’s probably a guy) and I don’t think any Ptolemaic ruler tombs have been found before so it’s pretty exciting.
If I was a betting person, I’d go with Ptolemy IX Lathyros
aka Soter II.
I just got a good feeling about this guy’s face:
A featureless black sarcophagus kinda screams “unholy abomination sealed away because they could find no way to destroy it” though
Sevi007 