A treasure trove of Egyptian artefacts unearthed in Saqqara, Egypt

Near Cairo, Egypt, the necropolis of Saqqara has become the hotspot for archaeology enthusiasts as archaeologists have unearthed a treasure trove of Egyptian artefacts. These artefacts have been made public for the first time and are dated 2500 years or more.

The discovered artefacts include 150 statues of bronze, 250 mummified coffins and other objects which might belong to the Late Period, i.e., 500 BC. The statues are famous Egyptian gods and goddesses like Amun, Anubis, Bastet, Nefertum, Isis, Osiris, Min and Hathor. There is also a headless statue of Imhotep, who was the architect of the Saqqara pyramid under the rule of Pharoah Djoser. Wooden statues of Isis and Nephthys have been found where the goddesses have gilded faces.

The head of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Mostafa Waziri, said that besides the bronze statues of deities, they had discovered bronze vessels used in Isis' rituals. Isis is the Egyptian goddess of fertility according to ancient mythology.


The discovered coffins were made of wood and painted. They were found, unharmed, in burial shafts. These coffins contained mummies, wooden boxes and amulets. One coffin had a well-preserved papyrus containing hieroglyphs. Assuming the hieroglyphs to be from the Book of the Dead, the papyrus was sent to the Egyptian Museum, located in Cairo, for further analysis and study.

Archaeologists have also found various cosmetics and accessories like earrings, kohl containers and bracelets.

All the discovered artefacts would be sent for exhibition at the Grand Egyptian Museum. The museum, however, is under construction and is located near the Giza Pyramids, outside Cairo.

Saqqara is a part of a larger necropolis at Memphis, Egypt's ancient capital. The Saqqara site includes the famous Giza Pyramids and the three smaller ones at Dahshur, Abu Sir and Abu Ruwaysh. In the 1970s, the Memphis ruins were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Egypt has been promoting the current discovery to attract tourists. Egypt's tourism industry is a significant source of foreign funds for the country. However, it has suffered political instability after the 2011 uprising that toppled the famed autocrat Hosni Mubarak.