Ancient Egyptian Coffins Found Near Luxor

Ever been fascinated by ancient Egypt If yes, then you&rsquod know how the tradition of mummification was a cornerstone of Egyptian religion. And this practice has captured the imagination of most history geeks. In probably what is being called the biggest coffin discovery in centuries, archaeologists have found 30 wooden coffins with mummies in Asasif Necropolis near the Egyptian city of Luxor. 

With intricate designs and paintings, these coffins are estimated to be 3,000 years old and as the Egyptian Minister for Antiquities, Khaled-El-Enany stated &ldquoit is the first large human coffin cache discovered ever since the end of the 19th century.&rdquo Based on the inscriptions and engravings archaeologists concluded that the coffins contain the mummified remains of male and female priests as well as children. The relics found near Luxor were stacked on top of each other in two rows with the remains intact. 

The coffins also had carvings of Egyptian deities, hieroglyphics and are adorned in vivid colours that till date remain intact. The reason being that ancient Egyptians used natural colours sourced from limestone, red oak and turquoise which is then mixed with egg whites. 

Though the mummies are well wrapped in cloth, archaeologists identify the genders of the mummies based on the shape of the hands on the coffins. Coffins with open hands indicate that it belonged to a woman  while the ones with fisted hands held males. An official statement says that stumbling upon coffins belonging to children is a rare occurrence. 

The mummies will be restored before being moved to the museum of ancient Egyptian artefacts and are also expected to be exhibited in the Grand Egyptian Museum which will open later next year.