New Kingdom mummies found for the first time in Egypt

For the first time in Egypt discovered burials of the New Kingdom period, which flourished around the 15th century BC. The cemetery is a series of rock-cut tombs filled with anthropoid limestone sarcophagi and intricately decorated wooden coffins.

The discovery was made in the city of Al-Ghoreyfa, where a large cemetery was found in 2017. However, before this, archaeologists had only come across burials from the periods of the Ancient and Middle Kingdoms.

Ongoing archaeological work has also uncovered thousands of ancient artifacts. These are about 25 thousand figurines in the form of ancient Egyptian gods, a collection of canopic jars, various amulets and mummy masks.

Of particular interest to scientists was a well-preserved papyrus about four meters long with text from the ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead. Also particularly notable is the brightly painted anthropoid coffin of Tadi Essa, the daughter of the famous Egyptian priest Djehuti.

Scientists plan to continue excavations in this region to reveal all the secrets of this huge cemetery. And many of the artifacts now found, including the Book of the Dead papyrus, want to be given to the Great Egyptian Museum, where they will be put on public display.