The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities explained that the “great discoveries” made by a team of archaeologists led by renowned Egyptologist Zahi Hawass include more than 50 sarcophagi.
The wooden sarcophagi, dating from the New Kingdom era, were found in 52 graves at depths of 10 to 12 meters, the ministry said in a statement.
According to Hawass, quoted in the text, “the funerary temple of Queen Naert, wife of King Teti”, as well as three brick deposits were found at the site.
Saqqara, home to more than a dozen pyramids, ancient monasteries and animal graveyards, is a vast necropolis that once belonged to the ancient Egyptian capital, Memphis, and is considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In November 2020, Egypt had announced the discovery of more than 100 intact sarcophagi, the biggest discovery of last year.
The sealed wooden coffins were discovered near statues of ancient deities more than 2,500 years old, which belonged to great personalities from the so-called Ancient Period and the Ptolemaic Period.
Hawass said in the statement that this new discovery could help research into Saqqara’s history between the 16th and 11th centuries BC.
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