Cairo, Egypt - Archeologists have uncovered three wooden pharaonic sarcophagi, dating back to the 20th century B.C., the chief of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities said on Saturday.

“The three sarcophagi were found in a very well preserved condition inside three burial shafts,'’ Zahi Hawass, the council chief, told The Associated Press.

He described the discovery as “very unique and very important.'’The find took place early this week at a site south of the Saqqara pyramids, about 25 kilometers (16 miles) south of Cairo, he said.

The first sarcophagi dates back to Egypt’s 1500 B.C.-1000 B.C. New Kingdom and is a black anthropoid. It carries paintings portraying the four sons of the falcon-headed god Horus and its inscription says it to belongs to a person called “Waya-ly.'’

Anthropoid, or person-shaped, coffins were particularly important to Ancient Egyptians, who believed them to act as a substitute body for use after death.The second and the third sarcophagi date back to the Middle Kingdom, 4,000 years ago, and are decorated with black pieces of glass.

“There have been few artifacts dated to the Middle Kingdom found so far,'’ Hawass said. “It will enlarge our knowledge about the Middle Kingdom, and fill the gap of information about the Egyptian civilization.'’

The Japanese archaeological mission has been working in Saqqara since early 1990s looking for Middle Kingdom tombs. “I believe that Saqqara site contains more hidden treasures,'’ Hawass added.

Source: Malaysia Star

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