A CACHETTE of intact and sealed coffins was uncovered in the Al-Asasif Necropolis on Luxor's West Bank early this week, reports Nevine El-Aref. More details on its date, owners, and the titles of the deceased will be announced at the site on Saturday in a press conference. An Egyptian archaeological mission from the Ministry of Antiquities stumbled upon the cachette of intact painted anthropoid coffins at the necropolis, which holds the tombs and burials of ancient Egyptian officials. Since the discovery, workers have been busy digging among the sands for more coffins to uncover. Minister of Antiquities Khaled El-Enany along with Mustafa Waziri, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), were on site inspecting the newly discovered coffins to study the hieroglyphs painted on them in an attempt to find out who they belonged to and from which dynasty they came. “It is the first cachette of coffins to be uncovered in Luxor since the end of the 19th century,” El-Enany told Al-Ahram Weekly, adding that the coffins were sealed and in a very good state of conservation. Waziri described the discovery as the largest in the last few years as the cachette had contained more than 20 intact painted wooden coffins grouped on two levels on top of each other. The Al-Asasif Necropolis is located 300km from the Temple of Hatshepsut and has seen several discoveries over recent years. It houses noblemen's tombs from the ancient Egyptian 18th, 25th and 26th dynasties.
*A version of this article appears in print in the 17 October, 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly.
