Get you up to speed: Tightly Packed Chamber Unveils 22 Intact Painted Coffins of Singer Priestesses in Luxor
Archaeologists in Egypt have discovered a rock-cut chamber in the Asasif Necropolis, containing 22 painted wooden coffins dating to Egypt’s Third Intermediate Period (around 1070 to 664 BC). The chamber, believed to have served as a secondary storage site for coffins, also contained a cache of rare papyri sealed inside ceramic vessels.
Archaeologists from the Supreme Council of Antiquities and the Zahi Hawass Foundation discovered 22 painted coffins in a chamber in the Asasif Necropolis, dating back to Egypt’s Third Intermediate Period (around 1070 to 664 BC). Dr Zawi Hawass stated that urgent maintenance procedures would be necessary due to the poor condition of the timber.
Dr Zawi Hawass stated that painstaking restoration work will be carried out to preserve the coffins, which includes urgent maintenance procedures due to the poor condition of the timber. The team will also restore and translate the original clay seals on the pottery and papyri, revealing their secrets to the world.
22 painted coffins of singing priestesses unearthed perfectly intact in Egypt | News World
The painted coffins were found stacked in a chamber in Luxor (Picture: Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities/Cover Media)
Archaeologists in Egypt have found a tightly packed rock-cut chamber containing dozens of beautiful painted coffins.
The discovery, which also included a cache of rare papyri, was made in the Asasif Necropolis on the west bank of Luxor archaeological site.
Dating to Egypt’s Third Intermediate Period (around 1070 to 664 BC), the 22 wooden coffins are painted in a huge array of colours. The rare papyri were found sealed inside ceramic vessels.
Archaeologists also found a stash of papyri (Picture: Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities/Cover Media)
Many of the coffins appear to belong to women who held the title ‘Singer of Amun’, a role connected to rituals honouring the god Amun.
The discovery was announced by Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities following excavations by a joint archaeological mission from the Supreme Council of Antiquities and the Zahi Hawass Foundation for Archaeology and Heritage.
Sharif Fathi, minister of tourism and archaeology, said the find ‘is a new addition to the record of outstanding archaeological discoveries that Egypt is witnessing.’
Work being carried out on a coffin recovered from the chamber in the tomb of Sennep (Picture: Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities/Cover Media)
The cache was found in a section of the courtyard of the tomb of Sennep in the Qurna area, part of the vast Theban Necropolis which stretches across the desert west of Luxor.
Archaeologists discovered a rectangular chamber carved directly into the bedrock. Rather than being an original burial site, the space appears to have been used as a secondary storage chamber for coffins moved from earlier tombs.
Inside, the 22 painted coffins had been arranged in a highly organised manner.
They were stacked in several layers across ten horizontal rows, with the lids separated from the coffin boxes in order to maximise space.
A view of the inside of one of the coffins, showing a richly painted interior (Picture: Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities/Cover Media)
Researchers say the careful arrangement suggests the burials were not carried out hastily.
Instead, the layout indicates deliberate planning and controlled placement, possibly under the supervision of temple authorities.
The coffins still contained mummified remains, a notable detail as many reburials from the Third Intermediate Period were emptied or disturbed in antiquity.
Although most of the coffins do not bear personal names, several prominently display professional titles, providing clues about the individuals buried there and their roles within temple life.
The coffins were covered in rich colours and many appear to belong to women (Picture: Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities/Cover Media)
Dr Zawi Hawass said painstaking restoration work will now be carried out to preserve the coffins.
‘Because of the poor condition of the timber, the mission’s restoration team intervened for urgent maintenance procedures,’ he added.
‘(This includes) treatment of the wood fibres and weakened coloured plaster layers, thorough mechanical cleaning to remove stains without affecting bright colours.’
As for the pottery and the papyri contained within, the team say they still have their original clay seals. They will be restored and translated – when their secrets will be revealed to the world.
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