An Egyptian archaeological team digging in the Bubastian Cemetery at the Saqqara Necropolis found 250 painted wooden coffins and the world’s largest bronze cachette, which held 150 bronze statues of different sizes of ancient Egyptian gods.

Mostafa Waziri, who is the head of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, was in charge of the mission.

Among the ancient Egyptian deities shown in the statues are Bastet and Anubis as well as Osiris, Amunmeen, Isis, Nefertum and Hathor.

Also discovered was a very well-carved headless figure of engineer Imhotep.

Inside burial shafts, a collection of Late Period painted entire wooden coffins containing mummies, as well as amulets, wooden boxes, and statues with gilded faces, were discovered.

A notable dual painted statue showing the deities Isis and Neftis grieving the dead was also discovered.

Waziri reveals that a papyrus written in hieroglyphs was recovered inside one of the coffins during excavations and may contain verses from the Book of the Dead, adding that it was brought to the Egyptian Museum’s laboratory in Tahrir to be studied and disclosed.

Cosmetics, such as combs, kohl eyeliners, containers, bracelets, earrings, and seed necklaces, were also discovered, as well as various everyday utensils.

The coffins will be relocated to the soon-to-be-opened Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) and displayed in the museum’s main rooms, according to Waziri.

Since 2018, this archaeological mission has been working in this area of Saqqara Necropolis, making several findings, including artefact collections, coffins, and human and animal mummies.

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