Egypt Unveils Details of 30 Ancient Coffins Found in Luxor
Egypt's antiquities authority has revealed the
details of 30 ancient wooden coffins recently discovered in the southern city
of Luxor.
Mostafa Waziri, secretary general of the Supreme
Council of Antiquities, told reporters Saturday that the coffins, with
inscriptions and paintings, were found in the Asasif Necropolis on the River
Nile's west bank near Luxor.
He says the coffins were for men, women, and
children from the 22nd dynasty (945 B.C. 715 B.C.), and had been collected and
hidden by a priest for fear of being looted.
He says the coffins were in two layers, with the
ones on top across those below.
Egypt has sought publicity for its archaeological
discoveries in the hopes of reviving its tourism sector, which was badly hit by
the turmoil following the 2011 uprising.
