Friday March 29th, 2024
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Egyptian History Found Floating in Sewage

Minya was the place of this week's Ancient Egyptian discovery, as two mummies were found floating in wastewater...

Staff Writer

Another week in Egypt of course means another discovery of its past, as the Ministry of Antiquities have announced the finding of two new mummies found floating in sewage in Upper Egypt.

The mummies, complete with sarcophagi, were found by police on Saturday floating in sewage in small village near Minya. The mummies were covered with thick layers of linen, with only a few remains of human bodies amongst all the wrappings. As one could imagine, the mummies recovered were in a ‘shitty’ condition. According to ministry reports, the sarcophagi had colourful drawings of women with outlining and showing their faces on the lid, but were severely disintegrated by the sewage.

The ministry believe the mummies to date back to the Greco-Roman era due to the way their remains were buried. The press release goes on to explain that the likely reason they ended up in the sewer is probably due to citizens illegally digging in the area. Due to the severe restrictions surrounding illegal digging operations, the ministry believes that the culprits fearing detention ditched their uncovered treasure failing to recognise their cultural value.

As it stands, mildly successful efforts are being made to restore both mummies and sarcophagi to their former glory. According to The Head of the Antiquities Sector, once the restoration is complete the sarcophagi will be displayed at the Minya’s Hermopolis Museum.

Photo courtesy of CBM.org