New Discovery at Saqqara Necropolis Finds Largest Cache of Statues Yet

Remember the Saqqara Necropolis that wowed that world in 2020 when archaeologists unearthed a hundred colourful and pristine coffins? Turns out it holds more treasures yet to be found; a mission headed by Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities has discovered a cache containing 150 gorgeous bronze statues, and a number of burial wells with 250 coloured wooden coffins from around 500 BC.

The bronze statues mostly depict Ancient Egyptian gods such as Anubis, Osiris, Bastet and Hathor. A few were dedicated to religious rituals, while others depicted notable figures with startlingly lifelike clarity like Imhotep, the possible architect of Djoser's step pyramid and high priest of Ra in ancient Heliopolis.

The coffins and the mummies found within, meanwhile, were mostly well-preserved. One of the burial wells included a sarcophagus that may contain chapters from the Book of the Dead, which has been transferred to restoration labs at the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir for further study.

The mission also found two coloured wooden statues of the goddesses Isis and Nephthys posed as mourners, and a burial well from around 1500 BC with many adornments such as necklaces, bracelets, earrings and even a bronze mirror.

While the Egyptian mission at the Saqqara Necropolis began in 2018, it became famous in 2020 with the discovery of 100 wooden coffins, which was named one of the top 10 most important archaeological discoveries of the year by Archaeology Magazine, and inspired a documentary on the find titled 'Secrets of the Saqqara Tomb'.