The sarcophagi lids were carved to represent a human form and shaped to represent figures that symbolize a mummy. The tombs are in good condition, despite their age. According to The Times of Israel, the “long-abandoned tombs date back to three dynasties, from 664-399 BC, in the Late Pharaonic Period”. They had been placed in cross-shaped cuttings on the floor of the funerary chambers.
In total they found 20 sarcophagi in the tombs all made from limestone. During recent investigations, experts came across 16 tombs in total, some of which contained more than one burial. Yahoo News reports that the Tuna al-Gabal site has already yielded “funerary buildings and catacombs filled with thousands of mummified ibis and baboon birds”. The site has already been excavated by archaeologists and they have made a large number of discoveries. This is not far from the city of Minya in central Egypt and some 180 miles (110 kilometers) south of Cairo.
The Egyptian Antiquities Ministry announced the major find in the village of Tuna al-Gabal. The sarcophagi, in particular, are providing researchers with a new perspective on the Late Pharaonic Period. They also found a treasure trove of grave goods and other funerary figurines at the location. In Egypt, archaeologists have revealed a number of tombs that contain sarcophaguses.
