The Egyptian desert, a land steeped in history, continues to reveal its secrets, captivating archaeologists and history enthusiasts alike. Recent discoveries of colossal sarcophagi have ignited a wave of excitement, offering new insights into ancient Egyptian civilization. These monumental finds, untouched for millennia, promise to rewrite our understanding of the past.
The Enigmatic Serapeum of Saqqara
The Serapeum of Saqqara is an extraordinary subterranean burial complex constructed between 1400 BC and 30 BC. It was built to honor the sacred Apis bull, believed to be a divine incarnation of the god Ptah. The Serapeum is one of two magnificent ancient Egyptian temples dedicated to the worship of the Greco-Egyptian god Serapis (Sarapis). The Serapeum of Saqqara was created around 1400 BC to 30 BC from the New Kingdom (1550 - 1070 BC) to the Ptolemaic era (305 - 30 BC), but the usage of the Apis cult can be historically traced to the time of Pharaoh Menes around 3000 BC. It was dedicated to Apis, the sacred bull deity who was believed to be an incarnation of the god Ptah. Apis was revered as a symbol of strength, fertility, and the renewal of life.
Revered as symbols of strength, fertility, and cosmic balance, each Apis bull received a majestic burial, complete with monumental granite sarcophagi weighing up to 62 tons. From the time of the last original pharaoh of Egypt Amasis II of the 26th dynasty, till the end of the Ptolemaic dynasty, all the sarcophagi for the Apis bulls were carved of hard stone, including the lid, which weighed around 62 tonnes (68 short tons).
Architecturally, the Serapeum is a fusion of Egyptian and Hellenistic design, featuring a long avenue of sphinxes, an elaborate Great Gallery, and underground corridors lined with 24 sarcophagi. Each burial followed strict religious rites, including embalming, funerary processions, and elaborate offerings.
The Serapeum of Saqqara. Image source: wikipedia.org
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The greater vaults of the Serapeum were started under Psamtik I (664-610 BC) of the 26th dynasty, which extended during the Ptolemaic dynasty. The most impressive part of the Serapeum is the Great Gallery, which is a long, vaulted chamber that is 300 meters (984 feet) long and 14 meters (46 feet) wide. The gallery is lined with 24 openings, each of which leads to a chamber that contains a granite sarcophagus. The sarcophagi are all different sizes, and some of them weigh up to 300 tons.
Discovering the Serapeum
Discovered in 1850 by Auguste Mariette, the Serapeum revealed vast catacombs, stelae, inscriptions, and immense sarcophagi-but much remains mysterious. Mariette, who originally came to Egypt to collect Coptic-language manuscripts, stumbled upon the remarkable temple while exploring the Saqqara necropolis. His discovery began in 1850 when he uncovered the head of a sphinx partially buried in shifting desert sands. Intrigued, he continued the excavation, ultimately reaching the catacombs a year later.
The purpose of the elaborate underground galleries of the Serapeum is not entirely clear. It also holds additional chambers or hidden passages yet to be discovered. These hidden areas could potentially shed light on other aspects of ancient Egyptian culture and religious practices, and the main significance and importance of the incredible Serapeum of Saqqara.
Restoration efforts resumed in 2020, aiming to preserve and explore this awe-inspiring site.
The Abydos Dynasty and the 60-Ton Sarcophagus
Archaeologists working at the southern Egyptian site of Abydos discovered the tomb of a previously unknown pharaoh: Woseribre Senebkay and the first material proof of a forgotten Abydos Dynasty, ca. 1650-1600 BC. The discovery of pharaoh Senebkay's tomb is the culmination of work that began during the summer of 2013 when the Penn Museum team, led by Dr. Josef Wegner, discovered a huge 60-ton royal sarcophagus chamber at South Abydos.
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The sarcophagus chamber, of red quartzite quarried and transported to Abydos from Gebel Ahmar (near modern Cairo), could be dated to the late Middle Kingdom, but its owner remained unidentified. In the last few weeks of excavations, fascinating details of a series of kings' tombs and a lost dynasty at Abydos have emerged.
The newly discovered tomb of pharaoh Senebkay dates to ca. 1650 BC during Egypt's Second Intermediate Period. The tomb of Senebkay consists of four chambers with a decorated limestone burial chamber. The burial chamber is painted with images of the goddesses Nut, Nephthys, Selket, and Isis flanking the king's canopic shrine.
Senebkay's tomb was badly plundered by ancient tomb robbers who had ripped apart the king's mummy as well as stripped the pharaoh's tomb equipment of its gilded surfaces. Nevertheless, the Penn Museum archaeologists recovered the remains of king Senebkay amidst debris of his fragmentary coffin, funerary mask, and canopic chest.
60-ton royal sarcophagus chamber at South Abydos. Image source: archaeology.org
The discovery provides significant new evidence on the political and social history of Egypt's Second Intermediate Period. The existence of an independent "Abydos Dynasty," contemporary with the 15th (Hyksos) and 16th (Theban) Dynasties, was first hypothesized by Egyptologist K. Ryholt in 1997. The discovery of pharaoh Senebkay now proves the existence of this Abydos dynasty and identifies the location of their royal necropolis at South Abydos in an area anciently called Anubis-Mountain.
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The kings of the Abydos Dynasty placed their burial ground adjacent to the tombs of earlier Middle Kingdom pharaohs including Senwosret III (Dynasty 12, ca. 1880-1840 BC), and Sobekhotep I (ca. 1780 BC). There is evidence for about 16 royal tombs spanning the period ca. 1650-1600 BC. Senebkay appears to be one of the earliest kings of the "Abydos Dynasty." His name may have appeared in a broken section of the famous Turin King List (a papyrus document dating to the reign of Ramses II, ca.
An important discovery was the badly decayed remains of Senebkay's canopic chest. This chest was made of cedar wood that had been reused from the nearby tomb of Sobekhotep I and still bore the name of that earlier king, covered over by gilding. Such reuse of objects from the nearby Sobekhotep tomb by Senebkay, like the reused sarcophagus chamber found during the summer, provides evidence that suggests the limited resources and isolated economic situation of the Abydos Kingdom which lay in the southern part of Middle Egypt between the larger kingdoms of Thebes (Dynasties 16-17) and the Hyksos (Dynasty 15) in northern Egypt.
The Sarcophagus Chamber
As the sarcophagus chamber slowly emerged from the sand we were astounded by its size. Measuring 16 feet long, 7 feet wide, and 7.5 feet high, the block weighs about 60 tons. Measuring 16 feet long, 7 feet wide, and 7.5 feet high, the block weighs about 60 tons. Formed out of a single block into which recesses were cut for the royal coin and the canopic chest, the block would originally have been covered by an equally massive lid that was lowered to seal the royal burial.
The carefully cut recesses of the sarcophagus chamber were designed as receptacles for the royal sarcophagus and canopic chest. The sarcophagus is a massive piece of red-purple quartzite. The upper surface and interior is finely dressed and smooth. Cut into the block is a rectangular recess measuring 9 feet long, 4 feet wide, and 4.3 feet deep. Adjoining the coin recess, at what would be the foot end of the chamber, is a cubical recess measuring 2.8 feet on all sides for the canopic box.
An important insight into this chamber has resulted from microscopic examination of the quartzite stone from which the chamber is cut. Comparing these results to studies on the stones of Gebel Ahmar and Aswan, we have concluded that the S10 sarcophagus chamber quartzite originated in the Gebel Ahmar quarries.
The S10 sarcophagus chamber is no exception. Its top is almost perfectly 8at. Of the four internal corners of the large sarcophagus portion of the chamber, two are a perfect 90°, and the other two are an almost-perfect 89.5°. The cutting of the interior was achieved with hand-twisted drills and finished with stone grinders. Experimental archaeology has reproduced the rate of work and demonstrates that the S10 chamber would have taken several years to complete and transport to Abydos.
The Black Granite Sarcophagus of Alexandria
The Mystery of the Black Sarcophagus
A mysterious, black, granite sarcophagus discovered in Alexandria, Egypt, dating to a time after Alexander the Great conquered the area in 332 B.C., has been opened. The sarcophagus, which is nearly 9 feet long, 5 feet wide and 6 feet tall (2.7 by 1.5 by 1.8 meters) - the largest found in Alexandria - was discovered with a thick layer of mortar covering much of it.
The sarcophagus was discovered by archaeologists from the Ministry of Antiquities who were inspecting an area of land in the Sidi Gaber district of Alexandria before construction took place. Researchers opened the sarcophagus at the site where it was discovered.
The black granite sarcophagus from Alexandria, Egypt. Image source: livescience.com
Inside the Sarcophagus
Along with the sewage, archaeologists found the remains of three skeletons inside the sarcophagus. These may be those of soldiers, Egypt's antiquities ministry said in a statement issued today (July 19) in Arabic. Analysis of the skeletal remains is ongoing, but initial results suggest that one of the individuals found in the sarcophagus suffered a blow from an arrow, the ministry said in the statement. No inscriptions or works of art have been found on the outside or inside of the sarcophagus so far.
The opening of the sarcophagus creates a series of new mysteries for Egyptologists to tackle: Who were these three people? When exactly did they live? What killed them? Why were they buried in such a giant sarcophagus? What were they buried with (if anything)? And how did so much liquid sewage get into the sarcophagus?
The 26th Dynasty Sarcophagus at Benha University Hospital
A new discovery has emerged from the Nile Delta: a 26th Dynasty sarcophagus, unearthed during the construction of a new building at Benha University Hospital. Saved from potential damage by a rescue excavation from the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), this historical treasure is now on its way to the Qalyubia archaeological site for thorough restoration.
The 26th Dynasty, spanning from 664 to 525 BC, is considered a period of cultural and economic revival in ancient Egypt. This sarcophagus offers a glimpse into the burial practices and craftsmanship of the time.
Mr. Mohamed El Saiedy, Director of the Scientific Office of the Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, pointed out that the coffin is made of quartzite stone and dates back to the reign of King Psamtik I. There is an incised engraving on the underside of the coffin's cover depicting the cartouche of King Psamtik I.
Following a meticulous excavation process, the sarcophagus, weighing approximately 62 tons including its lid, is now being transported to the Qalyubia archaeological site.
Summary Table of Sarcophagus Discoveries
| Discovery Site | Approximate Date | Material | Notable Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serapeum of Saqqara | 1400 BC - 30 BC | Granite | Burial complex for Apis bulls, fusion of Egyptian and Hellenistic design |
| Abydos | 1650 BC | Red Quartzite | Associated with the Abydos Dynasty, reused from an earlier tomb |
| Alexandria | Post-332 BC | Black Granite | Contained three skeletons and sewage |
| Benha University Hospital | 664-525 BC | Quartzite | Dates back to the reign of King Psamtik I, engraving of cartouche |
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