Secrets of Luxor: hidden chamber with mummies discovered
On the west bank of Luxor, archaeologists have discovered a rock-hewn chamber containing 22 painted wooden coffins dating from the 21st to 25th dynasties of Ancient Egypt. Inside, eight rare papyri with intact seals were also found. Researchers are studying the titles on the coffins and restoring the finds.
On the west bank of Luxor, Egyptian archaeologists led by renowned Egyptologist Zahi Hawass discovered a rock-hewn chamber that served for centuries as a repository for funerary artifacts. The rectangular rock room contained 22 painted wooden coffins dating from the Third Intermediate Period (21st–25th dynasties). Ancient burial organizers separated the lids from the boxes and stacked them in rows across 10 horizontal levels, indicating a well-planned storage system. Scholars suggest the chamber may not have been the original burial site but rather a kind of archive where remains were moved from other tombs. The coffin lids preserve religious and professional titles, such as "Singer of Amun," but personal names are absent. The most intriguing discovery was eight rare papyri found inside a ceramic vessel, some still bound with original clay seals. The contents of the papyri have not yet been disclosed; they are undergoing urgent restoration. The wooden artifacts and painted plaster have suffered greatly from time, and a team of restorers is working on site.