When you buy through links on our site , we may earn an affiliate committee . Here ’s how it works .
Archaeologists in Egypt have happen upon a 3,500 - year - old cemetery that contains a " Book of the Dead " Cyperus papyrus .
The cemetery , at Tuna al - Gebel in fundamental Egypt , dates back to the New Kingdom ( circa 1550 to 1070 B.C. ) and take mamma , sarcophagus , amulets and numerous " shabti " ( also called ushabti ) figurine that were meant to attend to the deceased in the afterlife , concord to an Arabicstatementfrom the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities . The " Book of the Dead " papyrus find in the cemetery is about 43 to 49 substructure ( 13 to 15 meters ) long . Archaeologists from the ministry have been excavating the site since 2017 and find oneself the cemetery of late .
Archaeologists recently discovered a 3,500-year-old cemetery, including the remains of this mummy within its coffin.
The " Book of the Dead " is a modern - day name give to a change of text that served a identification number of purposes , including helping the dead voyage the Hades . The name the ancient Egyptians give these texts is sometimes translated as the " Book of come Forth by Day . " Copies of " Book of the Dead " excerpts were sometimes inter with the at peace .
The instruction contained little information on the newly constitute written matter of the " Book of the Dead . " It is not clear which precise texts it contains or with whom it was swallow up . No photograph of the " Book of the Dead " paper plant were released , and members of the team that discovered it did not respond to request for comment .
Related : See exposure of stunningly preserved 52 - foot - long Book of the Dead Egyptian paper reed from ancient Egypt
One of the coffins found in the newly discovered cemetery.
Scholars who were not demand with the digging say the uncovering could be important . It is " very rare " to determine a copy of the " Book of the Dead " in the grave where it was originally buried , Foy Scalf , an Egyptologist and brain of enquiry archives at The University of Chicago , told Live Science in an email . " Without photograph , it is hard to say more , and it is wonted to waitress for some physical body of official publication to form solid assessments . "
Lara Weiss , CEO of the Roemer and Pelizaeus Museum in Germany , who has studied the " Book of the Dead " extensively , told Live Science in an email that " if it ’s that long and well - preserve [ then it ’s ] certainly a great and interesting find . "
— Ancient New Year ’s scene from Egypt uncovered on roof of 2,200 - yr - erstwhile synagogue
These newly found canopic jars held organs of the deceased.(Image credit: Courtesy of the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities)
— Egypt had an unusually powerful ' female king ' 5,000 days ago , lavish grave suggest
— See gorgeous ancient Egyptian ' mummy portraits ' from nearly 2 millenary ago
The archaeologist at the newfound cemetery unearthed a number of coffins and mummies , include the girl of Djehuty , a high non-Christian priest of the god Amun who lived more than 3,500 twelvemonth ago , according to the statement . Another coffin appear to belong to a cleaning woman who was a Isaac Bashevis Singer in the synagogue of Amun , a immortal associated with the sun and the ancient urban center of Thebes ( forward-looking - day Luxor ) .
Shabti (also called Ushabti) figurines were buried with the deceased and were intended to serve them in the afterlife.(Image credit: Courtesy of the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities)
The cemetery also contained many canopic jolt that would have held the organs of the deceased , the statement said . Remains of rock sarcophagi , which held the wooden coffins of the asleep , were also set up .
Excavations and analysis of the corpse are ongoing .
A sculpture depicting Anubis, a god associated with funerary events and the underworld. It is one of the discoveries made in the newly found cemetery.(Image credit: Courtesy of the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities)
A coffin is opened at a press conference, revealing a mummy.(Image credit: Courtesy of the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities)
