A week in Egypt appears to mean another discovery of its past, as the Ministry of Antiquities announced the discovery of two new mummies, found floating among the sewage in Upper Egypt, Cairoscene (cairoscene.com) reported.
The mummies, complete with sarcophagi, were found by police on Saturday floating in sewage in a small village near Minya. The mummies were covered with thick layers of linen, with only a few human remains amongst the wrappings. As can be imagined, the recovered mummies were in a sullied condition. According to ministry reports, the sarcophagi had colorful drawings of women, with a depiction of their faces on the lid that were unfortunately severely disintegrated by the sewage.
The ministry believes the mummies date back to the Greco-Roman era due to the way their remains were buried. A press release goes on to explain that the likely reason they ended up in the sewage system is probably due to illegal excavation of the area. Due to the severe restrictions surrounding illegal digging operations, the ministry believes that the culprits fearing detention ditched their uncovered treasure failing to recognize their cultural value.
As it stands, mildly successful efforts are being made to restore both mummies and sarcophagi to their former glory. According to The Head of the Antiquities Sector, once the restoration is complete the sarcophagi will be displayed at the Minya’s Hermopolis Museum.
