Photo: REUTERS / Mohamed Abd El Ghany
Egyptian archaeologists have opened a mysterious 2,000-year-old sarcophagus discovered in the port city of Alexandria earlier this month.
Egyptian archaeologists have opened a mysterious 2,000-year-old sarcophagus discovered in the port city of Alexandria earlier this month.
Photo: REUTERS / Mohamed Abd El Ghany
What the archaeologists found inside the sarcophagus was appalling, but what the archaeologists found inside the sarcophagus was appalling – but it was not the discovery of the Earth that had broken hope.
Photo: REUTERS / Mohamed Abd El Ghany
A photo distributed on July 19, 2018 by the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities shows skeletons in the sarcophagus of black granite discovered earlier this month in the Sidi Gaber district of Alexandria, filled with sewage. Skeletons are considered three warriors because one of the skulls carries a wound resulting from the striking of an arrow. less
A photo distributed on July 19, 2018 by the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities shows skeletons in the sarcophagus of black granite discovered earlier this month in the Sidi Gaber district of Alexandria, filled with … more [19659021] Photo: -, AFP / Getty Images
A photo taken on July 14, 2018 shows a sarcophagus inside a burial chamber, in the Saqqara necropolis, south of the Egyptian capital Cairo on July 14, 2018. The Egyptian minister of Antiques has announced the excavation of a mummification workshop discovered along with a communal burial ground, consisting of several burial chambers. The work is conducted south of the pyramid of King Unas in Saqqara by an Egyptian-German mission.
A photo taken on July 14, 2018 shows a sarcophagus inside a burial chamber, in the Saqqara necropolis, south of the Egyptian capital Cairo on July 14, 2018. The Egyptian minister of … more [19659023] Photo: KHALED DESOUKI, AFP / Getty Images
A photo taken on July 14, 2018 shows a sarcophagus inside a burial chamber, in the Saqqara necropolis, south of the Egyptian capital Cairo on July 14, 2018. The Egyptian minister of Antiques has announced the excavation of a mummification workshop discovered along with a communal burial ground, consisting of several burial chambers. The work is conducted south of the pyramid of King Unas in Saqqara by an Egyptian-German mission.
less
A photo taken on July 14, 2018 shows a sarcophagus inside a burial chamber, in the necropolis of Saqqara, south of the Egyptian capital, on July 14 2018. The Egyptian Minister of Antiquities announced
… more
Photo: KHALED DESOUKI, AFP / Getty Images
A photo taken on July 14, 2018 shows a sarcophagus inside a burial chamber, in the Saqqara necropolis, south of the Egyptian capital Cairo on July 14, 2018. The Egyptian minister of Antiques has announced the excavation of a mummification workshop discovered along with a communal burial ground, consisting of several burial chambers. The work is conducted south of the pyramid of King Unas in Saqqara by an Egyptian-German mission.
A photo taken on July 14, 2018 shows a sarcophagus inside a burial chamber, in the Saqqara necropolis, south of the Egyptian capital Cairo on July 14, 2018. The Egyptian minister of … more [19659023] Photo: KHALED DESOUKI, AFP / Getty Images
A photo taken on July 14, 2018 shows a sarcophagus inside a burial chamber, in the Saqqara necropolis, south of the Egyptian capital Cairo on July 14, 2018. The Egyptian minister of Antiques has announced the excavation of a mummification workshop discovered along with a communal burial ground, consisting of several burial chambers. The work is conducted south of the pyramid of King Unas in Saqqara by an Egyptian-German mission.
less
A photo taken on July 14, 2018 shows a sarcophagus inside a burial chamber, in the necropolis of Saqqara, south of the Egyptian capital, on July 14 2018. The Egyptian Minister of Antiquities announced
… more
Photo: KHALED DESOUKI, AFP / Getty Images
A photo taken on July 14, 2018 shows a sarcophagus inside a burial chamber, in the Saqqara necropolis, south of the Egyptian capital Cairo on July 14, 2018. The Egyptian minister of Antiques has announced the excavation of a mummification workshop discovered along with a communal burial ground, consisting of several burial chambers. The work is conducted south of the pyramid of King Unas in Saqqara by an Egyptian-German mission.
A photo taken on July 14, 2018 shows a sarcophagus inside a burial chamber, in the Saqqara necropolis, south of the Egyptian capital Cairo on July 14, 2018. The Egyptian minister of … more [19659023] Photo: KHALED DESOUKI, AFP / Getty Images
Archaeologists have opened an enigmatic black sarcophagus found in Egypt – see photos of the macabre scene
- Archaeologists in Egypt opened on Thursday a mysterious 2000 year old sarcophagus found earlier this month in the port city of # 39; Alexandria. Although some thought that the sarcophagus might contain royalty – or even Alexander the Great himself – he was found to contain three skeletons
- Their skulls will be further analyzed to understand their cause of death and ultimately Where they come from.
Egyptian archaeologists opened Thursday a mysterious black sarcophagus of 30 tons and found three skeletons, including one who had suffered a blow to the skull.
Legends abounded around the sarcophagus, which the workers found earlier this month. 16 feet underground in a residential area of Alexandria. Some observers thought that it might contain the corpse of Alexander the Great because the sarcophagus dates back to the Ptolemaic period (around 323 BC), which began after his death.
Despite warnings of an ancient curse to those who would open the 2,000-year-old sarcophagus, archaeologists went ahead before Thursday, with the help of Egyptian military engineers.
"The sarcophagus was opened, but we were not struck by a curse," Mostafa Waziri, secretary general of the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities, told Egypt Today, which released updates live from the opening of the sarcophagus.
Waziri added that the sarcophagus was unusual for its size; They are the largest ever discovered in Alexandria
REUTERS / Mohamed Abd El Ghany
What archaeologists found inside the sarcophagus was horrible – but what It was not the discovery some hoped it would be the case
The three skeletons found in the sarcophagus were probably soldiers, according to the Egyptian Antiquities Ministry, and a skull showed signs of fractures caused by a sharp instrument .
Beyond the skeletons, the sarcophagus The skulls will be analyzed further to understand their age, the cause of death and where they come from.
Alexandria was the capital of Ptolemaic Egypt after the conquest of Alexander's army. the region and deposed the old pharaohs. The famous Ptolemaic dynasty ended in Cleopatra's suicide during the Roman conquest of Greece and Egypt around 30 BC
Join the conversation on this story »
Now see what happens when you piss too long
See also:
SEE ALSO: Archaeologists have found the remains of 140 children in a 550-year-old common grave in Peru – perhaps the largest sacrifice of child in the history of humanity