LUXOR, June 28: Archaeologists on Wednesday fully unveiled the first tomb discovered in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings in over 80 years, and cracked open the last of seven sarcophagi inside to reveal embalming materials and jewellery.
“This is even better than finding a mummy _ it’s a treasure,” said chief curator Nadia Loma, beaming at the sarcophagus packed with fragile remains that would crumble into dust if touched.
“It will tell us about the religious plants and herbs used by ancient Egyptians, what they wore, how they wove it, how they embalmed the dead,” she said.
Dug deep into the white rock, the tomb is known only by the acronym KV63 _ the 63rd tomb found in the Valley _ and was discovered accidentally last year by US archaeologists working on the neighbouring tomb of Amenmeses, a late 19th Dynasty pharaoh.
It is believed to be more than 3,000 years old.
Scientists cut a hole in the tomb’s door and got their first glimpse into the 2.5 metre by 4.5 metre tomb in February. But Wednesday was the first time researchers and media were free to walk into the small square pit.
Dozens of researchers and media excitedly crammed into the site on Wednesday to watch officials crack open the last of seven sarcophagi found inside. Instead of the expected mummy, the coffin revealed embalming materials, dozens of necklaces made from woven flowers and various other religious artefacts.
Covered in resin cast to their owner’s faces, all seven coffins were empty of bodies. Instead of mummies, they were found to contain mostly pottery shards. One small sarcophagus, made for a baby, contained pillows that appeared to be stuffed with feathers.–AP
