http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/07/02/10/10103261.html
Published: 10/02/2007 12:00 AM (UAE)
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Zahi Hawass, head of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities.
Three ancient Egyptian sarcophagi unearthed
Gulfnews: Three ancient Egyptian sarcophagi unearthed
Cairo: Three ancient sarcophagi have been found south of Cairo, Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities said in a statement on Saturday.
The three Egyptian coffins were found "in a very well preserved condition inside three burial shafts" at a site south of the Saqqara pyramids.
Dr. Zahi Hawass, Secretary General of the council, said that the first sarcophagus dates back to Egypt's 1500 BC-1000 BC New Kingdom and is a black anthropoid.
It carries paintings portraying the four sons of the falcon-headed god Horus and its inscription says it to belongs to a person called "Waya-ly."
Anthropoid or person-shaped coffins were particularly important to Ancient Egyptians, who believed them to act as a substitute body for use after death.
The second and the third sarcophagi date back to the Middle Kingdom, 4,000 years ago, and are decorated with black pieces of glass.
more links here:
http://www.casa.ucl.ac.uk/digital_egypt/hawara/description.html
Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology
"Non-royal tombs of MK at Hawara
"The Middle Kingdom tombs north of the pyramid at Hawara have suffered the same near-total destruction as the Labyrinth itself. Petrie produced a plan of several rectangular buildings in this area, remains of tomb superstructures alongside burial shaft openings. The closest parallel in time and layout would be the tombs north of the pyramid of Senusret III at Dahshur. These allow us to sketch a speculative reconstruction of the Hawara Middle Kingdom tombs. One of the smallest but best-recorded tombs in this northern area is that of a woman named Satrenenutet. The surviving finds from her tomb are preserved in the Petrie Museum, and the notebook and publication permit a reconstruction of the original appearance."
