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Archaeologists Found A Massive Black Coffin In Egypt, And The Internet Is Freaking Out
Referred to around the world as the ‘cradle of civilization’, Egypt has been a literal crypt of historical secrets. The newest discovery from beneath the cradle came in the form of a massive sarcophagus, constructed from black granite. Local authorities, in the Sidi Gaber district of Alexandria, came across the tomb during a routine archeological dig for a new building construction site. Measured at 72.8 inches by 104.3 inches by 65 inches, the coffin is the largest one ever to be unearthed in the city.
What makes this ancient treasure even more extraordinary is that it has not been opened in 2,000 years, according to Smithsonian Magazine. Looters have managed to scour through multiple tombs over the centuries, but this large burial case has remained sealed with mortar. Found 16 feet below ground, the tomb is thought to date back to the Ptolemaic period (around 305 to 30 B.C). A worn down alabaster bust was found near the sarcophagus, possibly of the man inside the tomb, but the body’s identity is still unknown. We can only hope if/or when they do open the case it doesn’t unlock any Mummy style curses.
Alexandra has been neglected by archeologist for decades, due to the congestion of the metro city, home to 5 million inhabitants. But with the clear historical value the city has presented, more efforts have been placed into ‘urban archeology.’ Scroll down below for photos, videos and people’s reactions!
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A massive sarcophagus made of black granite has been discovered in Egypt
It has not been opened in 2,000 years and nobody knows what’s inside
The tomb was found 16 feet below the ground in Sidi Gaber, Alexandria when an excavation team was inspecting the land for new building plans
The sarcophagus is about 8.6 feet long and more than 5 feet wide, the largest ever excavated in the city
An alabaster head was also found near the sarcophagus and is believed to be a depiction of the owner of the tomb
Watch the video below to learn more
Here’s what people had to say about opening the tomb
What do you think?
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What do you think ?
Rich Auntie Skeleton 7 years ago
I'm guessing a dead body. I mean it's not too much of a stretch.
frank0ys 7 years ago
...We have technologies available to scan what's inside without opening it.
Quinn Alexander 7 years ago
The sacredness of thousand-year graves is as archaic a practice as marriage. You are literally breathing, eating, and excreting atoms that used to be people as you read this. A body is just Calcium and Carbon and nothing more, dead matter as rocks and trees shaped in a certain way by the forces of nature, a material possession. There's nothing wrong with examining the temporary, empty vessel of someone long since departed, and perhaps learning something from the past that could save the future, but everything wrong with putting abstract value before progress. Care must be taken, of course, we have the technology to leave things undisturbed, and that must be taken into account, to study without leaving footprint, as one may upon ancient architecture, and respect is due to cultures if they still exist. But to leave it untouched is as criminal as to destroy it. It's art without audience.
Quinn Alexander 7 years ago
To decry the art of archeology for disturbing graves long having lost meaning is an affront to science, and the march of the anti-science movement at work, discrediting the realm of knowledge and truth for the sake of belief. Attributing archeology to grave robbery is as pinning chemistry as witchcraft, what one doesn't understand as the pursuit of knowledge being demonized as heinous. True science is ethical but it is also amoral, a neutral party far beyond the fleeting traditions of a culture of what to stars are as ephemeral mayflies living out their lives in the length of a day (q. Carl Sagan), and as vastly divorced from the abstract meaning we attribute to things as law should be from the realm of religion. Deny mankind to opportunity to learn and you deny it the opportunity to advance.
Load More Replies...
Rose Cooke 7 years ago
Judging by the tone of most of the comments this is not the right place for serious discussion of archaelogical finds. Better stick to the purely pretty and inane and leave serious topics to scientific sites.
Gerry Higgins 7 years ago
The guy narrating the video had a nice voice, or maybe it was his 'pharaohmones'
Dio Brando 7 years ago
You thought this sarcophagus contained an ancient curse, but it was I, Dio!
Jaded Queen 7 years ago
Open it, open it, I am craving a little destruction. What fun is anticipation!, Without it's termination. Shrouded in mystery, in a cryptic way Is not a way to go Let there be light, a little sunshine and rain Even if it means a little game Of fire and ice and hurricane...
Mark Erwin 7 years ago
I remember that question from a recent post I guess, "How long does someone have to be dead before it is considered archaeology and not grave-digging?"
Rose Cooke 7 years ago
Judging by most of the comments here this is not the right place for serious discussion of archaelogical discoveries. Better stick to the purely pretty and inane and leave the serious topics to scientific forums.
MadamButterfly 7 years ago
Lol,i sat on the edge of one of these huge stone coffins in the cairo museum,the treasures there are unbelievably amazing,The new GEM museum is open now and even better,You have to see it to believe it,absolutely stunning,i own an apartment in Cairo and will go back in November.
Load More Replies...
Kingfrey Musaka 7 years ago
Vampires. That sounds exactly like what people will do to my coffin 2000 years after I dies
Aunt Messy 7 years ago
Why shouldn't they open it? It's a late coffin and undecorated, so probably either a low ranking functionary or a merchant. Given that there's no evidence of a temple and the fact that it wasn't an elaborate burial, there probably isn't a whole lot to learn from it. ///. They don't know if there's a sarcophagus inside or not, but I'm quite certain they'll put the whole thing through various imaging technology long before they open it. /// It's main value would be in the level of preservation inside. There may be information about the general condition of people in the area at the time.
Load More Replies...
Vinniegret 7 years ago
I don't think we should be disturbing these resting places. How would you feel if this was your grandfather?
Rose the Cook 7 years ago
Not one giant but actually three men. Father and sons, brothers, heroes of a particular battle, who knows?
Neal Evans 7 years ago
I showed this article to some work colleagues, my partner , a few friends and a smattering of family members and not one of them freaked out. In fact I'll go further and say they were at best mildly interested .
Stannous Flouride 7 years ago
At least twice before archeologists have come across sealed spaces (ones tested in 1985 & 1987 had pharaoh Khufu's boats inside) that they believed had not been opened and they developed very complicated drilling systems for sampling the air without contaminating it with modern air. The idea was to be able to measure environmental changes over the centuries. Neither found anything remarkable. It is believed that the outgassing of organic materials had displaced the original air with carbon dioxide. The air contained no bacterial contamination but that may have been because the samples were taken from the upper regions of the space and those would have settled. There are no pressing scientific reasons for opening it and it is the trend to leave archeological discoveries intact for future examinations that may be non-destructive.
Helen Cole 7 years ago
Alexander the Great. Wasn't he moved several times once religious preferences in that area changed?
Kenny Kulbiski 7 years ago
I'd be overcome with curiosity and open it. Of course if I had access to a minion I'd make him do it and report back to me. Via cellphone.
Carmen Elena 7 years ago
I don´t think Brendan Fraser is available to fight another mummy right now... please let the thing alone.
RaroaRaroa 7 years ago
It can't be buried there all alone surely? I would think they'd find much more if they keep digging around.
Coffee & Cake 7 years ago
Not sure which I want more - this to be an incredible historical relic, or a promotional stunt for the next Mummy movie. *biting nails*
Michael John Aragon 7 years ago
Maybe in 2,000 years... the new generation will gladly want to dig up the graves of these archaelogists :P
Jace 7 years ago
In 2000 years, too much f*****g surface area of the earth will be covered in cemeteries.
Load More Replies...
Kiahna 7 years ago
I think this tomb is a little too old for Jimmy Hoffa! But keep guessing! ;)
Load More Replies...
Rich Auntie Skeleton 7 years ago
I'm guessing a dead body. I mean it's not too much of a stretch.
frank0ys 7 years ago
...We have technologies available to scan what's inside without opening it.
Quinn Alexander 7 years ago
The sacredness of thousand-year graves is as archaic a practice as marriage. You are literally breathing, eating, and excreting atoms that used to be people as you read this. A body is just Calcium and Carbon and nothing more, dead matter as rocks and trees shaped in a certain way by the forces of nature, a material possession. There's nothing wrong with examining the temporary, empty vessel of someone long since departed, and perhaps learning something from the past that could save the future, but everything wrong with putting abstract value before progress. Care must be taken, of course, we have the technology to leave things undisturbed, and that must be taken into account, to study without leaving footprint, as one may upon ancient architecture, and respect is due to cultures if they still exist. But to leave it untouched is as criminal as to destroy it. It's art without audience.
Quinn Alexander 7 years ago
To decry the art of archeology for disturbing graves long having lost meaning is an affront to science, and the march of the anti-science movement at work, discrediting the realm of knowledge and truth for the sake of belief. Attributing archeology to grave robbery is as pinning chemistry as witchcraft, what one doesn't understand as the pursuit of knowledge being demonized as heinous. True science is ethical but it is also amoral, a neutral party far beyond the fleeting traditions of a culture of what to stars are as ephemeral mayflies living out their lives in the length of a day (q. Carl Sagan), and as vastly divorced from the abstract meaning we attribute to things as law should be from the realm of religion. Deny mankind to opportunity to learn and you deny it the opportunity to advance.
Load More Replies... Rose Cooke 7 years ago
Judging by the tone of most of the comments this is not the right place for serious discussion of archaelogical finds. Better stick to the purely pretty and inane and leave serious topics to scientific sites.
Gerry Higgins 7 years ago
The guy narrating the video had a nice voice, or maybe it was his 'pharaohmones'
Dio Brando 7 years ago
You thought this sarcophagus contained an ancient curse, but it was I, Dio!
Jaded Queen 7 years ago
Open it, open it, I am craving a little destruction. What fun is anticipation!, Without it's termination. Shrouded in mystery, in a cryptic way Is not a way to go Let there be light, a little sunshine and rain Even if it means a little game Of fire and ice and hurricane...
Mark Erwin 7 years ago
I remember that question from a recent post I guess, "How long does someone have to be dead before it is considered archaeology and not grave-digging?"
Rose Cooke 7 years ago
Judging by most of the comments here this is not the right place for serious discussion of archaelogical discoveries. Better stick to the purely pretty and inane and leave the serious topics to scientific forums.
MadamButterfly 7 years ago
Lol,i sat on the edge of one of these huge stone coffins in the cairo museum,the treasures there are unbelievably amazing,The new GEM museum is open now and even better,You have to see it to believe it,absolutely stunning,i own an apartment in Cairo and will go back in November.
Load More Replies... Kingfrey Musaka 7 years ago
Vampires. That sounds exactly like what people will do to my coffin 2000 years after I dies
Aunt Messy 7 years ago
Why shouldn't they open it? It's a late coffin and undecorated, so probably either a low ranking functionary or a merchant. Given that there's no evidence of a temple and the fact that it wasn't an elaborate burial, there probably isn't a whole lot to learn from it. ///. They don't know if there's a sarcophagus inside or not, but I'm quite certain they'll put the whole thing through various imaging technology long before they open it. /// It's main value would be in the level of preservation inside. There may be information about the general condition of people in the area at the time.
Load More Replies... Vinniegret 7 years ago
I don't think we should be disturbing these resting places. How would you feel if this was your grandfather?
Rose the Cook 7 years ago
Not one giant but actually three men. Father and sons, brothers, heroes of a particular battle, who knows?
Neal Evans 7 years ago
I showed this article to some work colleagues, my partner , a few friends and a smattering of family members and not one of them freaked out. In fact I'll go further and say they were at best mildly interested .
Stannous Flouride 7 years ago
At least twice before archeologists have come across sealed spaces (ones tested in 1985 & 1987 had pharaoh Khufu's boats inside) that they believed had not been opened and they developed very complicated drilling systems for sampling the air without contaminating it with modern air. The idea was to be able to measure environmental changes over the centuries. Neither found anything remarkable. It is believed that the outgassing of organic materials had displaced the original air with carbon dioxide. The air contained no bacterial contamination but that may have been because the samples were taken from the upper regions of the space and those would have settled. There are no pressing scientific reasons for opening it and it is the trend to leave archeological discoveries intact for future examinations that may be non-destructive.
Helen Cole 7 years ago
Alexander the Great. Wasn't he moved several times once religious preferences in that area changed?
Kenny Kulbiski 7 years ago
I'd be overcome with curiosity and open it. Of course if I had access to a minion I'd make him do it and report back to me. Via cellphone.
Carmen Elena 7 years ago
I don´t think Brendan Fraser is available to fight another mummy right now... please let the thing alone.
RaroaRaroa 7 years ago
It can't be buried there all alone surely? I would think they'd find much more if they keep digging around.
Coffee & Cake 7 years ago
Not sure which I want more - this to be an incredible historical relic, or a promotional stunt for the next Mummy movie. *biting nails*
Michael John Aragon 7 years ago
Maybe in 2,000 years... the new generation will gladly want to dig up the graves of these archaelogists :P
Jace 7 years ago
In 2000 years, too much f*****g surface area of the earth will be covered in cemeteries.
Load More Replies... Kiahna 7 years ago
I think this tomb is a little too old for Jimmy Hoffa! But keep guessing! ;)
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