27 sarcophagi that were buried 2,500 years ago have been discovered in Egypt in what is believed to be the largest find of its kind.
Archaeologists working at the ancient Saqqara necropolis near Cairo uncovered the incredible collection.
Initially only 13 sarcophagi were found earlier this month, but further efforts have uncovered an extra 14, the BBC reports.
In a statement on Saturday, Egypt's Antiquity Ministry said: 'Initial studies indicate that these coffins are completely closed and haven't been opened since they were buried.'
The find is believed to be the largest of its kind ever and the ministry's statement said that they hoped to reveal 'more secrets' about the discovery soon.
Alongside the wooden sarcophagi, smaller statues and artefacts were also discovered by the archaeological team.
Although having been discovered earlier, the ministry delayed announcing the news until Antiquities Minister Khaled al-Anani could visit the dig site himself to inspect the sarcophagi.
The Saqqara necropolis is found south of Cairo and is part of the ancient capital city of Memphis, a Unesco World Heritage site.
It is also the site of the colossal rectangular-based step Pyramid of Djoser.
The sarcophagi were discovered by a team digging 36ft down and work continues to be carried out to try and work out the exact history of the sarcophagi.
Egypt uses archaeological discoveries as a means to promote tourism, a sector which has been directly affected by travel restrictions put in place in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
This article has been adapted from its original source.
