Ptolemaic Granite Sarcophagus Found In Alexandria, Egypt

AncientPages.com - A granite sarcophagus and a marble bust were found in a tomb during excavation work on private land in Sidi Gaber, Alexandria, reports Ahram Online.

The black sarcophagus was unearthed 16 feet (5 meters) underground at the site and is still sealed, said Mostafa Waziri, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities.

According to Egyptian law, any land that is to undergo construction must be archaeologically excavated and inspected by a mission from the Ministry of Antiquities before building foundations are laid down..

Experts have not yet determined to whom the tomb belongs.

“The sarcophagus has been sealed since it was created in antiquity,” Waziri told Ahram Online, adding that the coffin is 185 cm tall, 265 m long and 165 cm wide.

A heavily deteriorated marble bust a man, who may be the tomb's owner, was also discovered inside the tomb.

The sarcophagus dates back to the Ptolemaic period 2,000 years ago.

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