The archaeologists were surprised when they have unearthed the giant black sarcophagus in the Egyptian city of Alexandria, Sky News reported. Despite its 2,000-year-age, the tomb is nearer to the modern day than another found in February belonging to a high-ranking priestess who is believed to have lived 4,400 years ago.
The Egyptologists have no idea who is buried inside the mysterious big gothic-looking coffin. The sarcophagus is a really big thing, which stands at 185cm tall, 265cm long, and 165 cm wide. The curious discovery of black granite was dug up in a dig in the north of Egypt and is the biggest ever to be found in Alexandria.
The most unusual thing in that sarcophagus is it buried alongside a white, alabaster, stone head – thought to be the occupant of the sarcophagus. In February, archaeologists discovered a necropolis containing 40 stone coffins, small statues and a necklace with an inscription “Happy New Year”.
The discovery in Alexandria has stunned the archaeologists who stumbled on the ancient find while clearing the site for a new building. Made of black granite, the sarcophagus was found five metres beneath the surface of the land beneath a layer of mortar.
According to Dr Ayman Ashmawy, the thick mortar between the sarcophagus and the surface indicates it had not been opened since it was closed around 35 BCE. Archaeologists will now attempt to find out what is inside of the mysterious coffin without damaging it.
