Sealed for 2,500 years, archaeologists open ancient mummy coffin in Egypt

Cairo, Oct 07: In a recent development, archaeologists in Egypt have opened an ancient mummy coffin in front of a live audience. Dozens of people watched and filmed as archaeologists opened the first of 59 sealed sarcophagi found earlier this year in Saqqara, revealing a mummy inside.

Saqqara is a vast, ancient burial ground in Egypt which served as the necropolis of the ancient city of Memphis. Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said in a statement that 59 wooden coffins were discovered inside burial wells in Saqqara's archaeology area.

The wood coffins are in good condition and contain the bodies of Egyptian priests, prestigious members of the community and other senior men.

Recently, one of the coffins was opened for the first time since it was sealed some 2,500 years ago. A video of the unsealing, hosted by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, has now gone viral on social media.

Many on the microblogging platform joked that opening a millenia-old coffin may not be the best course of action in the year 2020.

Watch the video here:

According to the National Geographic, Pop culture and folklore have perpetuated the belief that opening a mummy's tomb leads to death and curses.

"I've always wondered when opening something like this if it could contain viruses or germs that maybe modern humans have no immunity to," one Twitter user wrote. "You couldn't have waited a couple more months? This ain't the year," another said.