Just when you thought ancient Egypt had given up all its secrets, a team near Luxor has pulled a fast one, unearthing a fresh batch of 3,500-year-old coffins and, because why not, a whole lot of mummified cats.
The Supreme Council of Antiquities in Egypt recently announced the discovery at the Abu El-Naga burial ground, a spot that clearly still has a few surprises left up its dusty sleeves.
The Unboxing of Ancient History
The star of the show? Ten beautifully preserved, painted wooden coffins, stashed away in a shaft in the courtyard of what was once Baki's tomb. These aren't just plain boxes; they're covered in vibrant scenes and hieroglyphics that probably tell stories we're still figuring out. Apparently, they were moved during a bit of ancient Egyptian chaos, which, let's be honest, sounds like a very relatable historical period.
We're a new kind of news feed.
Regular news is designed to drain you. We're a non-profit built to restore you. Every story we publish is scored for impact, progress, and hope.
Start Your News DetoxFour of these ornate resting places date back to Egypt's 18th Dynasty (think 1550–1292 BC). One even belonged to a woman named Merit, who was, rather glamorously, a singer for the god Amun. Another, from the later Ramesside period, housed Padi-Amun, a priest in Amun's temple. The rest are from the Late Period, proving that even back then, everyone wanted a good, colorful coffin.
Priests, Scribes, and a Feline Afterlife
But wait, there's more. In the very same courtyard, the team stumbled upon the tomb of A-Shafi-Nakhtu, a purification priest for the Temple of Amun. His tomb entrance is, naturally, decorated with burial scenes and texts, leading to his personal burial chamber. The front even lists his two wives, both of whom shared the rather specific job title of "Singer of the Temple of Amun." Apparently, it was a popular gig.
Other finds include a sandstone statue of a scribe and noble named "Benji" (whose tomb is likely lurking nearby) and, in a delightful turn, the burial site of over 30 mummified cats, neatly wrapped in linen. Because what's an ancient Egyptian discovery without a few well-preserved felines? These fluffy eternals are thought to be from the Ptolemaic Period.
This is the eighth digging season for the team, which kicked off in November 2025 (yes, you read that right — ancient finds from the future!). Abdel-Ghaffar Wagdy, Director General of Luxor Antiquities, noted that these newly discovered tomb owners aren't in any existing records, and their titles are fresh to researchers. Which means we're still piecing together the true organizational chart of ancient Egypt, one mummified cat at a time.
