3300-year-old Egyptian coffin unearthed in Israel

Image
Press Trust of India Jerusalem
Last Updated : Apr 10 2014 | 4:59 PM IST
Archaeologists have unearthed a 3,300-year-old Egyptian coffin which contains the skeleton of a man buried with a gold Pharaonic seal in Israel.
The coffin, found in the Jezreel Valley in northern Israel during work to install a gas pipeline, was part of a burial site dating back to the 13th century BC.
The 3,300-year-old cylindrical clay sarcophagus featured a rare anthropoidal lid - a cover in the shape of a person.
It was surrounded by "a variety of pottery consisting mainly of storage vessels for food, tableware, cultic vessels and animal bones," according to a statement by Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA).
The coffin showed an impression of a man's face in the Egyptian style, with stylised hair, ears and hands crossed over the chest and contained the skeleton of an adult male buried with a bronze dagger, a bronze drinking bowl, pottery and hammered pieces of bronze, 'Discovery News' reported.
"Since the vessels interred with the individual were produced locally, we assume the deceased was an official of Canaanite origin who was engaged in the service of the Egyptian government," researchers said.
Another, less likely possibility is that the coffin belonged to a wealthy local individual who imitated Egyptian funerary customs.
Next to the skeleton, archaeologists found an Egyptian scarab seal encased in gold and affixed to a ring which bore the name of Seti I, the Pharaoh who conquered the region in the 13th century BC.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Apr 10 2014 | 4:59 PM IST

Next Story