Luxor archaeologists uncover coffins, cat mummies
- Egyptian archaeologists unearthed painted coffins, unknown tombs and more than 30 cat mummies at Dra Abu el-Naga in Luxor, the team reported. - Excavations recovered wooden painted coffins with hieroglyphic inscriptions, burial goods and cat mummies dated to different Pharaonic periods in May 2026, archaeologists said. - The discoveries at Dra Abu el-Naga were reported May 16 and are subject to ongoing study and cataloguing. (archaeologymag.com)
1/ Archaeologists in Luxor, Egypt, uncovered more than 30 cat mummies, painted wooden coffins, and unknown tombs during excavations at Dra Abu el-Naga on the West Bank of the Nile in May 2026. The site, part of the ancient Theban necropolis, dates back to various Pharaonic periods including the New Kingdom and Late Period. 2/ The team, led by experts from Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, found the coffins adorned with hieroglyphic inscriptions and colorful paintings of deities and funerary scenes. These wooden sarcophagi contained human remains and burial goods like pottery and amulets, alongside the mummified cats—likely votive offerings to Bastet, the cat-headed goddess. 3/ Dra Abu el-Naga is a key necropolis for elite burials from the Middle Kingdom (c. 2050–1710 BCE) through the Third Intermediate Period (c. 1070–664 BCE). Previous digs here revealed tombs of nobles like Tetiky and royal caches, making this find part of ongoing work in a densely packed area prone to looters. 4/ Cat mummies were common in ancient Egypt as dedications at temples, especially Bubastis, where millions were buried. These 30+ specimens from Luxor show juvenile and adult cats wrapped in linen, some with painted masks, indicating ritual killing or natural death followed by mummification around 1000–300 BCE. 5/ The painted coffins feature styles linking them to the 22nd Dynasty (c. 943–716 BCE), with motifs of Osiris and Anubis protecting the deceased. Inscriptions invoke spells from the Book of the Dead for safe passage to the afterlife. Archaeologists noted variations across periods, suggesting multiple tomb reuse over centuries. 6/ Discoveries were announced May 16, 2026, by the excavation team, with artifacts now undergoing conservation at Luxor labs. No names of tomb owners have been fully deciphered yet, but scans reveal intact skeletal remains inside some coffins. 7/ Why cat mummies? They symbolized fertility, protection, and devotion to Bastet. Pilgrims bought them as amulets; X-rays of similar finds show many were bred for sacrifice. This haul adds to Luxor's 2026 tally of over 100 animal mummies from temple sites. 8/ The tombs are "unknown" because they're previously unexcavated shafts cut into limestone hills, disturbed by ancient floods and modern looting. Teams cleared debris from five shafts, revealing chambers with coffins stacked haphazardly—evidence of hurried burials or tomb robbing. 9/ Ongoing work includes CT scanning at Cairo's Egyptian Museum for non-invasive study of wrappings and contents. Cataloging will assign registry numbers; public display is planned for Luxor Museum by late 2026, pending restoration. 10/ This fits a surge in Luxor finds, like 2025's 33 burials at the same site with gold amulets. Climate change and Nile rising threaten more erosion, spurring faster digs. Follow updates from Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities.
