In a newly discovered 100-foot burial shaft were a silver mask, a handful of mummies, some wooden coffins, and a number of sarcophagi. The people who built the shaft also carved a pair of burial chambers into the bedrock that lined the hallways.

More importantly to the further understanding of embalming, the archaeologists found an embalming cachette full of stone statues, jars, and vessels, all of which, they say, will further the understanding of the kinds of oils that the Egyptians used in their embalming process. Estimates are that the artifacts found are more than 2,500 years old.

Many of the artifacts will be on display in the Grand Egyptian Museum, which is due to open in late 2018.

Archaeologists, some of whom were from the University of Tübingen, found the burial shaft near the Unas pyramid, which was last excavated in 1900. The necropolis at Saqqara is now a UNESCO World Heritage site but was Memphis, the first ancient Egyptian capital. Nearby are three pyramids of Giza and many temples and tombs.