A collection of 180 ancient Egyptian ushabti figurines and a limestone sarcophagus have been found in a mastaba tomb in Egypt's Dakahliya.

During routine excavation work at Tel Tabla archaeological site in the Delta city of Dakahliya, an Egyptian archaeological mission discovered a mud brick mastaba tomb from the Late Ancient Egyptian period. The tomb consists of a number of burial shafts.

Minister of State for Antiquities Mohamed Ibrahim said that inside one of the burial shafts, excavators uncovered a limestone anthropoid sarcophagus of a lady called Werty, the daughter of Rtrs. Beside the sarcophagus, added Ibrahim, a large collection of 180 ushabti figurines carved in wood and limestone was unearthed.

Aly El-Asfar, head of the Ancient Egypt section at the Ministry of State for Antiquities told Ahram Online that the newly discovered sarcophagus is 1.77 metres tall and 70 centimetres wide. Inside it lays Werty's mummy in a very preserved condition.

The sarcophagus lid, explained El-Asfar, features Werty's figure in the Osirian position. Ancient Egyptian prayers are also carved on the lid.

El-Asfar pointed out that the ushabti figurines were transferred to the archaeological site's lab for restoration while excavators are busy digging for more funerary objects.

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