A petition to let people drink from a red liquid found inside a 2,000-year-old Egyptian sarcophagus has received thousands of signatures.

Speculations about the large black granite sarcophagus quickly started after its opening in the coastal city of Alexandria earlier this month.

Yet Egypt's Antiquities Ministry says the liquid is neither 'juice for mummies that contains an elixir of life' nor is it red mercury but only sewage water.

A petition to let people drink from a red liquid found inside a 2,000-year-old Egyptian sarcophagus has received thousands of signatures

It also says the find doesn't belong to any ancient rulers and the remains are undergoing restorations to reveal more.

The tongue-in-cheek petition was created last week and now has over 11,000 signatures.

Some suggest it belongs to the ancient Greek ruler, Alexander the Great.

Others warned of 'the curse' opening it would unleash. These reports were dismissed by the ministry.

Egypt's Antiquities Ministry says the liquid is neither 'juice for mummies that contains an elixir of life' nor is it red mercury but only sewage water

Egyptologists pried open the 30-ton (27,000 kg) sarcophagus to reveal three decomposed bodies

The petition encouraged people that they needed to 'drink the red liquid from the cursed dark sarcophagus' in order to 'assume its powers'.

People were quick to comment, with one writing: 'We deserve the power of the Egyptian elite.'

Others said: 'Who knows what divine powers this juice possesses' and 'the red liquid will unlock unlimited power'.

The mysterious ten foot (three-metre) long, 6.5ft (two metre) high coffin was found buried 16ft (five metres) beneath the ground of the city.

Egyptologists pried open the 30-ton (27,000 kg) sarcophagus to reveal three decomposed bodies.

The mysterious ten foot (three-metre) long, 6.5ft (two metre) high coffin was found buried 16ft (five metres) beneath the ground of the city

None of the three mummies belong to a Ptolemaic or Roman royal family, as previously suggested.

This conclusion is based on the coffins bearing no inscriptions or a cartouche displaying the occupant's names

The lack of silver or gold metallic masks, statues, amulets or inscriptions also suggests they were not of high status.

The three mummies will now be moved to the Alexandria National Museum, while the coffin will be transferred to a military museum.