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Archaeologists opened an enigmatic black sarcophagus found in Egypt - see photos of the gruesome scenehttps://www.businessinsider.in/miscellaneous/archaeologists-opened-an-enigmatic-black-sarcophagus-found-in-egypt-see-photos-of-the-gruesome-scene/slidelist/65076604.cms2018-07-21T03:05:12+05:30

Archaeologists opened an enigmatic black sarcophagus found in Egypt - see photos of the gruesome scene

Jul 21, 2018, 03:05 IST

The sarcophagus was found in Alexandria, a city in the northern part of Egypt. Alexandria was the capital of Ptolemaic Egypt between 305 to 30 B.C. after Alexander's army conquered the region and deposed the old pharaohs.

Some had protested opening the sarcophagus as there were tabloid reports that an ancient curse would befall any who opened a royal coffin.

While the 30-ton, black sarcophagus looked royal, the skeletons found inside were anything but. Archaeologists say they appear to be soldiers.

When archaeologists first tried to pry open the sarcophagus, they were repelled by a disgusting smell.

That smell turned out not to be an ancient curse, but raw sewage water which had leaked into the sarcophagus.

As for the curse, Mostafa Waziri, an archaeologist and the secretary-general of Egypt's antiquities ministry told assembled reporters: "I was the first to put my whole head inside the sarcophagus... and here I stand before you ... I am fine."

The skulls, one of which showed signs of a fracture, will be sent to the lab so archaeologists can answer questions about who they were and where they came from.

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