The sarcophagus with its millennia-old mummy was discovered in the southern Egyptian city of Luxor by a team of Spanish archaeologists, writes the British Independent.
The tomb was uncovered on the western bank of the Nile river, 435 mi (700 km) south of the Egyptian capital of Cairo. The remains date from between 1075-664 BC, meaning they're at least 2600 years old.
The entire sarcophagus was decorated with bright colors, while the archaeological team adds that they've also found a temple from the era of pharaoh Thutmose III near the burial site.
The Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities adds that the mummy is likely of a nobleman named Amenrenef, who was appointed to the pharaoh's court.
Not far from this new find also lies the tomb of the quartermaster serving under Queen Hatshepsut.
Considering the location of the tomb, archaeological team leader Myriam Seco Álvarez states that she agrees with the Egyptian authorities' hypothesis.
The colorful decorations remind of the religious symbols that were so characteristic of Ancient Egypt. Among these are depictions of the goddesses Isis, Nephthys, as well as 4 of the sons of the god Horus.
Drawn on the front part of the sarcophagus is a human face, feathers and writings that praise the deceased. The feathers symbolize the goddess of justice, Maat, while the writings describe the dead's journey into the afterlife.
Luxor is a city of about 500 000 and known for its temples and tombs, built in the time of the pharaohs. The discoveries there have revealed the majority of what we know today about the ancient practice of mummification.
The Spanish team of archaeologists is in its 13th year of active work in Luxor. Besides this latest mummy, in 2013 they came upon a wooden sarcophagus containing the body of a 5-year-old boy from the 17th Dynasty of Egypt.
