"A sarcophagus with this kind of weight and a lid that heavy is made for one reason - to keep whatever spirit in there from ever getting out," a person wrote on Egypt's Ministry of Antiquities (MOA) Facebook page. The trepidation stems from what's known as the 'Curse of the pharaohs'. The most notable is perhaps that attributed to King Tutankhamun - a number of people involved in the excavation of his tomb in 1922 died early deaths in the following decade. MOA says the 20-tonne sarcophagus will be opened in the next couple of days. If the world survives, what happens next will depend on what's inside. "If nothing was found inside the sarcophagus and we did not find any inscriptions on the coffin's body, we will keep it in place until it can be lifted later," MOA spokesman Waad Allah Abu al-Ela told Egypt Independent. It's the largest ancient coffin ever found in the region. One expert told National Geographic its size suggests it contains the remains of someone very important. Another said as it was pretty close to the surface it's likely to date to the Ptolemaic period, which ran from 305BC to 30BC. This post-dates the reign of Alexander the Great, but it's possible the sarcophagus was carried from an earlier resting place to where it was uncovered, two millennia later. But many on social media are hoping for someone who died much more recently. "They open the mysterious black sarcophagus and inside it's David Bowie, alive and well," wrote Twitter user @iucounu, in a post that's been retweeted thousands of times. "He then sets about repairing the timeline using the occult knowledge he won through trickery in the Underworld."<doc-sep>Egyptian archaeologists have discovered a massive 2,000-year-old sealed tomb and now they want to open it to see what (or who) is inside – much to the horror of easily-spooked tweeters. The black granite sarcophagus was uncovered in a tomb deep beneath the Egyptian city of Alexandria in early July. It’s believed to be the largest sarcophagus ever discovered in Alexandria, at 9ft long, 5ft wide and 6ft deep, says Mostafa Waziri, general secretary of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities. Look, I realize that by saying this I am dooming myself to be among the first victims of whatever ancient beast emerges from it, but I don't buy the idea that there's anything in that sarcophagus other than a very old mummy. OF COURSE they should open it. — Mike Madden (@MikeMadden) July 17, 2018 The sarcophagus discovery, while intriguing, has raised many questions about why a person would require such a large tomb, what artifacts it could be hiding, and what opening the vault could unleash. An all black sarcophagus was discovered in Egypt. It dates back ~2000 years and was found with an alabaster head. Alexander the Great’s body was never found and was rumored to be buried in this area…. I wonder…? pic.twitter.com/uoXwuCp0wR — abdul (@Advil) July 12, 2018 Egypt after opening that mysterious Black Sarcophagus pic.twitter.com/GQfIX2Tn0U — F.A.C. (@ROTLD_2) July 17, 2018 This is probably fine, and definitely not the thing that happens right before the foolhardy archaeologists ignore the ancient prophesy and unleash our doom.https://t.co/PTmcZfkT8H — Robert McNees (@mcnees) July 11, 2018 READ MORE: The mummy returns: Ancient remains found in ‘empty’ coffin stored for 150 years (PHOTOS) Interestingly, the sarcophagus is also covered in a thick layer of mortar, suggesting it has not been opened since the Ptolemaic period to which it dates back – between 305BC and 30BC. That means whatever is inside; a person, jewelry, clothing and anything else, would still be intact. And that was a fact not well received by some very alarmed netizens. They found this black granite sarcophagus in Alexandria and that’s really cool and all but if the movies have taught me anything…guys…don’t open that. Just don’t. Leave it alone. pic.twitter.com/l770a8hT3T — Catherynne Valente (@catvalente) July 12, 2018 If we've learned anything from every Mummy movie of the last 100 years, its that this sarcophagus must not be opened. https://t.co/aLuliTBBlb — Jeet Heer (@HeerJeet) July 11, 2018 They open the mysterious black sarcophagus and inside it's David Bowie, alive and well. He then sets about repairing the timeline using the occult knowledge he won through trickery in the Underworld — iucounu (@iucounu) July 11, 2018 Also discovered in the tomb was the alabaster head of a man which some believe may represent the person buried in the coffin. Most ancient tombs discovered in Egypt were looted in one era or another, often leaving archaeologists with a limited understanding of the person inside. This untouched artifact gives the eager team a rare opportunity to uncover the mummy for themselves. Some people suggested the sarcophagus coupled with the recent discovery of a Neolithic henge in Ireland is either a sign of an impending apocalypse… or a very extravagant marketing scheme for a new Indiana Jones movie. Mexican earthquake reveals new Mayan Temple, drought shows up massive Neolithic henge in Ireland and then there’s the enormous black sarcophagus found in Egypt. It’s either the end of days or a really cunning promotion campaign for the next Indiana Jones movie — Kate Griffin (@KateAGriffin) July 18, 2018 Black sarcophagus in Egypt. Unknown henge surfacing in Ireland. I dunno, you wait around for ages for an apocalypse and then they all turn up at once. — Adrian Bott (@Cavalorn) July 11, 2018 READ MORE: 5,000yo Irish tomb’s winter solstice magic to be livestreamed (VIDEO) Spooky guesses aside, the greatest hurdle might be figuring out how to open the tomb at all. Estimated to weigh some 30 tons, moving the vault will be no easy feat. Experts will have to either surround it with some protective dirt and lift the entire thing with a bulldozer, or open the coffin in situ and remove the lid and base separately, according to Waad Abul-Ela, head of the projects sector at the Ministry of Antiquities. So as not to cause damage to the contents, archaeologists are considering using X-rays, computed tomography scans or other scientific means to get a glimpse of the inside before opening the lid. Like this story? Share it with a friend!<doc-sep>Egyptian archaeologists are preparing to open a huge black sarcophagus unearthed in Alexandria, the city founded by Alexander the Great and where the legendary conqueror himself may be buried. The almost three-metre long by two-metre high sarcophagus was discovered in a long-concealed tomb below the earth during a survey of a plot of land for a building construction. An alabaster bust, its features eroded over the centuries, was found in the tomb. While the tomb likely belonged to a noble man, not a king, its discovery gave hope to experts who believe that the tomb of Alexander might one day be found in modern Alexandria, which is built on top of ancient city he founded. The Egyptian antiquities ministry said the sarcophagus had remained sealed for more than 2,000 years, with an undisturbed layer of mortar between the lid and the body of the massive stone coffin. Without opening the sarcophagus, there are few clues about the identity of the man entombed inside. His bust is worn beyond recognition and the sarcophagus has no writings to indicate its owner. Archaeologists believe, however, that it belonged to a noble or wealthy man of the Ptolemaic Period, between 323 BC and 30 BC, when Rome seized Egypt following the death of Queen Cleopatra.<doc-sep>
Archaeologists are preparing to open a large black granite sarcophagus unearthed in the Egyptian port city of Alexandria. At almost two metres high and three metres in length, the sarcophagus is the largest of its kind to be discovered intact in the ancient city. It was found alongside a large alabaster head believed to represent the inhabitant of the tomb, which had remained untouched for thousands of years. Alabaster head found in ancient Alexandrian tomb. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images The sarcophagus, discovered during construction work, has become a source of excitement for archaeologists because a layer of mortar between the body and the lid indicates its contents have lain undisturbed since it was buried. It is believed to be from the early Ptolemaic period, which began after the death of Alexander the Great in 323BC. “We are hoping this tomb may belong to one of the high dignitaries of the period,” said Ayman Ashmawy, the head of ancient Egyptian artefacts at the Egypt’s ministry of antiquities. “The alabaster head is likely that of a nobleman in Alexandria. When we open the sarcophagus, we hope to find objects inside that are intact, which will help us to identify this person and their position.” But opening it for the first time will require extensive work to be done in advance. “It’s risky to open it directly – we need to prepare,” said Ashmawy, explaining that the sarcophagus would be opened on site. “It’s difficult to move it intact and open [it] in a museum,” he said. “It’s five metres underground and the whole thing weighs over 30 tonnes. The lid alone is 15 tonnes.” In the coming weeks, a team of engineers will visit the site to provide heavy lifting equipment and structural supports to allow archeologists to remove the sarcophagus lid. Once inside, mummification and restoration specialists will be on hand to ensure the contents, exposed for the first time in millennia, are preserved.