Ancient Egyptian mummy’s sarcophagus to be opened live on TV in a world first

The identity of a mummy inside an ancient Egyptian sarcophagus has been a mystery for millennia. It will now be opened on live TV.

In what’s been hailed as a world first broadcast, a 4000-year-old ancient Egypt sarcophagus will be opened in a live TV event on Monday morning.

The identity of the mummy inside has been a mystery for millennia.

A two-hour special to be broadcast on Discovery Channel will first navigate an underground network of tunnels and chambers where about 40 mummies thought to have been members of ancient Egypt’s noble elite were laid to rest.

The tombs have essentially been forgotten for decades but explorer Josh Gates and his team will prize open the hallowed tomb — which could date back to the first Pharaohs.

Archaeologists at the site recently discovered a network of vertical shafts leading to a network of tunnels and tombs containing 40 mummies “believed to be part of the noble elite”.

The site containing the sarcophagus was discovered in February last year, and the broadcast was reportedly set up in collaboration with Egypt’s antiquities ministry.

Egypt has sought to promote archaeological discoveries across the country in a bid to revive tourism hit by turmoil after the 2011 uprising against Hosni Mubarak.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has overseen a crackdown on dissent, banning protests and jailing Islamists as well as liberal and secular activists.

He regularly evokes political stability to draw foreign investment. The tourism sector has begun to return, with arrivals reaching 8.3 million in 2017, according to government figures.

The ancient sarcophagus could date back to as long as 4000 years ago.

Asked by media about a possible financial deal between the channel and the Egyptian state for permission to film and open the grave, the spokesman for Discovery refused all comment.

“It’s a media spectacle in the end — but it could make people love antiquities and is a good promotional opportunity for tourism, if done right,” an Egyptian archaeologist who asked to remain anonymous told AFP.

She said the broadcasters should not open the tomb without providing solid archaeological context, but “the main problem” is something else.

“If money is being paid by a major channel to the ministry to show antiquities, where is it going to end up?” the archaeologist asked.

“Will it go in the state’s purse-strings or end up elsewhere? We need more transparency on where the money is going.”

Discovery’s broadcast also comes with global interest in Egyptian archaeology generated by a “once in a generation” exhibition about the Pharaoh Tutankhamun, which opened in Paris last month and will tour the world.

— Expedition Unknown: Egypt LIVE airs Monday, April 8 at 10am AEST on Discovery Channel. It will also air a 60 minute encore of the event on Tuesday, April 9 at 9:30pm AEST.