Archaeologists in Egypt have discovered almost 30 sarcophagi believed to have been buried for around 2,500 years, according to the country's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

The cache of closed coffins was unearthed from a 11-meter-deep (36 feet) burial shaft in Saqqara, a vast necropolis about 32 kilometers (20 miles) south of Cairo.

Having announced the discovery of over a dozen sarcophagi at the site earlier this month, the ministry revealed via Facebook on Sunday that it had unearthed a further 14, raising the total number found in the shaft to 27.

Despite staying underground for millennia, the coffins have retained some of their original colors. Archaeologists also uncovered a collection of smaller artifacts at the site, according to a ministry statement.

Prior to Sunday's announcement, Egypt's Tourism and Antiquities Minister Khaled El-Enany had already described discoveries at the site as being "the largest number of coffins in one burial since the discovery of the Al-Asasif cachette," referring to the 2019 discovery of 30 coffins, with mummies inside, that authorities then called Egypt's largest find in over a century.

In a press statement, El-Enany also thanked the excavation workers for operating in difficult conditions while adhering to new coronavirus-related safety measures.

"(It's a) very exciting discovery," he said in a video released by the ministry. "I think it's only the beginning."