WATCH: Archeologists discover a 2,500-year-old mummy inside an ancient Egyptian sarcophagus

During a special two-hour brocast on Sunday, a sarcophagus containing an Egyptian high priest was opened on live TV.

Discovery channel aired brocast called "Expedition Unkwn: Egypt Live" from site outside of Minya, a region located along banks of river Nile, situated south of Cairo and its Giza pyramids.

A recent discovery me by archaeologists, site contained a network of shafts that led to tunnels and tombs accommodating 40 mummies which are "believed to be part of ble elite."

When discovering tombs, y found various artifacts like statues, amulets, capic jars that were used to store organs and or mummies. One of mummies found by m h decomposed to a skeleton over years. Moving furr, y crawled to a chamber containing intricately carved sarcophagus.

sarcophagus in which mummy was stored took strength of several people to open. efforts used by team was however t in vain as opening coffin, y found a pristinely linen-wrapped mummy surrounded by treasure including gold.

"I can't believe this, this is incredible," exclaimed Zahi Hawass, an Egyptian archeologist and former antiquities minister, who h taken charge of expedition with American explorer Josh Gates as host of brocast.

project was set up in collaboration with Egypt’s antiquities ministry, said Discovery.

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mummy found in coffin was that of a high priest of Thoth, ancient Egyptian god of wisdom and magic. It dated to Ancient Egypt 26th dynasty, which is considered to be last native dynasty to rule until 525 BC, Gates mentioned.

"Toward end of Ancient Egypt, power really was with high priests and you can see this; almost feels like a royal burial," he said.

Cairo has sought to promote archaeological discoveries across country in a bid to revive tourism hit by turmoil after 2011 uprising against Hosni Mubarak. tourism sectors of Egypt has begun to return with arrivals reaching 8.3 million in 2017, according to government figures. However, that still falls far short of 14.7 million in 2010.

Discovery's brocast also comes with a global interest in Egyptian archaeology generated by a "once in a generation" exhibition about pharaoh Tutankhamun, which opened in Paris last month and will tour world.

(With PTI inputs)