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Al-Ahram Weekly

New wave of discoveries in Egypt - Heritage - Al-Ahram Weekly

In recent months, Egypt has unveiled a rich array of new discoveries and restorations that span millennia, from the Old Kingdom to the Graeco-Roman era, offering new insights into ancient daily life, religious practices, and architectural ingenuity, reports Nevine El-Aref. These discoveries were carried out by the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) alone or in collaboration with international missions. From the vibrant chapels of Luxor's Karnak Temple and newly unearthed tombs in Aswan to the rediscovery of a lost Delta city in Sharqiya, these achievements not only deepen our understanding of Egypt's past but also reinforce the nation's global standing as a cultural and scientific heritage hub. As excavation tools meet ancient stone, Egypt's timeless story continues to unfold, layer by layer. At Karnak's Akh Menu Temple, a major restoration project has unveiled scenes depicted on the walls of the Southern Chapels, a cluster of seven interconnected shrines and two columned halls rich in colourful inscriptions and reliefs dating back to the reign of Thutmose III. This initiative was conducted by the Egyptian-French Centre for the Study of the Karnak Temples (CFEETK) in collaboration with the SCA. 'The restoration of the Southern Chapels not only preserves a remarkable part of ancient Egyptian architecture but also enriches the visitor experience by showcasing inscriptions and rituals that have remained hidden for centuries,' said Mohamed Ismail Khaled, secretary-general of the SCA, who described the restoration as a 'crucial achievement' that expands access to lesser-known archaeological sites and diversifies Egypt's cultural tourism offerings. The chapels feature vivid depictions of royal rituals, including Heb Sed jubilee celebrations and inscriptions declaring the site a 'Temple of Millions of Years'. The restoration efforts have also enhanced accessibility with ramps and signage, enriching the visitor experience and diversifying Egypt's cultural tourism offerings. Meanwhile, excavations at the Asasif Necropolis on the West Bank at Luxor have revealed undecorated wooden child coffins, ostraca, seals, faience figurines, and architectural remains, offering a more intimate look at the lives of non-elite individuals during the New Kingdom. At Nagaa Abu Asaba near Karnak, archaeologists have unearthed a massive mudbrick enclosure wall stamped with the names of King Menkheperre and his queen, alongside bronze moulds, Osirian figurines, amulets, and a beer-brewing facility. The discovery suggests the site was once an industrial and religious hub, illustrating the sophistication of ancient Theban society. At the Tell Al-Faraon (Tell Nebasha) site in the Sharqiya governorate, a British team from the University of Manchester has uncovered the remains of 'Imet', an ancient city dating back to the fourth century BCE. Multi-storey tower houses, grain storage facilities, and animal shelters paint a vivid portrait of urban life in the Nile Delta during the Late Period and the early Ptolemaic era. Excavation of the temple district has revealed the remnants of a monumental limestone floor and mudbrick columns believed to have formed a sacred procession route to the Temple of the Goddess Wadjet, reconstructed under kings Ramses II and Ahmose II. Among the standout artefacts are a faience ushabti, a bronze sistrum adorned with Hathor heads, and a carved stela of the god Horus on crocodiles, reflecting both everyday life and complex religious beliefs. In Aswan, an Egyptian-Italian mission working at the Qubbet Al-Hawa Necropolis has uncovered three rock-cut tombs from the Old Kingdom, some of which were reused during the Middle Kingdom. Although modest in decoration, the tombs retain false doors, offering tables, pottery, and hieratic inscriptions, providing new perspectives on social hierarchies and funerary evolution across the centuries. Mohamed Abdel-Badie, head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector at the SCA, emphasised that the discovery expands our knowledge of cultural and economic transitions during the First Intermediate Period and beyond. Meanwhile, in the necropolis surrounding the Mausoleum of the Aga Khan in Aswan, a joint Egyptian-Italian mission from the University of Milan has unearthed several well-preserved Graeco-Roman tombs. The highlight was Tomb 38 housing a two-metre-tall, decorated limestone coffin bearing hieroglyphic inscriptions and the name Ka-Mesiu, a high-ranking official during the Graeco-Roman period. The tomb contains the mummified remains of adults and children, indicating multi-generational burials. These findings, according to Khaled, reflect complex burial practices that spanned both elite and middle-class individuals and adapted over time, especially during epidemics or economic hardships. Further research will involve CT scanning and the biological analysis of the remains to explore health conditions and demographics. Patrizia Piacentini, head of the archaeological mission, noted that previous discoveries have been made in the same area, including funerary terraces, animal sacrifices, and a possible Ptolemaic-era place of worship, highlighting the site's enduring sacred status. With these discoveries, Egypt continues to offer an inexhaustible trove of archaeological wonders, each a thread in the grand tapestry of a civilisation that shapes our understanding of the past. * A version of this article appears in print in the 10 July, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link: