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New York Post
14-07-2025
- Science
- New York Post
Archaeologists uncover multistory buildings in once-thriving city lost to time
Archaeologists recently uncovered multistory buildings from a lost Egyptian city in the Nile Delta, fostering new insights into urban life in antiquity. The ruins of the city – known in ancient times as Imet or Buto – are located at the site now called Tell el-Fara'in. The University of Manchester announced the discovery in a June 24 press release. Multiple excavations have taken place at the site in past decades, but the latest dig by British archaeologists revealed the presence of multiple multistory structures. 6 British archaeologists from the University of Manchester discover ancient city of Imet in Egypt's eastern Nile Delta, shedding lights on urban life in antiquity De Agostini via Getty Images The elevated dwellings were found thanks to a combination of remote sensing and satellite imagery technology, said the University of Manchester. The British archaeologists were joined by experts from the University of Sadat City in Cairo. The high-tech methods led researchers to notice clusters of 'ancient mudbricks' before the excavation began. The university reported, 'This approach led to the discovery of dense architectural remains, including substantial tower houses – multistory buildings supported by exceptionally thick foundation walls, which were designed to accommodate a growing population in an increasingly urbanized Delta region.' University of Manchester lecturer Nicky Nielsen helped lead the excavation. 6 A statue depicting two deities, discovered from the archaeological excavations in Buto De Agostini via Getty Images In a statement, he dated the structures to the Ptolemaic Period, which began around 332 B.C. and ended in 30 B.C. 'These tower houses are mainly found in the Nile Delta between the Late Period and the Roman era, and are rare elsewhere in Egypt,' the Egyptologist said. 'Their presence here shows that Imet was a thriving and densely built city with a complex urban infrastructure.' Archaeologists also uncovered the remains of granaries, or buildings for storing grain, as well as a ceremonial road tied to the cult of Wadjet, the Ancient Egyptian cobra goddess. 6 The excavations at Tell el-Fara'in are part of a joint Egyptian-British mission with the University of Sadat City in Cairo University of Manchester Animal enclosures were also observed during the excavation, as well as a series of additional buildings. 'Elsewhere, excavators found a large building with a limestone plaster floor and massive pillars dating to the mid-Ptolemaic Period,' the University of Manchester noted. 'This building was built across the processional road, which once connected to the temple of Wadjet – the city's patron deity,' the statement continued. 6 Multiple excavations have taken place at the site in past decades, but this latest dig by the University of Manchester crew revealed the presence of multiple multistory structures University of Manchester 'This ceremonial route appears to have fallen out of use by the mid-Ptolemaic period, offering insight into shifting religious landscapes in Ancient Egypt.' Smaller artifacts were also uncovered by archaeologists. 6 'Their presence here shows that Imet was a thriving and densely built city with a complex urban infrastructure,' said University of Manchester lecturer Nicky Nielsen, who helped lead the excavations University of Manchester Pictures from the excavation show an ushabti (a small funerary figurine), a stone slab depicting the god Harpocrates and a bronze sistrum, or rattle, of Hathor, the goddess of music and joy. The excavation will help advance understanding of 'the urban, religious and economic life of this city in the Nile Delta during the 4th century BC,' according to university officials. 6 Artifacts from the excavation site reflect a vibrant spiritual culture of the ancient Egyptian city University of Manchester 'This discovery opens new doors to our understanding of daily life, spirituality and urban planning in the Delta,' the statement concluded. 'Imet is emerging as a key site for rethinking the archaeology of Late Period Egypt.' Ancient Egypt has captivated archaeologists for centuries, and many finds from the millennia-old civilization are still being discovered today. In May, several tombs of high-ranking Ancient Egyptian officials were recently uncovered by local archaeologists, dating back to the era of the New Kingdom. A month earlier, a University of Pennsylvania professor spoke with Fox News Digital about unearthing the tomb of an unknown pharaoh near Abydos.
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Archaeologists Found a Lost Egyptian City Buried in the Nile Delta
Here's what you'll learn when you read this story: Archaeologists discovered the lost ancient city of Imet in modern-day Egypt's eastern Nile Delta. Included within the find were multi-story 'tower' homes showing the urbanization of the area. Evidence indicated the worship of the city's patron deity, the cobra goddess Wadjet, waned over time. The discovery of the ancient city Imet in Egypt's eastern Nile Delta offers intriguing insights, including the architectural urbanization of the area prior to the Roman era, and worship of the city's patron deity, the cobra goddess Wadjet. Excavations at Tell el-Fara'in reveal cultural norms during the early- to middle-fourth century B.C., which feature intricate urbanization with 'substantial tower houses,' structures that were basically multi-story buildings supported by exceptionally thick foundation walls, according to a statement from the University of Manchester. 'These tower houses are mainly found in the Nile Delta between the Late Period and the Roman era, and are rare elsewhere in Egypt,' Nicky Nielsen, researcher with the University of Manchester, said in a statement. 'Their presence here shows that Imet was a thriving and densely built city with a complex urban infrastructure.' The thick foundation walls were designed to support the weight of the tall buildings. The houses, with their multiple floors, were crafted to accommodate many people, Mohamed Ismail Khaled, secretary general of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, said in a translated statement from the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. The researchers located the city using remote sensing via high-resolution satellite imagery. The images identified clusters of ancient mudbricks that led the team to on-the-ground excavation. It was then they discovered the tower houses. But that wasn't all they found. The team discovered a grain processing center, which featured a paved area and animal enclosures. The find offers information about both the local economy and the religious significance of the area. Nielsen said Imet was prominent during the New Kingdom, sometime between 1550 and 1069 B.C. and its location along trade routes allowed it to maintain importance, especially as it attracted Wadjet pilgrims and merchants. A newer find, from the mid-Ptolemaic Period of about 200 B.C., showed a large structure with a limestone plaster floor and impressive pillars wrapped with stucco. The building was constructed across a processional road that once connected to the temple of Wadjet. Researchers believe that this new building, placed over the ceremonial road shows the worship of Wadjet had waned by that time, offering insight into a shifting religious landscape in ancient Egypt. The temple of Wadjet was rebuilt by Ramses II in the mid-1200s B.C., and then again by Ahmose II in the mid-500s B.C. but began a decline thereafter. The past religious culture of Imet has started to come into greater clarity in the present day, thanks to finds like a green faience ushabti (a ceramic funerary figurine) from the 26th Dynasty, a stela (an upright stone slab with a relief design) of the god Harpocrates (the Greek name for Horus the Child) standing on two crocodiles while holding a snake, and a bronze sistrum musical instrument adorned with the twin heads of Hathor, goddess of music and joy. 'This discovery opens new doors to our understanding of daily life, spirituality, and urban planning in the Delta,' Nielsen said. 'Imet is emerging as a key site for rethinking the archaeology of Late Period Egypt.' You Might Also Like The Do's and Don'ts of Using Painter's Tape The Best Portable BBQ Grills for Cooking Anywhere Can a Smart Watch Prolong Your Life?
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
'Thriving and densely-built': Archaeologists unearth 'tower' houses and ceremonial building in ancient Egyptian city of Imet
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Archaeologists have discovered the remains of multistory houses and a ceremonial building linked to the cobra-headed goddess Wadjet in the ancient Egyptian city of Imet. Dense architectural remains indicate that Imet was a bustling urban center during Egypt's Late Period (circa 664 to 332 B.C.), or the last period of Egyptian rule before Alexander the Great and his general Ptolemy I Soter took over, according to a statement describing recent excavations in what is now Tell Nabasha (also spelled Tell Nebesha) — an archaeological site in the eastern Nile Delta. "Imet is emerging as a key site for rethinking the archaeology of Late Period Egypt," Nicky Nielsen, a senior lecturer in Egyptology at the University of Manchester in the U.K. who directed the excavations, said in the statement. The newly discovered multistory houses, or tower houses, were likely designed to accommodate a growing population in what was a prominent city in ancient times, particularly in the fourth century B.C., Nielsen said. "These tower houses are mainly found in the Nile Delta between the Late Period and the Roman era, and are rare elsewhere in Egypt," he said. "Their presence here shows that Imet was a thriving and densely-built city with a complex urban infrastructure." Nielsen and his team first spotted the tower-house remains on high-resolution satellite images, which revealed clusters of ancient mudbrick in Imet. The researchers traveled to the ancient city to excavate these structures, as well as the ruins of a paved area for grain processing and animal enclosures, which together point to an active local economy, according to the statement. Related: 'Major' ancient Egyptian town discovered — and it has a jug stamped with the name of Nefertiti's daughter Together with Egyptian archaeologists, the researchers also unearthed a large building with a limestone plaster floor and huge pillars dating to the Ptolemaic period (332 to 30 B.C.), when Ptolemy I Soter's dynasty ruled Egypt. The building sits on the ancient processional road to the temple of Wadjet — the patron goddess and protector of Lower Egypt, traditionally depicted as a winged cobra or as a woman with the head of a cobra — suggesting the building itself also held spiritual significance. Evidence suggests the processional road fell out of use in the mid-Ptolemaic period, indicating a shift in religious culture, according to the statement. RELATED STORIES —Ancient Egyptian city of Alexandria — the birthplace of Cleopatra — is crumbling into the sea at an unprecedented rate —Archaeologists unearth tree-lined walkway that led to ancient Egyptian fortress in Sinai Desert —2,100-year-old temple from ancient Egypt discovered hidden in cliff face In the ruins of buildings, the researchers found various stunning artifacts, including a green faience ushabti — or glazed ceramic funerary figurine — from the 26th dynasty (Late Period), a stone slab with engravings of the god Harpocrates and protective symbols and a musical instrument featuring the goddess of music and joy, Hathor. The discovery of complex infrastructure and ancient religious artifacts from Imet "opens new doors to our understanding of daily life, spirituality and urban planning in the Delta," Nielsen said.
The Star
21-06-2025
- Science
- The Star
Egypt announces new archaeological discovery in Sharqiya
CAIRO, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Egypt on Saturday announced a new archaeological discovery in the El-Husseiniya district of Sharqiya Governorate, north of Cairo, dating back to the 4th century BC. Excavations at the Tell El-Faraoon site revealed residential structures believed to date to the early or mid-4th century BC. Among them were "tower houses" -- multi-story dwellings characterized by thick foundational walls, likely constructed to accommodate large populations, according to Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Mohamed Ismail Khaled. He noted that such houses were common across the Nile Delta from Egypt's Late Period through the Roman era. Additional structures uncovered at the site include buildings used for practical purposes, such as grain storage and animal shelters. In the temple area, archaeologists uncovered a large limestone floor and the remains of two massive mudbrick columns, which were likely once coated in plaster. These elements are thought to be part of a structure built along the processional route that once connected a Late Period pylon to the temple of Wadjet. Evidence suggests the processional way was abandoned by the mid-Ptolemaic period. The temple of Wadjet was rebuilt during the reign of King Ramses II and again under King Ahmose II. The discovery was made by a British archaeological mission from the University of Manchester.
CairoScene
21-06-2025
- Science
- CairoScene
Archaeologists Unearth 2,000-Year-Old City in Sharqia
Among the findings are multi-story mudbrick homes, a temple to Wadjet, and rare relics like a faience ushabti, bronze sistrum, and Horus stela. Jun 21, 2025 Archaeologists have uncovered the ruins of Imet, an ancient city buried beneath Tell El-Faraoun (Tell Nabisha) in Sharqia, shedding new light on urban life in the Nile Delta over 2,000 years ago. Led by the University of Manchester, the British mission unearthed multi-story 'tower houses,' grain storage rooms, and animal shelters dating back to the 4th century BCE—revealing a densely populated settlement with sophisticated architecture. In the temple area, the team discovered limestone flooring, mudbrick columns, and religious relics including a faience ushabti, a bronze sistrum adorned with Hathor heads, and a stela depicting Horus and Bes. 'The discovery of 'Imet' is a significant milestone in our understanding of daily life, architectural innovation, and religious practices in the Delta during the Late and early Ptolemaic periods,' said Dr. Mohamed Ismail Khaled, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities. Believed to have been a major center during the New Kingdom and Late Period, Imet was home to a temple dedicated to the goddess Wadjet, originally rebuilt by Ramses II and Ahmose II.
