An American archaeological mission has discovered more than 2,000 mummified rams from the Ptolemaic era, in addition to a large building from the Sixth Dynasty in the area of the temple of Pharaoh Ramses II, in the ancient city of Abydos, reported this Saturday, March 25, 2023. the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities.
“This discovery reveals important details in the life and history of the temple of Ramses II, in Abydos and the surrounding area, which contributes enormously to understanding the site of the temple and the life it supported for more than two thousand years,” said the secretary. General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Mustafa Waziri, according to the ministry statement.
The mission revealed a number of mummified animals alongside the rams’ heads, “including a group of sheep, dogs, feral goats, cows, deer, and mongoose,” which were found in one of the newly discovered store rooms within the northern region of the temple.
For his part, the head of the mission, Sameh Iskandar, pointed out that this large number of mummified rams could be used as a votive offering during the practice of worship, “unprecedented in Abydos during the period of the Ptolemaic era”, in addition to indicating that reverence for Pharaoh Ramesses II remained in Abydos for a thousand years after his death.
As for the huge building discovered, which dates back to the era of the sixth dynasty of pharaohs, it is characterized by “a different and unique architectural design” for its thick and enormous walls about five meters wide.
Iskander noted that “this building will strongly contribute to the reconsideration of the activities and architecture of the ancient state in Abydos,” as well as the nature of the site and the activities that took place before the construction of the temple of Ramses II.
In addition, the head of the Central Administration for Antiquities of Upper Egypt of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Mohamed Abdel Badi, added that the mission also revealed parts of the northern wall of the wall surrounding the temple and its annexes.
This discovery “changes what has been established about the design of the temple of King Ramses II and what has been described, painted and circulated among scientists and researchers since it was revealed more than 150 years ago,” where they found parts of statues, papyri, remains of old trees, clothes and leather shoes.
The mission will complete the work of its excavations at the site to reveal more about the history of this place and to study and document what was found during the current excavation season, the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities concluded. EFE