The remains of a shrine in an ancient temple in southern Egypt and a Sphinx-like statue have been unearthed by archaeologists.
Antiquities authorities confirmed the artifacts were found in the temple of Dendera in Qena Province, 450km south of the capital of Cairo.
According to Stuff, archaeologists believe the statue’s smiling features may belong to the Roman emperor Claudius, who extended Rome’s rule into North Africa between 41 and 54 AD, the ministry said. It said archaeologists will conduct more studies on the markings on the stone slab, which could reveal more information about the statue’s identity and the area.
The statue is much smaller than the towering, well-known Sphinx in the Pyramids of Giza complex, which is 20m high. The archaeologists also found a Roman-era stone slab with demotic and hieroglyphic inscriptions. The limestone shrine includes a two-layer platform and a mud-brick basin from the Byzantine era, the ministry said.
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Archaeologists believe the statue’s smiling features may belong to the Roman emperor Claudius, who extended Rome’s rule into North Africa between 41 and 54 AD, the ministry said. It said archaeologists will conduct more studies on the markings on the stone slab, which could reveal more information about the statue’s identity and the area. The statue is much smaller than the towering, well-known Sphinx in the Pyramids of Giza complex, which is 20m high.
The archaeologists also found a Roman-era stone slab with demotic and hieroglyphic inscriptions. The limestone shrine includes a two-layer platform and a mud-brick basin from the Byzantine era, the ministry said. The function of the chamber is currently unknown, although such corridors often lead to further archaeological discoveries.
Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass and the country’s Minister for Tourism Ahmed Eissa, announced the discovery at the pyramid’s base. The chamber was discovered by the Scan Pyramids project, an international programme that uses scans to look at unexplored sections of the ancient structure.
