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Shocking discovery in Egypt: 2,000 mummified ram's heads found

More than 2,000 mummified ram heads and a lavish "Old Kingdom" structure have been discovered by archaeologists at the Temple of King Ramses II at Abydos. The finds, located about 270 miles (435 kilometers) south of Cairo.

Finds that date back about 2,300 years to the time of the Ptolemaic dynasty (dated between 323 B.C. and the Roman conquest of Egypt in 30 B.C.).

The unusual cemetery resurfaced during the archaeological mission of the University of New York in cooperation with the authorities of Egypt.

photo Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
We are in Abydos (Egypt)
More than 2000 mummified ram's heads buried in an orthogonal pattern and a lavish 'Old Kingdom' structure were discovered by archaeologists in the temple of King Ramses II in Abydos, Egypt. The finds, located about 270 miles (435 kilometres) south of Cairo, date back to around 2300 years ago during the Ptolemaic dynasty. This unusual cemetery was revealed during a New York University archaeological mission in cooperation with Egyptian authorities.
photo Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
Not just ram heads
The presence of these ram mummies documents how the cult of the powerful pharaoh Ramses II was still very strong and deep-rooted even a thousand years after his death in 1213 or 1212 B.C. Mustafa Waziri, secretary-general of the 'Supreme Council for Archaeology', added that other mummified animal remains were also discovered, including sheep, dogs, wild goats, cows, gazelles and mongooses, all at the same temple.
photo Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
An important archaeological site
Abydos, located in the Egyptian governorate of Sohag 435 kilometers south of Cairo, is one of the most important, though least visited, archaeological sites in Egypt. It was a necropolis for ancient Egyptian royalty and a pilgrimage center for the worship of the god Osiris. Here stand the funerary temples of pharaohs Seti I and that of Ramses II, near which the latest discoveries were made.
photo Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
The uncovered structure
Next to the mummified animal remains, the team intercepted a sumptuous structure dating back to the Sixth Dynasty 'Old Kingdom', datable between 2350 BC and 2190 BC. The aim is now to interpret its function and architecture.
photo Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
Several artifacts found
A number of artifacts have been found, including statues, papyri, ancient tree remains, leather clothing and shoes. According to the head of the mission, Sameh Iskander, the structure could help "re-establish a sense of the ancient landscape of Abydos before the temple of Ramses II was built."
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19/04/2024
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