Egyptian-French Archaeological Mission Uncovers Jewelry from the 26th Dynasty at Karnak Temples

Egypt Today

05-03-2025

The Egyptian-French archaeological mission, affiliated with the French-Egyptian Center for the Study of Karnak Temples (CFEETK) and working in collaboration with the Supreme Council of Antiquities and the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), has discovered a collection of jewelry dating back to the early 26th Dynasty.
The find was made during excavations in the northwestern sector of Karnak Temples. Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathi praised the fruitful cooperation between Egypt and France, highlighting that this effort is part of a larger project to develop Karnak Temples—one of Egypt's most significant ancient religious sites.
The project aims to enhance the Open-Air Museum, improve visitor services, and enrich the overall tourist experience. As part of these efforts, the mission has updated visitor pathways, installed a new lighting system, and restored and reassembled the shrine of King Amenhotep I, contributing to the transformation of the site into a key tourist attraction.
Dr. Mohamed Ismail Khaled, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, emphasized the significance of this discovery in providing a clearer understanding of the history and development of Karnak Temples during the first millennium BCE.
The jewelry collection was found inside a small, broken but complete pottery vessel, with all the artifacts remarkably well-preserved. Mohamed Abdel-Badie, Head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector, detailed the findings, which include gold and metal rings, small gold amulets, a triad figurine of the deities Amun, Mut, and Khonsu, a metallic brooch, and animal-shaped deity amulets, in addition to numerous beads, some of which are gold-plated.
Dr. Abdel Ghaffar Wagdy, Director-General of Luxor Antiquities and head of the Egyptian team, stated that the mission is currently working on the restoration and documentation of the artifacts, which will eventually be displayed at the Luxor Museum. Meanwhile, Dr. Jérémy Hourdin, head of the French team, noted that excavations are ongoing in the northern area of Karnak Temple, where several large mudbrick structures have been uncovered. These buildings, dating back to the early 26th Dynasty, were likely used as workshops or storage facilities connected to the temple or other religious sites.