Latest news with #MohamedIsmail
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Archaeologists Excavated an Ancient Temple—and Found 2,500-Year-Old Tombs
Ongoing archaeological work at the Ramesseum Temple at Luxor has resulted in a wealth of new finds. Crews discovered storage areas—which once kept oil, honey, and wine—that paint a new picture of what the site was originally used for. The remains of drawings and school toys also show that the temple complex included a school. The goings-on at Ramesseum Temple near Luxor, Egypt, were far more in-depth than experts believed possible. This site wasn't just a religious symbol or place to bury the dead—it had cultural and economic prominence deeper than we may ever understand. New archaeological work uncovered remains of store houses for food, workshops aplenty, a 'House of Life' scientific school and administrative offices. Mohamed Ismail—secretary general of Egypt's Supreme Council of Archaeology—said in a translated statement that the Ramesseum Temple was not just a place of worship. It was also a center for the redistribution of stored or manufactured products, a home of artisan makers, and a place of scientific study. The latest work—led by the Archaeological Preservation and Registration sector of Egypt's Supreme Council of Archaeology, the French National Research Centre, and Sorbonne University—excavated 2,500-year-old tombs at the Ramesseum, unveiling a wide window into the ancient culture and revealing details about the daily life at the temple complex. In an area northeast of the actual temple, the team excavated ruins to uncover tombs from the Third Intermediate Period. While the team located canopic jars (as expected), they also discovered 401 shabti figures—small statues crafted to look like the deceased. In other areas both north and east of the temple, the daily workings of the site came to life. The team found storage areas that housed olive oil, honey, fats, and wine—they even found wine jar labels—while administrative buildings were located near workshops for weavers, stonemasons, and bakers. Inside the temple, the team found evidence of the House of Life scientific school, a school (focused on architecture) known to exist within prominent temples. The team also located toys and drawings, giving further credence to the idea that there was a school at the site. Experts have confirmed that the site was occupied before the pharaoh Ramesses II built his temple there during his 1279-to-1213-B.C. reign. It also had some utility after the pharaoh's rule—it was repurposed into a tomb after being looted and before being used by quarry workers in the Baltic and Roman eras. But during the time of Ramesses II, the temple served as a royal institution that carried out religious rites to sanctify the king during his lifetime, while evidently playing a key role in Egypt's administrative and economic processes. Ismail said that the discoveries indicate the presence of a true hierarchical system for civil servants inside the temple, which was not only a place of worship but an economic center that focused on making and distributing products. While the entire system benefited the residents of the area—including the makers of the goods—everything in and around the Ramesseum was still subject to royal authority. 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?
Egypt Today
06-04-2025
- Science
- Egypt Today
Exciting Discoveries at Luxor's Ramesseum Reveal Ancient Secrets
A joint Egyptian-French archaeological mission — including the Department of Conservation and Documentation at the Supreme Council of Antiquities, the French National Centre for Scientific Research, and Sorbonne University — has unearthed remarkable finds around the Ramesseum Temple on Luxor's West Bank. The team discovered a collection of tombs from the Third Intermediate Period, storage facilities for olive oil, honey, and fats, as well as workshops for textile production and stonework, alongside ancient kitchens and bakeries. Inside the temple itself, excavations revealed the 'House of Life' — an ancient scholarly institution attached to major temples. This exceptional discovery not only exposed the architectural layout of the school but also unearthed artifacts such as school exercises and drawings, marking the first concrete evidence of an educational center within the Ramesseum, also known as the 'Temple of Millions of Years.' Further excavations in the eastern part of the temple uncovered a series of buildings believed to have served as administrative offices, while structures in the northern section were identified as storerooms for olive oil, honey, fats, and wine — evidenced by the abundance of wine jar labels found on site. In the northeastern area, archaeologists uncovered numerous well-preserved tombs from the Third Intermediate Period, complete with burial chambers, canopic jars, funerary artifacts, nested coffins, and an impressive collection of 401 pottery ushabti figurines, along with scattered human remains. Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Mr. Sherif Fathy, praised the mission's efforts, highlighting how these discoveries are shedding new light on the Ramesseum's historical, religious, and societal roles in ancient Egypt. Dr. Mohamed Ismail, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, emphasized the importance of these findings, noting that they reveal the temple's complex history and expand our understanding of its functions during the New Kingdom, particularly in the Ramesside era. He explained that the temple operated as a royal institution, performing religious rituals for the deified king while also serving as an administrative and economic hub. He further noted evidence of a full administrative hierarchy operating within the temple, which functioned not only as a place of worship but also as a center for distributing goods produced or stored on-site — benefiting local communities, including the artisans of Deir el-Medina, who worked under the royal administration. Scientific studies also confirmed that the Ramesseum site was in use before Ramesses II constructed his temple and continued to be reused in later periods. After suffering looting, it was transformed into a large priestly necropolis and later repurposed by quarry workers during the Ptolemaic and Roman eras. Dr. Hisham El-Leithy, Head of the Conservation and Documentation Sector at the Supreme Council of Antiquities and head of the mission's Egyptian team, shared that the mission successfully re-excavated the tomb of 'Sahteb Iab Ra' in the northwestern sector of the temple. Originally discovered by British archaeologist Quibell in 1896, this Middle Kingdom tomb features stunning funerary scenes. He added that excavation and restoration efforts are ongoing, aiming to uncover even more treasures. Recently, the team completed the restoration of the temple's southern section, from the Hypostyle Hall to the Sanctuary, and restored the first courtyard, where they reassembled the statue of Queen Tuya, mother of Ramesses II, placing it back at its original site beside the king's statue. They also reconstructed and restored the fragmented statue of Ramesses II, carefully repositioning the legs and restoring the base, while studying the overall condition of the monument. Dr. Christian Leblanc, head of the French team, noted that restoration work has also brought new clarity to the layout of the royal palace adjacent to the temple's first courtyard. Though only a few column bases remain, the team managed to trace the original mudbrick walls, revealing spaces like the reception hall and throne room, where the king once held audiences. At the Second Pylon Gate, the team discovered part of the granite lintel depicting Ramesses II in divine form before Amun-Ra, alongside fragments of cornices that originally supported a frieze of baboons. Excavations along the processional route also yielded significant finds from the Third Intermediate Period, revealing that this part of the temple was once lined with statues of Anubis reclining atop small shrines. The team successfully collected and restored many fragments of these statues. Notably, the Egyptian-French mission has been working at the Ramesseum for an impressive 34 years, since 1991, conducting extensive excavations and restoration works across the entire temple complex.
Egypt Independent
05-04-2025
- Science
- Egypt Independent
Archaeologists announce new discoveries at Luxor's Ramesseum Temple
A Joint Egyptian-French archaeological mission, comprising the Conservation and Registration Sector of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, the French National Center for Scientific Research, and the Sorbonne University, have announced several new archaeological discoveries around the Ramesseum Temple on the West Bank of Luxor. These discoveries include several tombs dating back to the Third Intermediate Period, storage areas, weaving and stonework workshops, kitchens, and bakeries. Excavations inside the temple also revealed the 'House of Life,' a scientific school attached to the major temples. This is an exceptional discovery, as it not only revealed the architectural layout of the educational institution but also revealed a rich collection of artifacts including the remains of drawings and school games. This makes it the first evidence on existence of a school within Ramesseum, also known as the 'Temple of Millions of Years.' The excavations also uncovered another group of buildings on the eastern side of the temple, likely used as administrative offices. Studies have shown that the buildings and cellars on the northern side were used as storage for olive oil, honey, and fats, in addition to cellars used for storing wine, as wine jar labels were found in abundance. Excavations in the northeastern area also revealed a large number of tombs dating back to the Third Intermediate Period. Most of these tombs contain burial chambers and shafts containing well-preserved canopic jars and funerary tools, as well as nested coffins, 401 ushabti figurines carved from pottery, and scattered bones. Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Sherif Fathy, hailed the mission's efforts to uncover new secrets from the Ramesseum Temple and study the religious and societal role it played in ancient Egypt. The Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities Mohamed Ismail also emphasized the importance of these discoveries, as they shed light on the temple's long and complex history and open new horizons for understanding its role in ancient Egypt.
