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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.
See - Sada Elbalad
04-04-2025
- General
- See - Sada Elbalad
Groundbreaking Discoveries at Luxor's Ramesseum Unveil Ancient Secrets
Ali abo dashish- Ahmed Emam LUXOR – A joint Egyptian-French archaeological mission has uncovered remarkable new finds at the Ramesseum Temple on Luxor's West Bank, shedding light on its complex history and multifaceted role in ancient Egyptian society. The team, comprised of experts from the Supreme Council of Antiquities, the French National Center for Research, and Sorbonne University, has revealed a series of tombs from the Third Intermediate Period, storage facilities for essential goods, and workshops for textiles and stonework, alongside remnants of kitchens and bakeries. Among the most significant finds is the "House of Life," an educational institution attached to major temples. This discovery provides unprecedented insights into the structure of ancient learning, with a wealth of artifacts including drawings and school-related games. It marks the first direct evidence of a formal school within the Ramesseum, also known as the "Temple of Millions of Years." Excavations to the east of the temple have uncovered a series of buildings believed to have functioned as administrative offices. Meanwhile, studies on structures in the northern section suggest they were used for storing olive oil, honey, and fats. Vaults dedicated to wine storage were also identified, supported by the discovery of numerous labeled wine jars. The mission's work in the northeastern sector led to the discovery of numerous tombs from the Third Intermediate Period, containing burial chambers, canopic jars, well-preserved funerary objects, nested coffins, and 401 Ushabti figurines crafted from pottery, alongside scattered human remains. In his remarks, Egypt's Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Sherif Fathy, praised the excavation team for unveiling new dimensions of the Ramesseum's historical and religious significance. On his part, Dr. Mohamed Ismail, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, emphasized that these findings redefine understanding of the temple's role during the New Kingdom, particularly in the Ramesside period. The discoveries confirm that the Ramesseum was not just a site of worship but also an administrative and economic hub, redistributing stored and manufactured goods to benefit local communities, including artisans from Deir el-Medina. Further analysis indicates that the Ramesseum predates its construction under Ramses II. After periods of looting, it was repurposed as a massive priestly necropolis and later utilized as a quarry during the Ptolemaic and Roman periods. According to Dr. Hisham El-Leithy, head of the Department of Conservation and Documentation at the Supreme Council of Antiquities and co-leader of the mission, the rediscovery of the tomb of "Sehetep-ib-Re" in the temple's northwestern section. Initially uncovered by British archaeologist Quibell in 1896, this Middle Kingdom tomb is adorned with intricate funerary scenes depicting its owner's journey to the afterlife. The mission has also made significant progress in restoring the temple's southern section, including the hypostyle hall and the Holy of Holies. Among their efforts was the reassembly of the statue of Tuya, mother of Ramses II, placing it in its original position south of the pharaoh's statue. Additionally, fragments of a colossal Ramses II statue were reconstructed, with the legs reattached to a newly restored base. Dr. Christian Leblanc, the French co-leader of the mission, reported that ongoing restoration work on the adjacent royal palace has clarified its original design. This palace, once a grand structure featuring a reception hall and a throne room, served as the venue where Ramses II conducted official audiences. At the temple's Second Pylon, a fragment of a granite lintel was discovered, depicting Ramses II deified before Amun-Ra. Furthermore, remains of a cornice that once supported a frieze of baboons were uncovered. Excavations have also cleared debris from the northern, southern, and central processional ways, revealing numerous artifacts from the Third Intermediate Period. The team confirmed that these pathways were once lined with statues of the jackal god Anubis resting on small shrines, with several recovered fragments now undergoing restoration. Since 1991, the Egyptian-French mission has conducted extensive excavations and restoration work across the Ramesseum complex. 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