The land of the pyramids is a source of wonders – what was it this time? The new temple found in Egypt, which houses 85 tombs. There is also a watchtower and a temple of the goddess Isis. Where? At the archaeological site of Gebel el-Haridi, about 350 kilometers south of Cairo.
Temples and tombs
It happened during the last excavation season. Researchers found an adobe tower. It was used to collect taxes and monitor traffic on the Nile River. The tower dates from around the reign of Ptolemy III, the third pharaoh of Egypt’s Ptolemaic dynasty. He ruled between 246 and 222 BC.
The team also discovered a Ptolemaic-era temple from about the same period. It is dedicated to Isis, the goddess of Ancient Egypt. Isis is one of the main characters of the Osiris myth. She gave birth to her heir, Horus. The temple is 33 meters long by 14 meters wide. In addition, it consists of a rectangular room with a series of columns and a limestone floor.
The new temple found in Egypt had other surprises. Archaeologists found the house of one of the local labor chiefs. There are remains of the papers that contained the names of the workers, their salaries and assigned tasks.
Deceased data
Other finds include 85 tombs of different types built on the mountainside. They were made from the end of the Old Kingdom to the end of the Ptolemaic period. The most substantial tombs contain a series of corridors on several levels leading to a burial chamber. In the Hellenistic tombs archaeologists found something surprising. They were 30 death certificates written in ancient Greek, hieratic and demotic script. These artifacts contained information about the deceased. Names, relatives, place of residence, occupation, age.
Among other findings, 38 coins from Roman times stand out. In addition, animal bones, remains of the food of the priests of the temple. Archaeologists have also worked in the ancient quarries. From there came the building material for the construction of the temple under Pharaoh Ramses III.
