More than 2,000 mummified rams’ heads from the Ptolemaic period were discovered in the temple of Ramses II in the ancient city of Abydos. Mummies of sheep, dogs, goats, cows, gazelles and mongooses were also exhumed by American archaeologists from New York University at the famous archaeological site in southern Egypt, Cairo’s Ministry of Antiquities and Tourism said on Sunday.
According to the head of the American mission, Sameh Iskandar, the ram’s heads are “offerings” that indicate a cult of worship to Pharaoh Ramses II, even 1,000 years after his death. According to the director of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Mostafa Wasiri, the findings will help to better understand the temple of Ramses II and the activities carried out there since its construction between 2374 and 2140 BC and the Ptolemaic period (323-323 AD) to 30 BC) .
Accusation of “sensationalism”
In addition to the animal mummies, the team also discovered remains of a sixth dynasty palace with walls about five meters thick, as well as several statues, papyrus, remains of ancient trees, clothing and leather shoes. The predynastic site of Abydos is located about 500 kilometers south of the capital Cairo, on the banks of the Nile, and was famous in ancient times for the tomb of Osiris, the god of the dead.
Egyptian authorities have regularly reported archaeological finds in the past, but some experts have criticized this as “gimmicky” because the finds were of little scientific importance.
The country with around 105 million inhabitants is going through a serious economic crisis and depends on tourism, which employs two million people. By 2028, the government is targeting 30 million tourists a year, up from 13 million before the coronavirus pandemic. (apa/afp)