What is the mysterious object found in Egypt?
An archaeologist’s job can be tedious and hard if you haven’t found anything in years. However, the moment something is discovered, a big job comes in at once and you can find value as an archaeologist. Such was the case when Cairo staff uncovered what is considered one of the most important discoveries of all time: Egyptian artifacts. The colossal statue offered a glimpse into one of Egypt’s oldest cities and its famous leader. See what our patient team of experts lifted out of the muddy shantytown.
Digging Cairo’s slums
Archaeologists have unearthed what was once the town of Heliopolis in the slums of Cairo, Egypt. Because Heliopolis, one of Egypt’s oldest cities, has a lot to discover.
dig in the water
One of the challenges archaeologists found early in the project was the struggle with water. According to the American Research Center in Egypt, the site has been affected by a rapid rise in water levels and is still in that condition.
The site the archaeologists were digging was connected to the water, and they had to keep searching through it. It’s hard to spend days looking for something you don’t know is there, but it’s even harder to find underwater.
Working in waste and rubble
Water wasn’t the only thing that got in the way of archaeologists. On top of that, I had to deal with the fact that I was working in a garbage dump. This slum has been dumping a lot of garbage for several years.
As a result, they have to work around 8 meters of building rubble, as well as domestic and industrial waste. But they knew the history of this land, so they could not give up.
city of the sun
Heliopolis, located in what is now eastern Cairo, was a major city in ancient Egypt. It is nicknamed “City of the Sun” because it was the birthplace of the sun god and later became the center of the cult.
Dr. Salima, an archaeologist and professor, told NBC News that the city was “one of the most important religious gatherings in the history of ancient Egypt,” noting its impact on Egyptian mythology and, by extension, civilization. ing. Archaeologists were willing to overcome any obstacles to uncover this history.
New construction threatens the city
In addition to water, waste and debris, there was also the threat of new construction. The site was located in a working-class neighborhood, surrounded by dirt roads and buildings under construction.
Archaeologists had spent more than a decade trying to make the breakthrough, but faced opposition from enthusiastic builders. Fortunately, leaving the land undeveloped has proven to be of great importance in understanding the history of the area, so it is unlikely that a new building will be erected there. escaped.
Destroyed Sun Temple
The slums of Cairo, especially the place called Matarya, were located in the ancient city of Heliopolis, a historically significant city, so archaeologists were excited to see what they would discover. They were excavating what was once the Temple of the Sun, one of Egypt’s greatest temples.
The temple was built thousands of years ago by Pharoah Ramesses II. It was eventually destroyed during the Greco-Roman period. However, the temple, which was twice the size of Karnak in Luxor, still contained many discoveries.
finally found
International archaeologists have spent years trying to find traces of what is believed to be deep underground. And the effort paid off, and we got what will be one of the greatest discoveries in history.
What was excavated was a megalith of quartz. I soon realized that this was very important. But to appreciate it, you have to lift it out of the water and mud.
Mysterious discovery of forklifting
News of the discovery of something gigantic spread quickly, and crowds of onlookers eagerly awaited a glimpse of what had been found. Officials, locals and the press watched with bated breath as chunks of stone were pulled out of the water.
The stone was the head of a 3,000-year-old 26-foot-tall statue. Archaeologists were able to identify the stone in terms of size and material, but more importantly its meaning.
Possibility of Pharaoh Ramesses II
As mentioned earlier, archaeologists have been digging near the Old Sun Temple of Heliopolis, founded thousands of years ago by Pharaoh Ramesses II. Archaeologists knew that the statue had been unearthed near the Sun Temple of Heliopolis, built by Pharaoh Ramesses II thousands of years ago.
Archaeologists speculated that the statue was actually that of an ancient Egyptian ruler. All parts of the statue would have to be excavated to find out, but this discovery was groundbreaking.
Ancient Egypt’s Most Admired Ruler
The possibility that this statue is of Pharaoh Ramesses II is significant given its historical context. This ruler, sometimes called Ramesses the Great, was the most famous and powerful person of his time.
He was the third Pharaoh of the 19th Dynasty of Egypt and was called “the great ancestor” by the younger generation. He ruled over many for over 60 years, during which time he regained control of Canaan, led an expedition into Nubia, and built cities, temples, and monuments.
Not the first statue of Ramesses II discovered
Ramesses II, also known as Ozymandias, had been found as a statue long before this excavation. A broken statue of Ramesses II in the British Museum is said to have inspired a sonnet by the Romantic poet Percy Byche Shelley.
This sonnet was written by the Romantic poet Percy Byche Shelley about a traveler seeing a statue of Ozymandias. This sonnet was published in 1818 and popularized the ancient leader. One of Shelley’s most famous works.
Plan for a monumental bronze statue
Now that the statue has been found, you may be wondering what happened to it. Archaeologists began by recovering as many parts as possible. From there, the identity of the person depicted is verified.
Restore the statue as much as possible as part of the identification. After these processes, it will be placed at the entrance of the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo.
incredible new discoveries
In addition to the huge stone statue believed to be Ramesses the Great, another shocking object was discovered. Archaeologists have discovered a life-size limestone statue depicting Pharaoh Seti II, grandson of Ramesses II.
Only the upper part of the statue was excavated, and it is only 78cm long. Ramesses II, the fifth pharaoh of Egypt’s 19th dynasty, famously ruled Thebes and Nubia when he faced the threat of being overthrown by his half-brother.
another inspiring piece
A small statue of Pharaoh Seti II seemed to further suggest that the colossus was that of Ramesses II. Archaeologists continued looking for other items and clues before anything was settled.
Then they made another important discovery. It was an obelisk fragment with hieroglyphs written on it. A certain amount of restoration is required to find out how these items are connected or interact with each other.
Enjoyed by both locals and tourists
The discovery was awe-inspiring to the locals. How wonderful it would be if the place you live in was connected to ancient history. Residents rushed to the spot to take pictures with the incredible ancient relics.
Another important reason was the possibility of attracting tourists. In recent years, tourism has been declining, but breakthrough news like this could bring more tourists to Cairo and boost the city’s economy.
Treasures of the Saqqara Necropolis
The Necropolis of Saqqara, south of Cairo, is considered to be the largest tomb complex in Egypt. These archaeologists are digging through newly discovered artifacts dating back to the late Egyptian and Ptolemaic periods.
Among them are small statues and funerary masks excavated from burial shafts more than 12 meters underground. The necropolis is located on the west side of the Nile and stretches for eight kilometers.
