Egyptian Archaeology: Projects, Discoveries & Findings

This tour: Ramses & The Gold of the Pharaohs is coming to the Australian Museum in Sydney from 18 November.

'This all-new multisensory museum experience provides visitors with a window into the life and accomplishments of Ramses II, more commonly known as Ramses the Great, who ruled Egypt for 67 years – the second longest reign for any pharaoh, living an astonishing 92 years. Exclusive to Sydney, Ramses & the Gold of the Pharaohs features 181 priceless artefacts including Egyptian treasures and one-of-a-kind relics, many representing the exceptional pharaoh himself and many of which have never left Egypt before. On this immersive journey visitors will discover a stunningly preserved collection of artefacts, including sarcophagi, animal mummies, magnificent jewellery, spectacular royal masks, exquisite amulets, and ornate golden treasures of the tomb, showcasing the superb workmanship of Egyptian artisans.'

https://australian.museum/exhibition/ramses/

We have our tickets.
 
Lets taste the wine.

A German-Austrian team led by archaeologist Christiana Köhler from the University of Vienna is investigating the tomb of Queen Meret-Neith in Abydos, Egypt.

She was the most powerful woman in the period around 3,000 BC. Recent excavations prove her special historical significance: the researchers found 5,000-year-old wine and other grave goods. This fuels speculation that Meret-Neith was the first pharaoh of ancient Egypt and predecessor of the later Queen Hatshepsut.

The team recently began archaeological excavations in the tomb of Queen Meret-Neith of the 1st Dynasty (c. 3,000 BCE) in Abydos and discovered significant new information about this important historical woman.

Queen Meret-Neith was the only woman to have her own monumental tomb in Egypt's first royal cemetery at Abydos. She was probably the most powerful woman of her time and today's researchers speculate that Meret-Neith may have been the first female pharaoh in ancient Egypt and thus the predecessor of the later Queen Hatshepsut from the 18th dynasty. Her true identity remains a mystery. The new excavations bring to light exciting new information about this unique woman and her time.

5,000-year-old wine for Egyptian queen


5000-year-old wine jars in the tomb of Queen Meret-Neith in Abydos during the excavation. The jars are in their original context and some of them are still sealed. Credit: EC Köhler

The archaeological team found evidence of a huge amount of grave goods, including hundreds of large wine jars. Some of them were very well preserved and even still sealed in their original state. They contained the remains of 5,000-year-old wine. In addition, inscriptions testify that Queen Meret-Neith was responsible for central government offices such as the treasury, which supports the idea of her special historical significance.

https://phys.org/news/2023-10-archaeologists-year-old-wine-tomb-meret-neith.html
 
Frideswide said:
I don't understand what they mean by her true identity?
Click to expand...

“Merneith (also written Merit-neith and Meryt-Neith) was a consort and a regent of Ancient Egypt during the First Dynasty. She may have been a ruler of Egypt in her own right, based on several official records. If this was the case and the earlier royal wife Neithhotep never ruled as an independent regent, Merneith may have been the first female pharaoh and the earliest queen regnant in recorded history. Her rule occurred around 2950 BC.”

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merneith

maximus otter
 
maximus otter said:
“Merneith (also written Merit-neith and Meryt-Neith) was a consort and a regent of Ancient Egypt during the First Dynasty. She may have been a ruler of Egypt in her own right, based on several official records. If this was the case and the earlier royal wife Neithhotep never ruled as an independent regent, Merneith may have been the first female pharaoh and the earliest queen regnant in recorded history. Her rule occurred around 2950 BC.”

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merneith

maximus otter
Click to expand...


Yes, but why isn't this her real identity?
 
A rare and interesting find.

A case study led by Southern Illinois University, Illinois, has described the earliest discovery of an ovarian teratoma, a type of tumor that contains well-differentiated tissues developed from three germ cell layers (ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm).

Teratomas can present as hair, teeth, bones and, in the most extreme cases, partial limbs and underdeveloped organs, which is perhaps where the tumor form got its name "teratoma," derived from the Greek word "teras," meaning monster.

In a paper, "A mature ovarian teratoma from New Kingdom Amarna, Egypt," published in the International Journal of Paleopathology, the researchers detail the archaeological discovery of a mature ovarian teratoma in Amarna, Egypt, dating to the mid-14th century BCE.

It is just the fifth known case of a mature ovarian teratoma found in the archaeological record and the only one reported from Pharaonic Egypt or Africa, predating other reported cases by several centuries.

The presence of multiple teeth and their degree of development provided strong evidence for identifying the mass as an ovarian teratoma. The teratoma was associated with a young woman, 18–21-year-old, buried in one of the more adorned non-elite burials at Amarna.

The remains were found in a multi-chambered underground tomb in the North Desert Cemetery at Amarna, accompanied by a calcified mass and two associated teeth within the pelvic cavity. It is unclear what was known of the woman's condition at the time, though the young age at the time of death could indicate that she died from an infection associated with the condition.

https://phys.org/news/2023-11-ancient-egyptian-burial-reveals-ovarian.html
 

Archaeologists made extremely grim discovery after opening 2000-year-old giant black sarcophagus​


When [a team from Egypt’s Ministry of Antiquities] discovered a black granite sarcophagus in the Sidi Gaber district of Alexandria, they thought all hell could break loose if they opened it up.

The superstitious among the group feared that cracking open this 2.5-meter coffin could unleash some manner of curse upon themselves.

Fortunately, though, this doesn’t appear to be the case - but what they found inside was still pretty grim.

Experts have estimated that the uncovered sarcophagus dates back to Egypt's Ptolemaic period (323-30 BC)

Experts concluded that the sarcophagus featured three bodies believed by experts to have been soldiers.

It was also revealed that one of the skeletons had been pierced by an arrow and that all three had been found in stagnant red water.

resize


The stench of the water was reportedly so strong that the team had to leave the artefact to air out for an hour before further examining its contents.

Unbelievable (and rather disgustingly) a petition appeared online expressing interest in drinking the stagnant water.

People had hoped that slurping on corpse-flavoured water would give them some kind of mythical powers.

Despite collecting thousands of signatures, the petition was thankfully ignored by officials.

https://www.unilad.com/news/world-news/archaeologists-open-ancient-black-sarcophagus-309137-20240304

maximus otter
 
Last edited:
maximus otter said:

Archaeologists made extremely grim discovery after opening 2000-year-old giant black sarcophagus​


When [a team from Egypt’s Ministry of Antiquities] discovered a black granite sarcophagus in the Sidi Gaber district of Alexandria, they thought all hell could break loose if they opened it up.

The superstitious among the group feared that cracking open this 2.5-meter coffin could unleash some manner of curse upon themselves.

Fortunately, though, this doesn’t appear to be the case - but what they found inside was still pretty grim.

Experts have estimated that the uncovered sarcophagus dates back to Egypt's Ptolemaic period (323-30 BC)

Experts concluded that the sarcophagus featured three bodies believed by experts to have been soldiers.

It was also revealed that one of the skeletons had been pierced by an arrow and that all three had been found in stagnant red water.

resize


The stench of the water was reportedly so strong that the team had to leave the artefact to air out for an hour before further examining its contents.

Unbelievable (and rather disgustingly) a petition appeared online expressing interest in drinking the stagnant water.

People had hoped that slurping on corpse-flavoured water would give them some kind of mythical powers.

Despite collecting thousands of signatures, the petition was thankfully ignored by officials.

https://www.unilad.com/news/food-and-drink/pepsi-logo-change-across-globe-863483-20240228

maximus otter
Click to expand...

You have the wrong url.

Here's the correct one: https://www.unilad.com/news/world-news/archaeologists-open-ancient-black-sarcophagus-309137-20240304
 
maximus otter said:
Unbelievable (and rather disgustingly) a petition appeared online expressing interest in drinking the stagnant water.

People had hoped that slurping on corpse-flavoured water would give them some kind of mythical powers.
Click to expand...
Some people are just nuts. Corpse water might give the mythical power of death.
 

Egypt unearths upper part of 3,200-year-old giant Ramses II statue​





a0b33c074f254392bf1d3479357dd279.jpg


Photo shows the upper part of a full-body Ramses II statue discovered in Minya, Egypt.


Egyptian-U.S. archeologists have discovered the upper part of a full-body Ramses II statue dating back more than 3,200 years to his rule in the 19th Dynasty of Ancient Egypt, the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced on Monday.

Archaeological studies showed that the 3.8-meter-high limestone bust, newly discovered in the southern Egyptian province of Minya, matches the lower part of a statue of the Egyptian pharaoh uncovered in 1930, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities Mostafa Waziri said in a statement.

The relic depicts Ramses II wearing a double-crowned headdress with a royal cobra on it. The top of the pillar on the back of the statue has hieroglyphic inscriptions of titles glorifying the king and texts indicating its building time.

The whole statue combining the two parts will be seven meters high, according to the statement.

https://english.news.cn/20240305/1254b1c9d46646ea8c4e7fb49051bb31/c.html
 
Ancient cancer care.

Ancient Egyptians were trying to understand and treat cancer more than 4,000 years ago, scientists believe.

Researchers have found evidence of cutmarks on a skull around a large lesion thought to have been caused by a cancerous growth. They also found 30 smaller lesions across the skull, suggesting the cancer was spreading.

Cutmarks found on the skull of a male individual, thought to have been made with a sharp object

Cutmarks found on the skull of a male individual (Tondini/Isidro/Camaros/Frontiers in Medicine/PA)

The skull belonged to a man who was around 30 to 35 when he died, the researchers said. They said the cutmarks are likely to have been made with a sharp object, suggesting these ancient Egyptians may have tried to operate on the tumour.

Tatiana Tondini, a researcher at the University of Tubingen in Germany, said: “When we first observed the cutmarks under the microscope, we could not believe what was in front of us.”

But Professor Edgard Camaros, a palaeopathologist at the University of Santiago de Compostela in Spain, said the surgical cutmarks might be from a medical autopsy to learn more about the disease after death.

He said: “Both possibilities reveal a surgical intervention intimately related with the tumours – and this is amazing. This finding is unique evidence of how ancient Egyptian medicine would have tried to deal with or explore cancer more than 4,000 years ago. This is an extraordinary new perspective in our understanding of the history of medicine.” ...

https://www.breakingnews.ie/world/a...-and-treat-cancer-4000-years-ago-1631177.html
 
Multiple mausoleums found on hill in Aswan.

Archaeologists have unearthed more than 30 ancient Egyptian tombs that cover an entire hill in Aswan, an ancient city on the Nile. The burials date to the Greco-Roman period and reveal clues about those who once lived in this vibrant trading port.

The finds include the mummies of what are likely families buried together; coffins; cartonnage, or a paper-mache material created from recycled papyri or fabric; amphorae, or clay vessels, decorated with vine-leaf designs; and artifacts such as offering tables.

"It was a rich place, an important place," said Patrizia Piacentini, an Egyptologist and archaeologist at the University of Milan who leads a joint Egyptian-Italian mission at the site. "All the people who intended to make trade between Northern Africa and subtropical Africa, this was the place [for them] and it was a place for all the history of ancient Egypt," she said.

Archaeologists learned about the burial site in 2015, following a slew of illegal excavations. The government asked local archaeologists to survey the area, and soon thereafter excavators discovered tombs dating to the late Greek and Roman periods (roughly 332 B.C. to A.D. 395).

The former Egyptian minister of antiquities, Khaled el-Enany, then reached out to Piacentini, who began surveying the site with a large team of Egyptian and Italian archaeologists in 2019. The researchers found terraces of ancient tombs stratified into multiple levels on the hill near the modern Mausoleum of Aga Khan III.

During the excavation, the archaeologists found ancient oil lamps that were possibly left behind by mourners. ...

https://www.livescience.com/archaeo...30-ancient-egyptian-tombs-built-into-hillside
 
Water power!

The ancient Egyptians may have used an elaborate hydraulic system to construct the world's first pyramid, a controversial new study claims.

Known as the Pyramid of Djoser, the six-tiered, four-sided step pyramid was built around 4,700 years ago on the Saqqara plateau, an archaeological site in northern Egypt, according to research posted to ResearchGate on July 24. The research has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Archaeologists have long wondered how ancient workers accomplished such an architectural feat — the structure contains 11.7 million cubic feet (330,400 cubic meters) of stone and clay — before the advent of large machinery like bulldozers and cranes.

https://www.livescience.com/archaeo...-their-1st-pyramid-controversial-study-claims
 
New Finds in Nile Delta Tombs.

A trove of artefacts from Egypt’s last dynasty has been discovered in 63 tombs in the Nile Delta area, an official with the country’s antiquities authority has said.

Experts were working to restore and classify the finds which included gold pieces and jewellery dating to Egypt’s Late and Ptolemaic periods, Neveine el-Arif, spokeswoman for the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, said.

An Egyptian archaeological mission with the Supreme Council of Antiquities discovered the mud-brick tombs at the Tell al-Deir necropolis in Damietta city in Damietta governorate, the ministry said in a statement last month.

https://www.breakingnews.ie/world/t...dynasty-found-in-dozens-of-tombs-1660828.html
 

Archaeologists uncover 6th century astronomical observatory in Egypt​


Researchers told Live Science that everything uncovered shattered expectations set for the mission.​

Artifacts found in an ancient astronomical observatory in Egypt (photo credit: EGYPTIAN TOURISM AND ANTIQUITIES MINISTRY)



Archaeologists in Egypt have uncovered an astronomical observatory dating back to the 6th century BC. According to the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the observatory is believed to be the first and largest of its kind. The discovery was made in the Temple of Buto in the country's Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate.

The observatory, built from mud bricks, tracked and recorded astronomical phenomena, including the sun's and stars' movement. The temple was a hub for celestial observations in the ancient city.

Egypt's Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Sherif Fathy, recently called for additional attention to archaeological missions, encouraging further discovery of Egypt's rich ancient history.

The observatory was critical in determining the solar calendar and religious and official ceremonies, including royal coronations and the agricultural calendar. Ministry experts emphasized that the techniques utilized by the ancient Egyptians, despite the simplicity of their tools, provided valuable insights into the scientific and astronomical advancements of the time.

Artifacts uncovered in an Egyptian excavation, leading to the discovery of a large observatory. (credit: EGYPTIAN TOURISM AND ANTIQUITIES MINISTRY)
Enlrage image


While excavating, archeologists found a slanted stone sundial, a necessary tool for measuring time in the ancient world. Made of limestone slabs measuring 4.8 meters in length and covered with five smooth limestone blocks, the sundial was understood to have contained slanted lines to assist in tracking and moving the sun and shadows throughout the day.

Head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector within the national antiquities authority, Dr. Ayman Ashmawi, described the newly discovered observatory as the largest of its kind from that point in time.

The observatory spanned an area of approximately 850 square meters and was found in the southwestern corner of the temple complex. Its architectural design includes an entrance facing the east where the sun rises, an L-shaped central hall with columns, and a massive inward-sloping mudbrick wall reminiscent of traditional Egyptian temple façades.

Archaeologists found a circular hall within the space, with a stone platform joined by engravings representing solar movements.

Additionally, the mission uncovered five mudbrick rooms believed to have stored tools related to the observatory’s function. Four smaller mudbrick rooms and a small stone room thought to be part of the observatory’s tower, were also found.

A relatively large hall with three yellow mortar-coated walls revealed murals, and a faint blue painting of a ceremonial boat featuring eight shrines was also uncovered. The boat depicted the falcon god Horus and the Eye of Wadjet, symbolizing the universe and its connection to the sun, moon, and key deities of the Buto temple.

https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-818996
 
Sword and other artifacts unearthed at ancient barracks.

The newfound barracks may have been built partly because the Libyans were becoming a growing threat to ancient Egypt.

A golden sword

This longsword contains a hieroglyphic inscription that mentions Ramesses II. It was likely given to a high-ranking officer. (Image credit: Courtesy of the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities)

Archaeologists in Egypt have unearthed the 3,200-year-old remains of a military barracks containing a wealth of artifacts, including a sword with hieroglyphs depicting the name of Ramesses II.

The structure contains a series of storerooms used to hold grain and ovens for baking. The team also found the remains of pottery containing the bones of animals, including fish. Multiple cow burials were also unearthed at the site, Ahmed El Kharadly, an archaeologist with the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities who led excavations at the site, told Live Science in an email.

Cows In ancient Egypt symbolized "strength, abundance, and prosperity, as cows were revered as celestial deities," the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said in a translated statement. However, El Kharadly thinks that, in this case, the cows would have been used for eating. He noted that cow bones were found in a silo area near an oven, "which confirms that they were probably divided into parts and then stored in Silos after drying," El Kharadly said.

In addition, the archaeologists discovered the remains of weapons, including a bronze sword inscribed with the name of King Ramesses II (ruled circa 1279 to 1213 B.C.). The sword was found in a small room in the barracks, near an area where an enemy could try to infiltrate, an indication that this sword was intended for fighting and wasn't just for show, El Kharadly said.
They also found two inscribed limestone blocks; one has a hieroglyphic inscription that mentions Ramesses II, whereas the other cites an official named "Bay," the statement reported.

The ancient Egyptians placed the barracks along a military road in the northwest Nile Delta. Its location would have allowed troops to confront groups coming into the Nile Delta from the western desert or by the Mediterranean Sea, the statement said.

https://www.livescience.com/archaeo...cks-contains-sword-inscribed-with-ramesses-ii
 
Came across this - this morning. An fascinating bit of insight into how many Egyptian artifacts and antiquities might have been made.
 
Archaeologists find the 4,000-year-old tomb of an overachieving Egyptian magician

A team of archeologists in Egypt have discovered the 4,000-year-old tomb of a renowned royal doctor who was likely a venom expert. The remains were uncovered in Saqqara, the site of the ancient city of Memphis, about 25 miles southwest of Cairo. While there is evidence that looters have plundered the tomb, the walls were found intact and well decorated.

egypt-tomb-colorful-wall.jpg


The team from the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities found that the remains belong to the royal doctor from the old state of Saqarra named Teti Neb Fu. He served during the reign of King Pepi II who became king during the sixth dynasty of ancient Egypt, between roughly 2305 and 2118 BCE. During Pepi II’s reign, Teti Neb Fu held several prestigious titles, including the chief palace physician, chief dentist, and director of medicinal plants. He also was a priest and a “magician” of the goddess Serket. Since Serket is the goddess of venomous creatures, scientists believe that Teti Neb Fu was an expert in treating venomous bites or stings.

Ancient Egyptians are known to have attempted to treat brain cancer, diagnose diabetes, use crocodile dung for contraception, and may have been aware that some sitting positions could lead to bone damage. Over 3,000-year years, Ancient Egyptian physicians also learned a great deal about the human cardiovascular system, early dentistry, and worked on depression and dementia treatments.

https://www.popsci.com/science/ancient-egypt-magician-tomb/

maximus otter
 
According to a recent study, Egyptian mummies smell nice.

"...all could be described as "woody", "spicy" and "sweet" They say recreating the composition of the smells chemically will allow others to experience a mummy's whiff - and help to tell when the bodies inside may be starting to rot. We were surprised at the pleasantness of them."

I like the idea of the mummy rooms of the British Museum being infused with recreated mummy odour!

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crr0ypp84x9o
 

Egypt announces discovery of King Thutmose II’s tomb, the first royal find since Tutankhamun​


Egyptian officials announced on Tuesday the discovery of King Thutmose II's tomb in Luxor, a find described as "one of the most important archaeological discoveries in recent years." This marks the first royal tomb discovery in Egypt since Tutankhamun's burial site was uncovered over 100 years ago.

https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/archaeology-around-the-world/article-842778
 
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