Archaeologists excavating at Ahnasia in Upper Egypt, have unearthed the remains of a 3,300-year-old temple built by pharaoh Ramesses the Great.
According to a statement released by the SCA, excavations at Ahnasia, an archaeological area in Beni-Suef, recently uncovered remains of a temple that can be dated to the reign of 19th Dynastyking Ramesses II .
Dr. Sabri Abdel Aziz, Head of the Pharaonic Sector in the SCA, said that inside the remains of the New Kingdom temple, excavators uncovered ten cartouches of Ramesses II and beneath them a relief saying that the ruler had ordered the construction of this temple in Ahnasia.
The excavation team, said Abdel Aziz, will continue excavation of the temple during the next archaeological season.
Ramesses II (1279-1213 BC), son of Seti I, is also known as Ramesses the Great. He is regarded as one of Egypt’s most powerful pharaohs andwas nicknamed ‘the Great Ancestor’ by his successors.
His reign sawthe construction of many great structures- the famous twin temples at Abu Simbel, carved out of the rocks as an everlasting monument to himself and queen Nefertari and the Ramesseum at Thebes, as well as Pi-Ramesses, a city complete with zoo near the old city of Avaris.
In 1881, the red-headed mummy of Ramesses II was discovered in the Royal Cache. Itis nowon display at the Cairo Museum.
A collection of mud-brick structures dated to the fourth and fifth century AD were also unearthed at the archaeological site. Inside these builds, a collection of terracotta statues depicting Isis, Aphrodite and Horus were discovered.
Nearby, The Beni-Suef museum is being reorganized as part of the Ministry of Cultures initiative to refurbish and develop museums around Egypt.
The museum’s refurbishment involves extending the museums display area and transferring the administrative offices to the basement. The building suffered major water damage due to subterranean water, which has seeped into some of the walls of the museums galleries. New lighting and security systems are being installed as well.