From mummies with gold-plated tongues to a pyramid erected for a previously unknown queen, these are ten astonishing ancient Egyptian discoveries from 2022.
From mummies with gold-plated tongues to a pyramid erected for a previously unknown queen, these are ten astonishing ancient Egyptian discoveries from 2022.
1. Lifelike mummy portraits
Archaeologists discovered two entire mummy pictures, as well as other fragmentary portraits of those buried in the cemetery while excavating a necropolis in the ancient Egyptian city of Philadelphia. Researchers believe the deceased was likely middle-class or privileged because commissioning custom paintings of their likenesses would have been prohibitively expensive at the time. Mummy pictures are also extremely rare to uncover due to looting, with the last known specimens recovered in the 1880s.
2. Temple dedicated to the deity Zeus-Kasios
Archaeologists discovered the remnants of a temple devoted to Zeus-Kasios, a deity who was a hybrid of Zeus and the weather god Kasios, on the Sinai Peninsula. The temple was discovered after researchers noticed portions of two pink granite columns jutting out of the ground, which they believe previously supported the temple’s front gate and presumably collapsed during an ancient earthquake.
3. Mummies with gold tongues
Mummies were frequently interred with gold tongues throughout the Greco-Roman period. The Ancient Egyptians thought that doing so would aid in the afterlife transformation of the deceased into divine beings. Archaeologists discovered many examples of this unique burial style during a dig in an ancient cemetery near Quesna, just north of Cairo. The tombs also included numerous grave goods, like jewellery, pottery, and gold scarabs (beetles).
4. Falcon shrine and a cryptic message about boiling heads
After unearthing a 1,700-year-old shrine with 15 headless falcons on a pedestal and a stone monument representing two unknown gods at Berenike, a Red Sea port, archaeologists discovered a true head-scratcher. An iron harpoon was discovered next to the pedestal, but what truly surprised scholars was an inscription in Greek they discovered in one of the shrine’s back rooms, which said, “It is improper to boil a head in here.”
5. Gold ring featuring the likeness of the “god of fun”
Here’s another proof that even the ancient Egyptians enjoyed themselves. Archaeologists discovered a treasure trove of gold objects, including a necklace and three rings, while excavating a burial site in Akhetaten (modern-day Amarna), a city south of Cairo. Bes, often known as the “god of fun,” was engraved on one item of jewellery. Images of the fun-loving divinity can be seen all around Egypt. He is frequently portrayed as a dwarf who not only enjoyed music and parties but also safeguarded ladies during childbirth.
