Sanctuary Of Osiris And Rare Bust Of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius Found In Egypt
Egyptian archaeologists have made two important discoveries in Upper Egypt.
Archaeologists have unearthed an extremely rare bust of Ancient Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, as well as one of the most important shrines to the God Osiris dating back to the 25th Dynasty of Ancient Egypt. Experts found a sculptural head of the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius and the remains of the temple of Osiris, built, presumably, in the seventh century BC. As Dr. Aymen Ashmawi of Egypt’s Ministry of Antiquities points out, the finding is unique, as archaeologists rarely discover sculptural images of Marcus Aurelius. Emperor Marcus Aurelius reigned in the years 161-180 of our era. He paid a lot of attention to laws and education. He founded several philosophical schools, he also supported children from low-income families and orphans. Despite his peaceful nature, Marcus Aurelius successfully fought the war against the Sarmatians, and the Germanic tribes, as well as the Parthians.
The emperor left a collection of philosophical thoughts, whose translations are more common under the title “Meditations“.
The sculpted head of Marco Aurelio with a beard and curly hair was found in Aswan, Egypt, in the temple of Kom Ombo, built around 180-47 BC, under the Ptolemies. Initially, the temple was divided into two parts, one of which was dedicated to the god Sobek and the other to the god Horus. Most of the temple was destroyed by floods and earthquakes, and the rest was used as a quarry for later construction. To this day, only a small part has survived. Why the statue of Marco Aurelio could end up in the temple of Kom-Ombo, researchers cannot explain.
The second discovery is equally stunning and was made in Karnak, where experts came across a sanctuary.
The temple complex was dedicated to the god Amon – who under the pharaohs of the XVIII dynasty (1550-1192) became the main god of Egypt – his wife, the goddess Mother Mut and her son Jonsu.
The sanctuary of Osiris was built between the temples of Amun and Mut.
The researchers found an entrance to the sanctuary, columns and internal walls, as well as a room, foundation stones, and floor. Recently, the front of a Greco-Roman temple has been found by Egyptian archaeologists in Al-Salam, a desert site 500 kilometers west of Cairo and near the oasis of Siwa, according to the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities. Featured image credit: Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities via AP/Ministry of Antiquities Eg.
Read the full article at the original website
References:
