A French archaeological mission led by Dr. Joachim Le Bomin from the University of Lyon and the French Institute of Oriental Archaeology unearthed a large marble head dating back to the Ptolemaic era during excavations at Taposiris Magna, located 45 kilometers west of Alexandria. The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced the discovery, which was made within the ruins of a 7th-century dwelling, according to Egypt Today.
The marble head, measuring 38 centimeters in height, depicts an elderly, bald man with a wrinkled face showing signs of sternness and illness. Preliminary studies suggest that the figure represents a character possibly from the royal house or ruling elite of the time, though not a king. The head's size indicates it was part of a large statue likely housed in a public building of political importance rather than a private residence, Asharq Al-Awsat reported.
"The large size of the discovered statue head indicates that it was part of a huge statue located in a large building of public political importance, not a private house," said Dr. Mohamed Khaled, the Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, according to Asharq Al-Awsat. The head exhibits realistic facial features intricately carved in a style typical of the late Hellenistic period. "It is carved with high artistic precision with realistic features," noted Mohamed Abdel Badi, as reported by CNN Arabic.
The archaeological mission team is conducting further studies on the head to identify its subject while beginning restoration and preservation work. "Through scientific analysis, more can be explored about the nature of that head, whether it represents a character from the royal house or the ruling elite," said officials from the mission, according to Asharq Al-Awsat.
Taposiris Magna, founded by Pharaoh Ptolemy II Philadelphus between 280 and 270 BCE, is an archaeological site on Egypt's northern coast. The city was designed with a square-shaped enclosure centered around a grand temple dedicated to the god Osiris, from which it derived its Greek name meaning "House of Osiris." The site is renowned for its sacred role during the Greco-Roman and Byzantine periods and contains a number of fixed antiquities, including the Abu Sir Temple and traces of a Greek temple from the 4th century BCE, according to HeritageDaily.
Since 1998, the French Institute for Oriental Archaeology conducted excavations and restorations at Taposiris Magna, focusing on areas such as the Ptolemaic Bath, the Plantain Tombs, and the southern region overlooking Lake Mariout. Egypt Today - Archaeology noted that the ongoing work at the site demonstrates its historical, religious, and cultural importance, adding to its legacy.
In December of last year, one of the archaeological missions working at Taposiris Magna announced the discovery of a group of archaeological finds and funerary and ritual pieces that reveal more about this area during the late Ptolemaic era, Asharq Al-Awsat reported. The cumulative discoveries at the site emphasize Taposiris Magna's role from the reign of Ptolemy IV onward.
Egyptian archaeologist Dr. Hussein Abdel Bassir described the discovered head as "an important addition to the study of the Ptolemaic era and its arts," considering it "new evidence of the richness of the Ptolemaic era in art and history," according to Asharq Al-Awsat. He added that "through detailed scientific study, we can reveal more about the details of this statue and its role in shaping the cultural identity of Ptolemaic Egypt."
The team began the necessary maintenance and restoration work on the head. "This indicates the importance of the Taposiris Magna site from the era of Ptolemy IV onwards," said Le Bomin, the head of the mission, according to Al-Madina. He confirmed the continuation of work at the site to understand why the head was found in the house, despite its date being about 700 years before the house was built.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.