New discoveries were made during the studies carried out by US and Egyptian archaeologists in the temple built by Ramses II in Abidos, which was the historical capital of the Ancient Egyptian Kingdom (2686-218 BC) and is located within the borders of the city of Sohac today.
In a written statement made by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, it was stated that as a result of the excavations, more than 2,000 mummified ram’s heads were found in Egypt dating back to the Ptolemaic Dynasty (332-30 BC).
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Samih Iskender, head of the US archaeological team, said that such a large amount of mummified ram’s heads raises two possibilities: “they were used as votive offerings or that Ramses II continued to be consecrated for a thousand years after his death.”
Along with the discovery, a large building with a different and unique architectural design from the Sixth Dynasty (2345-1821 B.C.) and parts of the northern wall surrounding the temple were also unearthed.
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Mustafa Veziri, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities of Egypt, emphasized that the discovery revealed important details about the history of the Temple of Ramses II in Abidos.
The Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities announced in 2020 that bones and skeletons of other animals were found in this temple.