The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced the discovery of new inscriptions at one of the Karnak Temples in Luxor Governorate, depicting royal religious rituals, as well as new archaeological discoveries in other areas of Luxor.
The restoration and rehabilitation project of the "Southern Chapels" of the Temple of Akhmenu in the Karnak Temple complex in Luxor has uncovered important inscriptions, some of which are linked to religious rituals performed by the king in devotion to the god Amun. Meanwhile, two Egyptian excavation missions have unearthed wooden coffins for children in the Asasif area, as well as other artifacts in the Nagaa Abu Asba area in Luxor Governorate.
Mohamed Abdel Badie, head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector at the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said that the cleaning work at the Temple of Akhemenu has revealed several important inscriptions, including those illustrating the rituals the king performed to worship the god Amun. The walls of the main corridor are decorated with scenes from the Heb-Sed (Jubilee) celebration of Thutmose III, in addition to a long foundation inscription describing the temple as a "temple of millions of years," dedicated to the god Amun-Ra and the gods of Karnak.
Dr. Mohamed Ismail Khaled, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said that the project is being carried out in cooperation with the French-Egyptian Centre for the Study of Karnak Temples (CFEETK), and that the restoration work on the southern chapels in the Akhmenu area included cleaning, structural and meticulous restoration, in addition to the full documentation of the inscriptions and religious scenes.
Dr. Abdel Ghaffar Wagdy, Director General of Luxor Antiquities and Director of the Egyptian-French Center on the Egyptian side, pointed out that the development work at the shrines included improving the services provided to visitors with the aim of enhancing the tourist experience. Informational and directional signs were installed about the history of the southern shrines, in addition to facilitating visits for people with disabilities by creating special ramps for them.
He added that the Temple of Akhmenu dates back to the reign of King Thutmose III (c. 1479–1425 BC), and is considered one of the most important temples dedicated to the worship of the god Amun-Ra in Karnak during the New Kingdom.
The "Southern Shrines" are located directly to the right of the main entrance to the temple, a ritual area consisting of seven shrines and two large columned rooms, connected by an internal corridor.
This architectural building is in excellent condition. Large sections of the walls and ceilings still stand, and the colorful inscriptions on the walls retain their clarity and brilliance, making it one of the most prominently preserved monuments in the Karnak Temples.
The Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities explained that the Egyptian excavation mission in the Asasif area was able to uncover a group of small wooden coffins intended for children, most of which were in a very poor state of preservation. All the coffins were devoid of any inscriptions or writing.
He noted that in the coming period, a specialist in human bones and wooden coffins will be consulted to determine the era to which these coffins date, as well as to study the bones contained within them to determine age, gender, and cause of death. This will contribute to a deeper understanding of the excavation site in general.
For his part, Mohamed Abdel Badie said that the Egyptian mission also uncovered a group of ostraca made of limestone and pottery, and two conical rings missing some parts that read (the overseer of the house Khonsu), in addition to discovering a well inside which were a number of small ushabti statues made of blue faience, as well as discovering a room in the middle of which was a column with remains of mortar on it but no inscriptions.
Regarding the excavations of the Egyptian mission in the Nagaa Abu Asba area, Wagdy explained that the excavation work revealed a huge mud-brick wall dating back to the reign of King Menkheperre, one of the kings of the 21st Dynasty. The wall is built from mud-brick blocks, each block stamped with the name of the king and his wife. A sandstone gate was also found in the heart of this wall, in addition to various workshops and kilns for making bronze statues.
He also noted the discovery of a number of bronze Osiris statues of various sizes, as well as coins and amulets. A large beer-making workshop was also found, demonstrating the area's function at various periods, possibly as an industrial zone.
