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A trove of artifacts from Egypt's last dynasty has been found in 63 tombs

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A trove of artifacts from Egypt's last dynasty has been found in 63 tombs
News

News

A trove of artifacts from Egypt's last dynasty has been found in 63 tombs

2024-08-13 10:14 Last Updated At:10:20

CAIRO (AP) — A trove of artifacts from Egypt’s last dynasty has been discovered in 63 tombs in the Nile Delta area and experts are working to restore and classify the finds, an official with the country’s antiquities authority said Monday.

The artifacts include gold pieces and jewelry dating to Egypt's Late and Ptolemaic periods, and some items could be displayed at one of the country's museums, said Neveine el-Arif, spokeswoman for the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

An Egyptian archaeological mission with the Supreme Council of Antiquities discovered the mud-brick tombs at the Tell al-Deir necropolis in Damietta city in Damietta governorate, the ministry said in a statement last month.

Other items found in the area of the tombs include statues, funerary amulets and a pottery vessel containing 38 bronze coins dating to the Ptolemaic period.

The Ptolemaic dynasty was Egypt's last before it became part of the Roman Empire. The dynasty was founded in 305 B.C. after Alexander the Great of Macedonia took Egypt in 332 B.C. and one of his generals, Ptolemy, became Ptolemy I. Leadership was handed down through Ptolemy’s descendants and ended with Cleopatra.

Egypt exhibited artifacts from the Ptolemaic period for the first time in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo in 2018, with around 300 artifacts on display.

In this image provided by Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, archeologists observe the site where they discovered 63 mud-brick tombs at the Tell al-Deir necropolis, in the Nile Delta town of Damietta, about 125 miles (200 km) north of Cairo, Egypt. The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced the discovery of the trove, which includes gold pieces, bronze coins and amulets on July 25, 2024. ( Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities via AP)

In this image provided by Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, archeologists observe the site where they discovered 63 mud-brick tombs at the Tell al-Deir necropolis, in the Nile Delta town of Damietta, about 125 miles (200 km) north of Cairo, Egypt. The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced the discovery of the trove, which includes gold pieces, bronze coins and amulets on July 25, 2024. ( Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities via AP)

This image provided by Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, shows artifacts which were discovered inside tombs at the Tell al-Deir necropolis, in the Nile Delta town of Damietta, about 125 miles (200 km) north of Cairo, Egypt. The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced the discovery of the trove, which includes gold pieces, bronze coins and amulets on July 25, 2024. ( Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities via AP)

This image provided by Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, shows artifacts which were discovered inside tombs at the Tell al-Deir necropolis, in the Nile Delta town of Damietta, about 125 miles (200 km) north of Cairo, Egypt. The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced the discovery of the trove, which includes gold pieces, bronze coins and amulets on July 25, 2024. ( Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities via AP)

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A 2,000-year-old statue is found abandoned in a garbage bag in Greece

2025-01-23 00:17 Last Updated At:00:20

THESSALONIKI, Greece (AP) — A marble statue of a woman believed to be more than 2,000 years old was found abandoned in a garbage bag near the Greek city of Thessaloniki, police said Wednesday.

A resident discovered the 80-centimeter (31-inch) headless statue beside a trash bin in Neoi Epivates, outside Greece’s second-largest city. The man turned it over to local authorities, who contacted archaeologists to assess its significance.

Police said experts, following an initial evaluation, determined the piece dates to the Hellenistic era, a period roughly between 320 and 30 B.C. that was marked by a flourishing of art and culture following the conquests of Alexander the Great.

The statue was sent for further examination by archaeologists. It will ultimately be handed over to the local antiquities authority for preservation and study.

Police opened an investigation to determine who discarded the statue and briefly detained a man for questioning who was later released without charge.

Accidental archaeological discoveries are relatively common in Greece, a country renowned for its ancient heritage, and often made during building construction or public works. In December, workers installing natural gas pipelines near Athens uncovered a Roman-era statue of Hermes buried upright in a brick-lined pit near the Acropolis.

Thessaloniki weeks ago unveiled a trove of antiquities found during the decades-long construction of its metro system, which officially opened in November. Key finds, including a marble-paved Roman thoroughfare and tens of thousands of artifacts spanning the Greek, Byzantine, and Ottoman periods, are now showcased at subway stations.

This undated handout photo provided by the Greek Police and released on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025 shows a marble statue of a woman believed to be more than 2,000 years old which was found abandoned in a garbage bag in the northern city of Thessaloniki, Greece. (Greek Police via AP)

This undated handout photo provided by the Greek Police and released on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025 shows a marble statue of a woman believed to be more than 2,000 years old which was found abandoned in a garbage bag in the northern city of Thessaloniki, Greece. (Greek Police via AP)

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