Over 2,000 mummified ram heads and a sumptuous Old Kingdom structure have been discovered by archaeologists at the Temple of Ramses II at Abydos.
Artifacts discovered about 435 kilometers south of Cairo date back over 1,000 years, from the Sixth Dynasty to the Heroic Age, with some finds over 4,300 years old.
In addition, archaeologists from New York University discovered a group of mummified dogs, wild goats, cows, deer and an ostrich.
The mummified remains are believed to have been left at the site in honor of Ramses II some 1,000 years after his death, the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said.
“It is believed that rams and other animals were used as offerings during the ram worship at Abydus during the reign of Bipidus,” added the head of the mission, Dr. Sameh Iskandar.
In addition to the animal remains, the archaeological team also unearthed a “huge building” with walls about five meters thick, dating from the Sixth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom. Here the researchers found statues, tree remains, leather shoes, clothes and papyri.
King Ramesses II, also known as Ramesses the Great , was one of the most powerful and successful pharaohs in ancient Egypt. He reigned from 1279 to 1213 BC, during the New Kingdom period, and was the third pharaoh of the 19th Dynasty. Ramesses II was known for his military campaigns, which expanded the Egyptian empire and helped to secure its borders.
