(Photo : EGYPTIAN SUPREME COUNCIL OF ANTI/AFP via Getty Images)
Pharaoh sphinx artifacts were found in the sun god's temple in Heliopolis, which has opened questions about ancient Egypt.
- Researchers in Heliopolis discovered broken artifacts of the pharaoh and sphinx.
- These relics discovered at the ancient sun temple had images of Ramesses II.
- Such places of worship were dedicated to the sun and are found in several areas in Egypt.
Discoveries like pharaoh sphinx artifacts have representations of ancient Egyptian royalty in locations like the Temple in Heliopolis.
Pharaoh, Sphinx Artifacts Provide Clues on Ancient Egypt
The relics of stone-carved fragments had images of the Pharaoh Ramesses II, Ramesses XI, Horemheb, and Psamtik II. They all reigned from 1279 B.C. to 589 B.C. as the starting to ending date for all of them. It was released in a statement from the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities's Facebook page on March 20.
Ancient structures like these sun temples were at several sites in ancient Egypt. These sacred structures were for worshipping Ra, the god of the sun, and Heliopolis in Greek. Lunu is the Egyptian term for it, reported Live Science.
Based on the belief of ancient Egyptians that Lunu at the start of the world was also when the first sunrise came, remarked excavation dig leader Dietrich Raue noted Researchgate. He is the head of the Cairo department of the German Archaeological Institute.
Pharaoh claimed they were associated with the creator with the link to Ra as proof of human divinity, which is why all these grandiose structures were erected. The presence of statues, obelisks, with other structures in the Heliopolis was to show power and glorify Ra.
He added that any ruler of Egypt must have the sun god's blessing to ratify their pharaoh status. It would make serving the divine gods the biggest duty of Egyptian kings. These statues are physical representations of that relationship, cited Interesting Engineering.
Relics at the Sun Temple in Heliopolis
Finding these statues depict what head of the Egyptian ruler on the sphinxes and will be located in the front gates or close to obelisks in the sun temples. It was inferred that these relics were destroyed and recycled for building materials.
Others not involved in the research were asked for their opinions about the Temple of the Sun relics. Egyptologist Massimiliano Nuzzolo said the many statues in the locations show how important these sites were to the pharaonic eras. He added the conclusions regarding this statuary show the rulers of the second and first millenniums wanted to leave proof of their worship of Ra in the Egyptian civilization.
Another expert Peter Brand, a history professor interested in the study of Egyptology, stated that not much is known about the Temple of the Sun with an example that Ramesses II did extend the Egyptian empire but one with one question. Brand said the temple had older parts that he added during his reign.
How much is original and what is rebuilt is yet to be identified after the researchers raised the question. For Brand, the find is only a scratch of history, with more still unknown in the sands of ancient Egypt. The Pharaoh sphinx artifacts in the temple in Heliopolis open up more questions than answers; even pharaohs are proving more complex than expected.
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