A collection of jewelry dating back to the early 26th Dynasty has been found by archaeologists during excavation work in the northwestern part of the Karnak Temple in Luxor, Egypt.
The Temple of Karnak is one of Egypt’s most significant complexes, boasting as many as twenty temples and chapels that have provided great insight into ancient Egyptian religious practices. While there have been a number of incredible artifacts found, the site is an important part of the country’s cultural history as the believed spot where creation began as well as the point of interaction between the god Amun-Ra and the ancient Egyptians.
Massive mudbrick structures in the region dating back to the early 26th Dynasty are thought to have been used as production or storage facilities for the Temple of Karnak and other religious sites.
Work at the site was conducted by the joint Egyptian-French archaeological mission of the Egyptian-French Centre for the Study of Karnak Temples (CFEETK) in collaboration with the Supreme Council of Antiquities and the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS).
“It is a very important discovery because it provides a clearer understanding of the historical development of the Karnak Temples during the first millennium BCE,” Mohamed Ismail Khaled, Secretary-General of the SCA, told Ahram Online.
Among the findings were rings made of gold and other metals, small gold amulets (including a triad statue of the ancient Egyptian deities Amun, Mut, and Khonsu) and amulets of deities as animals, a metallic brooch, and a variety of beads. They were hidden inside a broken vessel, which helped to keep the hoard in pristine condition.
After the artifacts are documented and restored, they are slated to be put on display at the Luxor Museum. Excavations are expected to continue north of the temple complex.
