An archaeological discovery in Jirzah, a village south of Cairo, has unearthed a large funerary complex. All photos: Egypt's Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities
According to Adel Okasha, an antiquities official, the funerary complex’s floor was made of limestone and decorated with coloured tiles
A number of classical-era mummy portraits dating back to the Roman rule of the country were the find's most exciting items
An archaeological discovery in Jirzah, a village south of Cairo. The discovery includes several Fayum portraits, marking the first time they were seen since the first batch was discovered 115 years ago
A terracotta statue of Isis-Aphrodite was found inside a wooden sarcophagus
A number of papyrus records were also unearthed by the mission
To the south of the complex, the remains of a colonnaded hall were unearthed, inside of which the remains of four fallen pillars were found
It is noteworthy that the village of Jirzah, which was known as the village of Philadelphia in the Greek era, was established in the third century BC as a central village within the agricultural reclamation project implemented by King Ptolemy II at the time
The village was inhabited by Egyptian and Greek citizens
A number of clay vessels and jars were also found
The discovered Fayum images, a type of mummy portrait, are the first to be found since the initial batch was discovered 115 years ago
Several sarcophagi were also discovered
An archaeological discovery in Jirzah, a village south of Cairo, has unearthed a large funerary complex. All photos: Egypt's Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities
According to Adel Okasha, an antiquities official, the funerary complex’s floor was made of limestone and decorated with coloured tiles
A number of classical-era mummy portraits dating back to the Roman rule of the country were the find's most exciting items
An archaeological discovery in Jirzah, a village south of Cairo. The discovery includes several Fayum portraits, marking the first time they were seen since the first batch was discovered 115 years ago
A terracotta statue of Isis-Aphrodite was found inside a wooden sarcophagus
A number of papyrus records were also unearthed by the mission
To the south of the complex, the remains of a colonnaded hall were unearthed, inside of which the remains of four fallen pillars were found
It is noteworthy that the village of Jirzah, which was known as the village of Philadelphia in the Greek era, was established in the third century BC as a central village within the agricultural reclamation project implemented by King Ptolemy II at the time
The village was inhabited by Egyptian and Greek citizens
A number of clay vessels and jars were also found
The discovered Fayum images, a type of mummy portrait, are the first to be found since the initial batch was discovered 115 years ago
